With keyhole techniques, maintenance activities are conducted through small pavement openings, resulting in significant cost savings, reduced public inconvenience, and more efficient repairs.

With excavation and restoration expenses costing U.S. natural gas companies more than $1 billion annually, gas system operators are turning to keyhole methods as a way to reduce overall maintenance costs. Currently, excavation and pavement restoration costs are typically 50% less when keyhole technologies are used.

Keyhole technology provides a cost-saving alternative to common repair methods, which often require large “open” excavations, followed by the removal and disposal of unwanted pavements and soils. These conventional practices – usually performed using several large pieces of equipment (backhoes, dump trucks, pavement breakers) – can account for 80% of the total cost of a repair job.

While utility operations can realize significant savings using keyhole technologies, consumers and the general public also benefit through less disruption and noise, quicker repair times, fewer and shorter service interruptions, and reduced traffic inconveniences.