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Horizontal Wells for Safe, Fast Coal Ash Dewatering: Ellingson-DTD

Home > Dewatering Coal Ash
Construction site for coal ash dewatering, featuring horizontal drilling equipment, safety barriers, and a control container with an American flag, set against a mountainous backdrop.

A Smarter Way to Manage Coal Ash

Coal ash basins and ponds represent a significant challenge for utilities and contractors tasked with meeting EPA Coal Combustion Residual (CCR) requirements. Traditional vertical well systems often require hundreds of wells, extensive piping, and years of pumping. This makes projects costly, disruptive, and slow.

Ellingson-DTD has changed the approach. Since completing our first coal ash dewatering project in 2016, we’ve installed more than 63,000 feet of horizontal wells across multiple coal ash sites nationwide. Our patented horizontal technology enables dewatering with a fraction of the infrastructure, while improving safety, cost efficiency, and performance.

Benefits of Horizontal Wells at Coal Ash Sites

  • Pore Water Removal: Rapid removal of pore water trapped in coal ash.
  • Groundwater Capture: Wells installed beneath basins and ponds to intercept groundwater.
  • Perimeter Containment: Effective hydraulic barriers are placed around CCR units.
  • Monitoring Points: Precise subsurface access for data collection beneath basins.
  • Safety Advantage: Wells are installed without personnel or equipment working on unstable or saturated ash.
Horizontal drilling rig and workers at coal ash dewatering site, with heavy machinery and power plant in background, illustrating Ellingson-DTD's innovative dewatering technology.

Why Horizontal Wells Work Better

Geometry

Wells don’t have to be straight or flat; they can be drilled in multiple orientations to match site-specific features.

Access

Drilled from the perimeter, minimizing disturbance of sensitive ash.

Length

Horizontal wells extend up to 3,000 feet, covering areas that would otherwise require hundreds of vertical wells.

Flexibility

Useful for dewatering, groundwater control, injection, or monitoring across ash, evaporation, and flue gas desulfurization (FGD) ponds.

Workers operating machinery and equipment for coal ash dewatering at a construction site, with a focus on safety practices and initiatives.

Proven Results: Our Track Record Includes

  • 23 dewatering wells installed directly in coal ash
  • Groundwater control wells and injection wells under ash basins and FGD ponds
  • Successful large-scale projects in multiple U.S. states
  • The ability to meet compliance deadlines faster and at lower cost than vertical systems
Ready to learn how horizontal wells can make your coal ash project safer, faster, and more affordable?
Contact us today