Development and manufacture of robust HDD drilling rigs (Horizontal Directional Drilling) – Made in Germany
Prime Drilling GmbH
WendenNew on Amplifa
About us
Prime Drilling GmbH was founded in 1999 and has specialised in the development and manufacture of modern horizontal drilling rigs (HDD – Horizontal Directional Drilling). At its plant in Wenden in the Sauerland region, this mid-sized family-owned company produces horizontal drilling rigs and components on 4,000 m² of production and 800 m² of office space, including compact drilling rigs, horizontal drilling rigs with pull forces up to 600 t, MDD rigs (Multifunctional Directional Drilling) for coal seam gas degasification, bentonite pump systems and the Prime Pipe Pusher for pipe pull-in with 400 to 1,000 t of pull/push force. Every rig is designed and built to customer requirements; the processes include design, structural steel fabrication, assembly as well as worldwide service, remote maintenance, training and spare parts supply from its own warehouse. In addition to steel, HDPE pipes are also used for pipeline applications. The rigs are deployed on all continents, including Australia, Antarctica, Africa and Brazil. Customers include pipeline contractors and water suppliers; used HDD rigs are also brokered.
- Site
- Wenden
- Processes
- Manufacture of HDD drilling rigs (Horizontal Directional Drilling), Design and development of HDD drilling systems, Manufacture of horizontal drilling rigs and components, MDD drilling (Multifunctional Directional Drilling, vertical to horizontal, coal seam gas), Pipe pull-in with the Prime Pipe Pusher (pull/push force 400 t - 1,000 t), Worldwide service, maintenance, remote maintenance and training for HDD and MDD drilling technology, Design and development of custom HDD drilling rigs, Worldwide service and remote maintenance
- Materials
- Steel, High-density polyethylene (HDPE pipe, 710 mm, thick-walled), High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
- Certificates
- ISO 9001
- Founded
- 1999
- Industries
- Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), Pipeline construction / Trenchless Technology, Coal seam gas degasification (MDD), Energy/Power generation from mine gas, Water supply
- 01
Design and development
- 02
Steel fabrication of rigs and components
- 03
Assembly
- 04
Delivery
- 05
Service, maintenance and remote maintenance
- 06
Spare parts service from own warehouse
- 07
Training for machine operators
Materials & Processes
Steel
Construction material for drill frames, drill masts, carriages and components of the HDD and MDD drilling rigs.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
Thick-walled HDPE pipes (e.g. 710 mm) for HDD pull-in in pipeline projects.
Locations
Wenden
DEHeadquarters, design and production plant
- Part weight / size
- Rig weights approx. 17.7 t (PD 50/30 CU) to 58 t (PD
- Lot size
- Individual rigs built to customer specification (one-off/small-batch production)
- Materials
- Steel
- Compact drilling rigs PD 30/12 CU, PD 45/19 CU, PD 50/30 CU, PD 60/30 CU
- Horizontal drilling rigs PD 200/70 RP to PD 600/180 RP
- MDD drilling rigs (40–600 t pull/push force)
- Pump systems PD X-1.000 HD to PD X-3.004 SG HDD
- Prime Pipe Pusher
Systems & Components
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacture of HDD drilling rigs (Horizontal Directional Drilling)Engineering | – | Bores up to 3000 m | – | – | Stahl |
| Design and development of HDD drilling systemsEngineering | – | – | – | – | Stahl |
| Manufacture of horizontal drilling rigs and componentsEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
| MDD drilling (Multifunctional Directional Drilling, vertical to horizontal, coal seam gas)Engineering | – | 1,800 m (horizontal blind bores) × Drilling depth up to 350 m (vertical) | – | – | – |
| Pipe pull-in with the Prime Pipe Pusher (pull/push force 400 t - 1,000 t)Engineering | – | Thrust length 6 m to 24 m | – | – | – |
| Worldwide service, maintenance, remote maintenance and training for HDD and MDD drilling technologyEngineering | – | – | – | – | – |
