Horizontal Directional Drilling Market To Reach $16.08 Billion By 2030

Horizontal Directional Drilling Market Growth & Trends

The global horizontal directional drilling market size was estimated at USD 16.08 billion in 2030 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.6% from 2025 to 2030. The rising emphasis on minimizing the environmental impact of drilling and boring activities, rapid urbanization, and the inconvenience caused to the public due to the increased open-cut utility installations are some of the key factors driving the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) market growth.

Rising environmental concerns have contemplated regulatory bodies worldwide to create regulations that require organizations to minimize ecosystem exploitation. For instance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) require that unconventional oil and gas exploration companies abide by the specified safety standards to minimize environmental damages, avoid occupational hazards, and ensure the management of wastewater and other wastes. Furthermore, increasing government investments in underground installations in utility and telecommunication sectors have increased the deployment of horizontal directional boring services. Subsequently, the complex data requirements, combined with the need for collaborative work operations at offshore and onshore sites, necessitate the high reliance of operators on robust telecommunications services. The rising need to offer better broadband connectivity and the demand for cloud-based services is compelling telecom operators to up their investments in modernized infrastructure, thereby contributing to the market growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted the horizontal directional drilling machines industry due to workforce shortages and practical difficulties in implementing social distancing at equipment production sites. The consumption of diesel and petroleum products also reduced significantly in 2020 due to stringent movement restrictions, reducing the demand for upstream oil & gas activities. However, government bailouts are expected to help revive the oil and gas industry, which is one of the leading contributors to the global economy. This is expected to create a sluggish recovery trajectory of the pandemic-fed depression on the market over the years to come.

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Horizontal Directional Drilling Market Report Highlights

• The onshore segment held the largest revenue share of 76% in 2024, primarily due to the widespread use of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) in infrastructure development, utility installation, and pipeline replacement projects.

• The boring machines segment held the largest revenue share of 44% in 2024, driven by their extensive use in large-scale infrastructure, utility, and energy projects that require precision drilling and high operational efficiency.

• The conventional segment held the largest revenue share of 44% in 2024, primarily due to its established presence and widespread adoption across various horizontal directional drilling (HDD) projects.

• The midi segment held the largest revenue share of 46% in 2024. The segment's market leadership is driven by its versatility, which allows it to efficiently handle medium-scale utility, pipeline, and telecommunication installation projects across urban and suburban areas.

• The rigs segment held the largest revenue share of 45% in 2024, primarily due to the critical role rigs play in executing horizontal directional drilling (HDD) operations across various applications.

• The HDD drill rods segment held the largest revenue share of 27% in 2024, driven by its essential role in horizontal directional drilling operations. Drill rods provide the structural connection between the rig and the drill bit, transmitting torque and thrust to navigate various geological formations.

• The oil & gas extraction segment held the largest market share of approximately 39% in 2024, driven by the extensive use of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology in installing pipelines, flowlines, and related infrastructure.

• North America holds the largest share of approximately 37% in the global Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) market in 2024.

Horizontal Directional Drilling Market Segmentation

Grand View Research has segmented the global horizontal directional drilling market on the basis of machine type, application, machine size, parts type, tooling, and region:

Horizontal Directional Drilling Machine Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Utility vibratory plow

• Utility tractor

• Pile driver

• Foundation machines

• Boring machine

• Others

Horizontal Directional Drilling Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Onshore

• Offshore

Horizontal Directional Drilling Machine Size Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Mini

• Midi

• Maxi

Horizontal Directional Drilling Parts Type Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Rigs

• Pipes

• Bits

• Reamers

Horizontal Directional Drilling Tooling Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Transition rods

• HDD Drill Rods

• HDD Paddle Bits

• HDD Drive Collars, Chucks, and Subs

• HDD Swivels & Pulling Equipment

• Others

Horizontal Directional Drilling End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• Oil & gas extraction

• Utility

• Telecommunication

• Others

Horizontal Directional Drilling Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2018 - 2030)

• North America

  • U.S.

  • Canada

  • Mexico

• Europe

  • Germany

  • UK

  • France

• Asia Pacific

  • China

  • India

  • Japan

  • South Korea

• Latin America

  • Brazil

• Middle East & Africa

  • Saudi Arabia

  • UAE

List of Key Players in the Horizontal Directional Drilling Market

• Barbco, Inc.

• Vermeer Corporation

• Direct Horizontal Drilling, Inc.

• The Charles Machines Works, Inc. (Ditch Witch)

• The Toro Company

• Mclaughlin Group, Inc.,

• Laney Directional Drilling Co.

• Ellingson Companies

• Vmt Gmbh Gesellschaft Für Vermessungstechnik