DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TECHNOLOGY INSTALL

The country’s backbone of independent service companies buy or lease RSS tools as necessary from these companies. In the US there are several engineering firms offering RSS tools to the market, with high quality engineering honed over many years.

The fundamental approach to RSS technology has remained unchanged over the quarter of a century. Let’s explore why that need exists and what a new RSS alternative would look like.Ĭurrent directional drilling market landscape As the product pipe is pulled into the drill hole, drilling fluid is pumped downhole to provide lubrication to the product pipe.The technical and commercial realities of today’s broad energy landscape – and specifically the directional drilling market – demand that an alternative be added to the RSS roster. The drill rod and reamer will be attached to a swivel, which is utilized between the product line and the reamer to prevent any torsional stress from the rotating drill string being transferred to the product pipe. The final step is the pullback of the pipe within the pre-reamed hole. A more evenly mixed drilling fluid will prevent any blockages inside of the bore hole. Additives such as polymers are used to help break up the clay soils. This will help with the stability of the bore hole and with fluid loss or infiltration. Bentonite is used to create a “cake layer” around the outside of the hole during pre-reaming. Pre-reaming speeds will vary depending on existing soil conditions and the amount of cuttings that are removed from the hole.īentonite and other additives will be used to ensure a clean and stable hole. A reamer is pulled back and rotated while pumping drilling fluid to cut and remove solids to enlarge the hole.

DIRECTIONAL DRILLING TECHNOLOGY INSTALL

The second step is to pre-ream the pilot hole and enlarge it to a size sufficient to safely install the product lines. Upon reaching the exit point, the beacon housing and bit is detached and replaced with a reamer. The speed of the pilot hole will vary upon existing soil conditions and the amount of steering which is required. Readings are constantly taken which check the depth, alignment and percent slope of the drill head.Ĭorrections will be made by the operator and locator to keep the pilot hole along the predetermined bore path. With both methods there is a transmitter or steering tool located near the drill head which sends a signal to the location engineer giving the exact coordinates of the drill stem. Smaller shots are done using a walkover guidance system whereas the larger more complex shots have a wire line magnetics type system. Tracking of the pilot hole can be done in several ways depending on the size and complexity of the shot.

The drilling fluid will also carry the cuttings back to the entrance pit at the drill rig. Drilling fluid is pumped through the drill pipe to the drill bit where high pressure jets and the bit will grind the soils ahead of the drill stem.

The first stage consists of drilling a small diameter pilot hole. It involves the use of a directional drilling machine, and associated attachments, to accurately drill along the chosen bore path and back ream the required pipe.ĭirectional drilling is a three stage process: Pilot Hole

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is a method of installing underground pipelines, cables and service conduit through trenchless methods.

Directional drilling technology