21 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compact drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 30/12 CU | – | Power 205 kW, torque 12.5 kNm, bore angle 11-18°, rod magazine 32 drill rods (144 m) | – | Wenden |
| Compact drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 45/19 CU | – | Power 205 kW, torque 19 kNm, bore angle 11-18°, rod magazine 32 drill rods (144 m) | – | Wenden |
| Compact drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 50/30 CU | – | Pull force 50 t, torque 30 kNm, drive power 224 kW, integrated X-1.000 bentonite pump | – | Wenden |
| Compact drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 60/30 CU | – | Pull force 60 t, torque 30 kNm, drive power 224 kW | – | Wenden |
| Horizontal drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 150/90 | – | – | – | – |
| Horizontal drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 200/70 RP | – | Pull force 2000 kN, torque 70 kNm (increasable to 90,000 Nm), bores up to 2,400 m in length, | – | Wenden |
| Horizontal drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 250/90 RP | – | Pull force 2500 kN, torque 90 kNm (increasable to 120,000 Nm), bores up to 2,600 m in length, | – | Wenden |
| Horizontal drilling rig (HDD) | Prime Drilling PD 300/90 RP | – | Pull force 3000 kN, torque 90 kNm (increasable to 120,000 Nm), bores up to 2,600 m in length, | – | Wenden |
| Horizontal drilling rig (HDD, used) | Prime Drilling PD 500/120 RP | 1 | Pull force 500 t, torque 120,000 Nm, 8125 hours | – | – |
| MDD drilling rig (Multifunctional Directional Drilling) | Prime Drilling MDD | – | Pull/push force 40 t - 600 t, torque 30 - 180 kNm, inclination angle 6°-45°-90°, engine power 181 | – | Wenden |
| Pump system (bentonite pump) | Prime Drilling PD X-1.000 HD | – | Flow rate 834-1,307 l/min, max. delivery pressure 124-135 bar, drive power 130-240 kW | – | Wenden |
| Pump system (bentonite pump) | Prime Drilling PD X-2.000 HD | – | Flow rate 1,613-2,445 l/min, max. delivery pressure 110 bar, drive power 256-380 kW | – | Wenden |
| Pump system (bentonite pump) | Prime Drilling PD X-3.000 HD | – | Flow rate 2,737-3,497 l/min, max. delivery pressure 113 bar, drive power 470-570 kW | – | Wenden |
| Pump system (bentonite pump) | Prime Drilling PD X-3.004 SG HDD | – | Flow rate 3,190 l/min, max. delivery pressure 60 bar, drive power 470 kW (CAT engine) | – | Wenden |
| Bentonite pump (integrated in compact rig) | Prime Drilling X-1.000 | – | Flow rate 1,029 l/min, delivery pressure 30 bar, max. 250 rpm | – | Wenden |
| Prime Pipe Pusher (pipe pull-in) | Prime Drilling Prime Pipe Pusher | – | Pull/push force 400-1,000 t, pipe diameter 20"-60", weight 50 t | – | Wenden |
| Prime Pipe Pusher (used) | Prime Drilling PPP 380 | 1 | 42" clamps, 10' mast extension, 12' operating container | – | – |
| Diesel generator (used) | Cummins QSX15 600 HP | 1 | 15876 kg, Quiet Pack, under 50 operating hours | 2015 | – |
| HDD drilling rig crawler (used) | American Augers 140 | 1 | – | 1999 | – |
| HDD drilling rig (used) | Vermeer D220X300 Navigator | 1 | 220,000 lbs | 2016 | – |
| HDD drilling rig trailer mounted (used) | American Augers DD330 | 1 | Push/pull force 330,000 lbs, torque 50,000 lbs, angle up to 30°, L 15,685 mm, W 2,489 mm, H | 1998 | – |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality
Every rig is designed to customer specification and accompanied by continuous quality assurance throughout development and manufacturing. Only high-quality materials are used to ensure low-maintenance, robust drilling rigs with an above-average service life.
| Evidence | Wenden |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 |
History
- 1999
Foundation of Prime Drilling GmbH; since then steady growth into one of the leading manufacturers of HDD drilling rigs
- 2025
Deployment of a PD150/90 for HDD pipeline construction at Werribee Open Range Zoo (Australia); participation in Bauma 2025 and the International NO-DIG Conference in Vancouver