Koop Watermanagement BV

Going with the flow

With all the necessary international certificates for quality in its possession, Koop Watermanagement is a contractor and consultant, specialising in the use of tailor-made solutions for various kinds of dewatering systems.

Drawing on many years of experience and reliable expertise, the company is able to offer a wide range of services for all manner of infrastructural projects. Its highly qualified staff and modern equipment work in tandem to guarantee state-of-the-art solutions and a wide range of professional services.

The history of the company dates back to 1969 when one Mr. G. Koop began work drilling water wells for local farmers. Through these activities he soon became involved in dewatering projects in the agricultural and industrial sectors. By the end of the 1970s plans were already being put into practice to construct a workshop and office facilities on a nearby industrial estate, a move that kick-started the international development of the business.

Through its use of the most up-to-date equipment and materials and its employment, and continuous training, of market specialists, Koop Watermanagement soon established itself as an expert player in the complex field of dewatering and groundwater treatment. In the years since its inception, the company, while still remaining a traditional family run business, has greatly increased its international presence, today operating in countries including the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Turkey, the UK and the Middle East Region. With several active subsidiaries also operating across Europe, the company has in recent years been making strong progress in expanding into the East of the Continent, in Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as in Iraq.

As a partner in business based on experience, trust and efficiency projects can be finished very effectively and in time. Able to install vertical and horizontal dewatering systems as well as carry out drilling and drainage activities, Koop Watermanagement completes its service portfolio by also hiring out equipment and carrying out environmental investigations, making it an ideal partner at both small and large scale building sites: “Over the last few years the company has been steadily growing in size and experience, at the same time becoming increasingly involved in large scale oil and gas projects,” states Frank Oude Nijhuis, managing director of Koop Watermanagement.

“Being based in the Netherlands, the company has been able to hone its skills of working in areas with a high ground water table and sometimes below ground water level, while also developing modern horizontal trenching equipment and suction pumps. Increasingly this side of the industry is being covered by new regulations as it relates to water quality and the quantity that can be discharged, and accordingly the business has endeavored to stay ahead of the game when it comes to these changes.”

At the heart of the company’s success throughout its history has been its use of state-of-the-art equipment, systems and processes. By a continuous investment over the years a large number (more than 2000 vacuum pumps) of equipment is available. Being one of the foremost specialists in its field of expertise, it should come as no surprise that Koop Watermanagement is today recognised as an expert provider of both horizontal and vertical dewatering services. The former is the process in which underlying water is extracted through drains, something that can take place with the aid of gravity or vacuum support, and is a method mainly used during pipeline projects or in the dewatering of large surface areas. With the help of specifically designed drainage machines, the drains, guided by lasers, are installed up to eight meters below ground level. In circumstances where the technology is being utilised in areas of low permeability, the company advises the refilling of the drain trench with sand or gravel, which results in an improved flow of groundwater to the drains.

The use of gravity and vacuum filter systems, play an equally important role in the vertical dewatering process. Gravity filters are those in which the water flows only by gravitational pull. With the use of drilling rigs that are equipped with flushing tools or hollow auger drills, nine to ten meter long filters can be installed vertically or at an angle. The filter itself consists of a PVC drain that is protected by a coconut fibre, inside which a PVC tube is installed, which is then connected above ground to the conduit pipes of the vacuum pump.

Alternatively, vacuum filters are PVC tubes with a length of between four and seven metres with a slotted section that can be flushed in by hand or by means of a flush boring with the use of a drilling rig. Above ground the filters are connected to a conduit pipe, which is connected to a vacuum pump. Here a vacuum is created around the filters in order to stimulate the flow of the groundwater towards them. Typically this system can be found used in areas made up of fine, sandy soils.

With its ability to also carry out water treatment, as de-ironing installations, the construction of deep wells, pump installations and provide proposal, planning and consultancy services, it goes without saying that logistics is an area of vital importance for Koop Watermanagement. Effective planning, in partnership with the efficient use of its equipment, allows the company to react immediately to each individual request. With all of its regional offices located close to motorway networks and by optimising transportation, while always using the most up-to-date technologies, the company has managed to create the basis for an effective planning and economical utilisation of its personnel and equipment.

“There are a number of projects that Koop Watermanagement is playing a crucial role in at present,” Frank enthuses. “One of the largest is the work the company is undertaking as part of the North European Gas Pipeline, NEL, in the North of Germany. This pipeline will connect Germany and the Northwest of the Continent with the major natural gas reserves found in Siberia, via the Nord Stream Pipeline, and Koop Watermanagement has been tasked with the considerable task of building the necessary dewatering systems. Together with partners as ‘de Romein bv, the earth moving partner’ we are able to build a strong team for pipeline projects.

“Further to its work on the NEL pipeline, the company has also in recent months been awarded pipeline-based contracts in France and in Iraq, where it is building a dewatering system for use as part of the Abu Suhkair project, close to the city of Najaf. This is just one of what the company hopes will go on to be a number of links to Iraq, as it continues to make contact with well-known contractors while looking to expand its presence in the country. There are huge challenges ahead in Iraq when it comes to future pipeline projects and construction works, and Koop Watermanagement wants to be available and ready to capitalise on the opportunities that will inevitably present themselves.

Having been able to weather the storm of the financial crisis that engulfed much of the globe, the company is today excellently positioned to take advantage of the growth in activity coming from both established and developing regions: “Koop Watermanagement’s day-to-day focus is not just centered on what it has done in the past, rather it is more about what will bring it success tomorrow. With the world’s demand for oil and gas transport only getting stronger and an increasing number of projects coming from Russia and the Middle East, the company envisions the next decade being one where further investment will bring with it ever greater rewards,” Frank concludes.

Koop Watermanagement BV
Services: Dewatering systems