Nicol of Skene connect Persley Den with 33kV upgrade

Nicol of Skene demonstrates expertise in horizontal directional drilling and civil engineering following the successful installation of ducts and cables as part of a 33kV upgrade in the Persley Den area in Aberdeen, Bridge of Don.  

Working closely with SSE Power & Distribution, our expert drilling team mapped out the best course of action, which included horizontal directional drilling under the River Don in Aberdeen.

The project consisted of using the Prime Drill PD-80 drilling rig to pilot out and ream 3 bores for 3 new 33kV circuits linking the Persley Den substation to the Bridge of Don Primary substation. The pilots were completed using a 6 s/4” mudmotor with a 9 ⅞" Varel TCI Drill bit. Due to the topography and ground conditions Brownline provided a Gyro Steering system to pilot the 3 bores. Working within a densely populated area created issues with noise pollution which was mitigated by using Echo sound barrier to reduce the noise levels of the worksite.

Additionally, the team successfully pulled the 33kV single core cables through the ducts into the joint bays ready for SSE to join into the new cable system.  

We are committed to limiting our environmental impact across all our project sites. For this particular project, to ensure minimal ground disturbance and maintain a safe, secure working environment, we took proactive steps before any work began.

A launch pad for the rig and an access road were constructed using sustainable aggregate sourced from recycled concrete mattresses. These mattresses were recovered from subsea, offshore locations as part of a decommissioning scheme we are proud to support through our partnership with ASCO Decommissioning.

Through this collaboration, ASCO and their partners retrieves the subsea mattresses, which are then transported to Nicol of Skene. There, they are processed at Nicol’s recycling facility, where the concrete is crushed and repurposed into reusable aggregate. This approach not only reduces waste but also supports a circular economy within the industry.  

Contact the Nicol of Skene team today!

If you have a project requiring civil engineering and horizontal directional drilling, contact Nicol of Skene today. We'll be happy to discuss your requirements.

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