Bell Hole

An excavation around a buried pipeline, sized to provide working room for inspection, repair, or tie-in welds. Bell holes are commonly excavated with hydrovac to avoid damaging pipe coatings.

A typical bell hole is 8-12 feet long, 4-6 feet wide, and reaches the depth of the pipe being exposed. Hydrovac is the preferred method because it preserves the pipe's coating system (FBE, 3LPE, fusion-bonded), which is the first line of defense against corrosion.