The Crossing Group Pulls off a Record-Setting Intersect

Athabasca River Crossing Critical to Whiskey Jack Lateral LNG Project

When The Crossing Group mobilised crews to northeastern Alberta in late 2025, the objective was clear: execute one of the most technically demanding horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crossings in the company’s nearly three-decade history.

What followed was a 2,955-m (9,695-ft) gyroscopic intersect beneath the Athabasca River. It was completed on budget and ahead of schedule. It has since been recognized as a company record and a milestone for a long-range HDD in Canada’s oil sands operating environment.

Project Background

The Athabasca River Crossing forms a critical segment of the Whiskey Jack Lateral. This is a pipeline corridor in development by Wolf Midstream in northeastern Alberta. The project connects the Fort McMurray region to the Alberta Heartland. It supports midstream infrastructure for oil sands production in one of North America’s most logistically demanding environments.

The Crossing Group was contracted to install a 12-in. steel product pipeline beneath the Athabasca River. The work was south of Fort McMurray and required the HDD intersect method. The technique deploys two rigs simultaneously from opposite ends of the bore, steering to a predetermined meeting point underground.

Trenchless Scope and Configuration

The trenchless scope centered on a single high-complexity bore totaling 2,955 m (9,695 ft). Executed as a two-ended intersect crossing, it had a meeting point at 1,550 m (5,085 ft) from the entry side.

Both figures represent company records for The Crossing Group. It is the longest HDD bore and the longest single-ended intersect leg in the company’s history.

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