Disclosed is an apparatus and method of using that grips a rod of small diameter and uniform cross-section of metal, fiberglass, or composite material used to probe the soil to locate underground utilities in a manner that permits a user of any height or strength to ergonomically and safely advance the rod into the soil and retract the rod from the soil regardless of how deep the utility may be buried.

Disclosed is an apparatus and method of using that grips a rod of small diameter and uniform cross-section of metal, fiberglass, or composite material used to probe the soil to locate underground utilities in a manner that permits a user of any height or strength to ergonomically and safely advance the rod into the soil and retract the rod from the soil regardless of how deep the utility may be buried.

A horizontal directional drilling method includes operation of a HDD machine to power a drill string terminating at a drill head to create an underground borehole extending at least partially horizontally between an entry point and an exit point. A utility line and a pair of insulated wires are attached to the drill string at the exit point. An observation device is also attached to the drill string, and the observation device is connected with an uphole module via power line communication (PLC) over the pair of insulated wires. The horizontal directional drilling machine performs a pullback of the drill string, with the utility line, the pair of insulated wires, and the observation device connected thereto, back toward the entry point. Data from the observation device are displayed on the uphole module during pullback of the drill string.

An absolute coordinate acquisition method is an absolute coordinate acquisition method for acquiring absolute coordinates of an underground pipeline, the method including: a marking step S101 of setting a plurality of reference points on a road surface and setting a measurement point on a pipeline installed inside an excavated ditch; a measurement step S102 of measuring absolute coordinates of the reference points; a relative position calculation step (S103 to S105) of calculating relative positions of the reference points and the measurement point to a reference position; and an absolute coordinate calculation step S106 of calculating absolute coordinates of the measurement point based on the absolute coordinates of the reference points and the relative positions of the reference points and the measurement point.

The present inventive concept includes a duct system and method for using same to map and locate ducts. A preferred embodiment of the duct system includes a duct, a plurality of electronic information modules and an oversheath at least partially covering the plurality of information modules and fixing the information modules to the duct. The plurality of information modules are configured to emit a positional signal to enable location of the information modules and associated duct(s) and/or mapping of the duct system.

The present inventive concept includes a duct system and method for using same to map and locate ducts. A preferred embodiment of the duct system includes a duct, a plurality of electronic information modules and an oversheath at least partially covering the plurality of information modules and fixing the information modules to the duct. The plurality of information modules are configured to emit a positional signal to enable location of the information modules and associated duct(s) and/or mapping of the duct system.

A horizontal directional drilling method includes operation of a HDD machine to power a drill string terminating at a drill head to create an underground borehole extending at least partially horizontally between an entry point and an exit point. A utility line and a pair of insulated wires are attached to the drill string at the exit point. An observation device is also attached to the drill string, and the observation device is connected with an uphole module via power line communication (PLC) over the pair of insulated wires. The horizontal directional drilling machine performs a pullback of the drill string, with the utility line, the pair of insulated wires, and the observation device connected thereto, back toward the entry point. Data from the observation device are displayed on the uphole module during pullback of the drill string.

Pipeline apparatus comprising a housing including a riser and a pipeline connector and a device configured to interact with fluid flowing through the pipeline connector, a mounting structure for releasably mounting the device in the riser and seal situated between an inner surface of the riser and an outer surface of the mounting structure, the seal configured to seal against egress of fluid from the apparatus, the mounting structure and the riser each including a part of a locking structure for releasably locking the device in the riser, the device situated in the pipeline connector.

Pipeline apparatus comprising a housing including a riser and a pipeline connector and a device configured to interact with fluid flowing through the pipeline connector, a mounting structure for releasably mounting the device in the riser and seal situated between an inner surface of the riser and an outer surface of the mounting structure, the seal configured to seal against egress of fluid from the apparatus, the mounting structure and the riser each including a part of a locking structure for releasably locking the device in the riser, the device situated in the pipeline connector.

The disclosure provides a depth indicator device for protecting a buried infrastructure asset, such as a water or gas supply pipeline or an electrical conduit. The device comprises an elongate member having an end region configured to be secured to an infrastructure asset below ground. The elongate member is configured to extend upwards from the infrastructure asset a predetermined distance towards a surface of the ground. When exposed during excavation of the infrastructure asset, the elongate member is adapted to indicate a distance to and/or a further depth of the buried infrastructure asset. The disclosure also provides a kit comprising a fixture or a fitting for a pipeline, such as a ferrule for a water supply pipeline or a gas supply pipeline, and an adapter for connecting a depth indicator device according to the disclosure to the fixture or fitting.