Mineral exploration activities are one of the major application areas of horizontal directional drilling equipment. The mineral exploration sites require a high level of drilling activities, which is boosting the demand for horizontal directional drilling equipment in various nations. Countries such as Australia, China, Russia, Brazil, Canada, and the US are widely involved in mineral exploration activities. These countries are also promoting the discovery of new mineral exploration sites as well as encouraging the upgradation and maintenance of already existing sites. For instance, in 2024, American Pacific Mining Corp. presented its project update, which includes 2024 exploration plans for its Madison Copper-Gold Project located in Madison County, Montana. The 2024 exploration agenda includes a near-mine of 1,350m; a five-hole Phase I diamond drilling program; a planned Phase II regional drill program; and detailed groundwork. In 2024, Laurion Mineral Exploration Inc. presented the overview of the 2024 Exploration Program for Ishkoday Property, which is 220 km northeast of Thunder Bay and located 28 km northeast of the town of Beardmore in Canada. In 2024, Japan Gold Corp collaborated with Barrick Gold Corp. to initiate six projects in Japan for Tier 1 or Tier 2 ore bodies. In addition, in 2024, KO Gold Inc. entered into an exploration permit acquisition agreement with NewPeak NZ Ltd., NewPeak Metals Ltd., and Neil Stuart and secured two exploration permits in New Zealand. Thus, the growing number of government initiatives for discovering new mineral exploration projects and increasing focus on maintaining the already existing mining sites are anticipated to offer major opportunities for the horizontal directional drilling market growth during the forecast period.

The scope of the horizontal directional drilling market report includes North America (US, Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Spain, UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Rest of Europe), Asia Pacific (South Korea, China, India, Japan, Australia, and Rest of Asia Pacific), Middle East & Africa (South Africa, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Rest of Middle East & Africa), and South & Central America (Brazil, Argentina, and Rest of South & Central America). In terms of revenue, North America accounted for the largest horizontal directional drilling market share in 2022. APAC is the second-largest contributor to the global horizontal directional drilling market size, followed by Europe. The growing energy demand and government initiative toward natural gas production facilities are having a positive impact on drilling activities. The upsurging requirement for drilling activities boosts the need for horizontal directional drilling equipment in different countries across Europe. In 2023, Prysmian Group initiated horizontal directional drilling activity that will grant the subsea cables to establish an energy transmission connection between Germany and the UK. The project was led by investors such as Allianz Capital Partners, Meridiam, TEPCO, Kansai Electric Power, and NeuConnect. The project is interconnecting ~725 km of land and subsea cables, establishing an energy pathway between Germany and the UK. In addition, in 2023, Germany and Italy started a hydrogen pipeline construction project. Both governments signed an agreement to establish a pipeline with the aim of enabling the transportation of gas and hydrogen between the countries. Thus, the increasing number of oil and gas transmission pipeline projects and rising investments in the development of gas pipeline infrastructure boost the demand for horizontal directional drilling equipment in the region. In 2023, Altamin, a European metals producer, introduced applications for new exploration licenses at the Villar Graphite Project and Lazio Lithium Project situated in the Piedmont and Lazio of Italy. Thus, the growing focus on the mineral exploration sector boosts the demand for horizontal directional drilling equipment. Norway has substantial offshore oil and gas reserves in the North and Norwegian Seas. The exploration and production activities in these areas have been highly successful, contributing to the horizontal directional drilling market growth.

Horizontal Directional Drilling Market Analysis: Application Overview

Based on application, the horizontal directional drilling market is divided into onshore and offshore. The increasing proliferation of trenchless solutions for drilling activities is anticipated to propel the usage of horizontal directional drilling equipment in various onshore and offshore applications. The onshore segment is anticipated to hold a significant horizontal directional drilling market share during the forecast period. Horizontal directional drilling techniques are primarily leveraged for drilling pipes on land surfaces. The onshore segment is projected to record significant growth over the forecast period as it is more environment-friendly compared to conventional vertical alignment. The horizontal directional drilling technique is suitable for installing canals, cables, and short and long-distance pipelines at deep depths. The application of horizontal directional drilling is also crucial in installing new transmission lines for mobile network connections. For instance, in 2024, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited declared a US$ 7.8 billion tender to employ the third phase of the BharatNet project, which is one of the important rural telecom projects. The renewable energy sector is also one of the lucrative application areas of horizontal directional drilling equipment. The growing development in the wind energy sector and a surge in the number of projects related to onshore and offshore wind farms are anticipated to propel the growth of the global horizontal directional drilling market size.

The sewer & water industry is also positively influencing the demand for horizontal directional drilling equipment globally. In 2023, The New South Wales Government announced the tenders to open for a US$ 47 million Wilcannia sewerage project. In 2023, The People’s Committee of Buon Ho City collaborated with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to plan the enactment of the urban sewage and wastewater treatment system in Buon Ho City. The increasing number of projects focused on developing proper sewage and wastewater facilities is boosting the onshore applications of horizontal directional drilling equipment globally.

Mineral exploration is one of the prime onshore applications of horizontal directional drilling equipment. Countries such as South Korea, India, New Zealand, China, and India are highly focused on mineral exploration activities, which is driving the demand for horizontal directional drilling equipment in these countries. In 2024, KO Gold Inc. entered into an exploration permit acquisition agreement with NewPeak NZ Ltd., NewPeak Metals Ltd., and Neil Stuart and secured two exploration permits in New Zealand. In 2023, Metal Tiger plc announced that Southern Gold Limited had initiated drilling at its Deokon Au-Ag project in South Korea. The rising development of mineral exploration is also boosting the growth of the horizontal directional drilling market globally.

Horizontal Directional Drilling Market: Competitive Landscape and Key Developments

American Augers, Inc.; Prime Drilling GmbH; Epiroc AB; Vermeer Corporation; The Charles Machine Works Inc.; Laney Directional Drilling; Nabors Industries Ltd; Herrenknecht AG; Tracto-Technik; and Drillto Trenchless Co., Ltd are among the key players covered in the horizontal directional drilling market report. The horizontal directional drilling market report includes growth prospects owing to the current horizontal directional drilling market trends and their foreseeable impact during the forecast period.