In Washington, an operator launched a modernization and safety project for a hydroelectric dam that required drilling and casing more than 200 boreholes into bedrock for grout and cement slurry injection to reduce water seepage.

After grouting, dual-string casings—140 mm steel and 112 mm PVC—needed to be cut and removed at the lakebed to eliminate underwater hazards. Conventional single-blade cutters proved ineffective, and diver-assisted methods posed high costs and significant safety risks.

To overcome these challenges, WIS adapted proven oilfield technology, proposing a 3-5/8” OD pipe cutter with three hydraulically actuated knife blades. This design enabled cutting both casing strings in a single trip, streamlining removal operations.

The solution successfully cut and recovered casing from over 200 boreholes, minimized HSE exposure, delivered significant cost savings, and demonstrated the value of cross-industry innovation by applying oilfield tools to hydroelectric infrastructure projects.