Trenching & Tunneling

Patriot Utility Services provides trenching and tunneling services throughout Katy, Houston, North, and South Texas. With more than 50 years of experience excavating trenches and tunnels for utility and construction projects, you can trust our team of professionals with all of your underground boring needs.

Contact us online or call (636) 208-0921 to request a quote for trenching or tunneling service in Texas. We tunnel underground voids to deploy power lines, conduit, sewer lines, and drainage systems and look forward to helping you on your next project.

We provide high quality services with a focus on efficiency, but not at the cost of environmental or safety compliance. With more than five decades of experience in the industry, our team is highly proficient in both residential and commercial trenching.

Underground Trenching & Tunneling Services

Before your construction crew gets to work on an approved bid, the foreman or project manager will identify important considerations regarding compliance, site conditions, and equipment needed. These unique considerations include but are not limited to:

• Identifying any safety concerns
• Compliance with environmental guidelines
• Managing unique terrain types, such as hilly or rocky subterranean materials.

A project manager will be assigned to your project to ensure the day-to-day operations and deliverables are aligned with the scope of the contract’s deliverables. We will monitor the trenching process to ensure our crews stay on schedule and finish the job efficiently yet safely.

Residential Trenching & Tunneling Applications

There are many situations in which tunneling or trenching services may be needed.

• Slab Leaks. One residential application examples is if your home has a foundation leak or requires pipe or water line repair inside the slab.  
• Sewer Line Repair Trenching. Retrenching under sewer main lines, water lines, or plumbing is another example requiring underground tunneling to access for needed repairs.
• Foundation Repair Tunneling. Trenching service is often required prior to launching construction and remodeling projects. Common jobs include trenching through slabs in new home builds to fix line placement mistakes and when moving water, drainage, and gas lines before renovations. Tunneling is also required for any slab leak or foundation repair projects.
• Pipeline Trenching. Companies in the oil and gas industry, including both upstream and downstream organizations, often need trenching services for pipeline construction, maintenance, and repair.
• Wind & Solar Energy Line Trenching. For renewable energy plants and distribution centers commercial trenching services are instrumental to their continuous operation.

Shoring Plans for Federal Safety Compliance

The oil and gas sector must maintain compliance with federal regulations to remain operational, but this becomes challenging because of the extensiveness of standards and frequent updates. That’s why energy and construction companies outsource trenching services to companies like use. We conduct thorough analyses and soil samples to construct shoring plans compliant with all applicable OSHA trench safety and environmental regulations.

Underground Tunnel & Trench Excavation Experts

We specialize in tunneling and trenching services to maintain underground lines, conduit, and pipelines and stay up-to-date with changes affecting these types of projects so your company doesn’t have to.

What is Tunneling?

Tunneling is a professional construction method utilized to safely secure underground passage of earth or water. There are limitless directions in which tunnels can be carved underground: horizontal, vertical, at a 45° angle, or multi-directional boring to get through variable terrain.

• Horizontal. The horizontal method involves excavating a tunnel parallel to the surface of the earth underground.
• Perpendicular. If trenched perpendicular, or straight down into the ground the resulting cavern is called a shaft.
• Multi-directional. Multi-directional drilling equipment is typically used to finish extracting oil from reservoirs using an oscillating drill that is controlled remotely.

There are various tunneling methods used in underground construction projects. The ideal method to bore an underground chamber or borehole varies tremendously depending on the specific soil conditions, surrounding structures, and the size and reinforcements needed to stabilize the tunnel. Other factors affecting this choice include budget, project timeline, and projected duration before the project requires maintenance.

Related Reading…

• Trenching vs. Trenchless Excavation Methods: A Comprehensive Guide
• Difference Between Public & Private Utility Location Services Explained
• Trenching & Tunneling Contractors
• HDD Experts

Selecting the Right Tunneling Method

Choosing the right tunneling method for the job requires careful consideration of several variables and factors; the terrain, environment, OSHA compliance, cost, and underground conditions are just a few examples.

You must also have the right drilling and boring equipment and tools necessary to get these highly vital jobs done right the first time. Selecting the right tunneling method goes beyond saving money with a more cost-efficient option. The right tunneling solution should align with the  project’s timeline, budget, and scope. 

Whether you are interested in the conventional tunneling process of drill and blast, or end up using the cut and cover method for shallow tunnels, we can carve a trench for you. You can trust our expert tunneling consultants to determine the most economical and expedient tunneling method and process for each and every job.

Trench Types

• Benched trench
• Straight trench
• Sloped trench
• Bell-bottom pier hole

The difference in the type of trench is the shape of the pit. Benched trenches resemble stadium bleachers and form a step-down and step-up cutaway on both sides of the bench-style bottom.

Straight trenches have right angles to the walls, whereas a sloped trench has heavily angled walls. This helps stop cave-ins from taking place. A bell-bottom pier hole typically works solely for footing placements. The unique shape slightly resembles a bell with a larger bottom angling up inward. This trench has walls that are more narrow as they recede to the opening at the top. Collapsing due to the sloping angles is highly possible and risky. That is why we utilize advanced protection systems when working with this type of trench.

There are also specialized types of trenching projects that we can work on for your company. This includes:

• Border fence foundations
• Dam keyways
• Leachate collection systems
• Slurry cutoff walls

Finding the right solution for your trenching needs is easy when you have underground construction professionals at your side.

Industries Served

Trenching and tunneling services are in high-demand for construction companies, utility companies, and energy companies including:

• Civil projects, including water, road, and rail tunnels
• Maritime
• Infrastructure
• Energy sector

Each of these industries requires commercial tunneling and trenching services. We are skilled at working with each of these sectors in Houston and throughout Texas. Let the utility contractors at Patriot Utility Services show you what we can do with our professional drilling and boring tools today.

How to Find the Best Trenching Contractors

Before hiring a trenching contractor, you should start by researching and comparing companies and pricing. After requesting a quote, carefully review qualifications, certifications, and the company’s experience as it relates to the specifications and scope of the project.

What to Expect at Project Launch

After approving a quote, our trenching contractors and project manager will visit the site and start preparing to break ground for project launch. They will also recommend any additional services that they think may benefit your project or site.

Request a Quote for Tunneling Service

Contact Patriot Utility Services to request a quote. Located in Katy, Texas, our headquarters is based in West Houston, and our service area extends throughout the Lone Star State. Contact us today to request a quote or for additional information.