Specialists team up to exploit sub seabed intake market

Sub seabed desalination plant intake company, Intake Works, has formed a partnership with specialist boring firm, Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), to market sub seabed intakes for seawater desalination projects.

Intake Works uses horizontal directional drilling and proprietary methods to insert micro-porous intakes below the seafloor which leads to lower costs, smaller footprint and lower energy usage. It said that new California regulations favour under- the-sea intake systems.

The partnership, which will be unveiled at the International Desalination Association’s World Congress in San Diego, will use the the Intake Works brand. It said it will “strive to meet the global needs for low-turbid, clean water for desalination plants that does not interfere with the marine ecosystem.”

President of The HDD Company, Neil Swope, said: “With almost 100 years of experience in the senior management team and in excess of 1000 bores, The HDD Company is recognized as world-class experts in ocean outfalls and shore approaches”.

HDD said it would build on Intake Works’ knowledge of the market, and anticipates “an active fourth quarter of this year”. It said it has projects in the pipeline for the next two years.