trenchless drilling rig and mud pump free sample

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To keep true to the ever popular phrase, “bigger is better,” some HDD contractors have been making adjustments to their already tough fleets and mid-size rig contractors are no exceptions. These drilling contractors are upping the ante and replacing their 300- to 500-gallons per minute (gpm) mud pumps with larger 700- to 800-gpm triplex mud pumps — a trend that’s producing big results in less time.

Contractors with mid-size rigs, which can be anywhere from 25,000 to 80,000 lbs of pullback, are beginning to use larger mud pumps to install a larger diameter product and attempt longer bores. Bigger equipment is needed, since these types of projects have higher mud flow requirements, explains Ed Savage, trenchless segment manager for Vermeer Corp., an HDD equipment sales company based in Pella, Iowa.

The need for contractors to complete longer bores on shorter time scales has driven the use of larger pumps on projects. Not only can a contractor produce project results, they can do so in a much shorter timeframe than with the standard 300- to 500-gpm mud pump.

“As the product line to be installed became larger and longer, the contractor needed larger mud pumps to excavate and move a greater volume of cuttings from the hole to complete the project in a timely fashion,” says Mike Sadler, national sales manager for Tulsa Rig Iron Inc., an HDD equipment manufacturer based in Tulsa, Okla.

The most prevalent advantage contractors have with using a larger mud pump is having significantly more fluid flow available. The additional fluid flow aids crews in completing larger projects in less time and with the ability to utilize their drill rig, despite its smaller size.

“With this larger increase in fluid horsepower, the contractor will be able to make a larger pilot hole with a larger mud motor. He will be able to use larger reamers, go longer distances, eliminate one to two reaming passes [depending on the hole size] and complete these projects quicker — all with the same size drilling rig,” explains Sadler.

However, as with all new ideas and technologies, difficulties and challenges also come about. The drilling rig’s water course can pose a problem when a contractor attempts to pair a larger mud pump with the machine, notes Sadler. Since the inside diameter of the drilling rig’s piping system determines the maximum amount of flow that can be pumped through the drilling rig and drill pipe, the water course and larger mud pump need to be in accordance with one another. Another concern is that a mud cleaning system is usually used along with the larger mud pump, requiring more set up space at the jobsite.

As a movement in the industry, Sadler asserts that upsizing to a larger pump is a small but growing trend. With larger and more complex jobs being requested of contractors, the more need there is to upgrade to a larger mud pump system. Sadler notes that contractors first began requesting these larger pumps about four years ago.

“In most cases, the larger mud pump will have a positive impact on the bottom line for the contractor,” says Sadler. “A drilling rig can only go as fast as the mud pump can excavate the cuttings from the hole. So with more gpm, the hole can be made faster and time is money. With the increased gpm, the contractor can increase the scope of work his or her drill rig can do.”

On the other hand, Savage notes: “With today’s machines I don’t believe we will see much larger pumps. When a contractor gets up to a certain volume of mud pump he or she will need to start realizing the ramifications of any additional flow, i.e. cleanup, etc.”

However, Savage does believe that under certain circumstances, such as wanting to do larger projects with a smaller rig, opting for a larger pump is good for the industry, as well as a complement to proper boring practices. Since a contractor should always be aware of soil conditions, the larger pump assists in utilizing the correct volume of fluid for those conditions.

Another occurrence happening in the HDD industry has been mud pump bypassing. With this concept, contractors are sidestepping the use of the rig’s onboard mud pump and utilizing a larger, separate pump. Mud pump bypasses involve tying an external mud pump directly into the drill rig’s piping system, ‘bypassing’ the onboard mud pump found on most mid-size drill rigs, explains Sadler.

Contractors are utilizing mud pump bypass equipment so they can connect a larger fluid pump and drill at further distances and greater capacities. In addition, the further a contractor drills, the more pressure is needed and the larger pump supplies that pressure at a steady rate. The material that a contractor must drill through also relies on the use of a bigger rig, says Richard Levings, senior product manager of HDD equipment for Ditch Witch, based in Perry, Okla.

“The times we’ve seen a contractor use a bypass is when he or she wanted to drill through rocks or other tough materials and they need a higher flow,” says Levings. “The bypass allows an operator to connect a larger pump and pump higher flows. Oftentimes, motors are dependent upon pressure as well. A lot of the units onboard the rig don’t have the high pressure needed to go further distances. The bypasses allow for higher pressures and the ability to maintain that pressure for the entire distance of a bore.”

There are some precautions to be taken when adding a mud pump to a fleet of equipment. The extra hassle of caring for the added equipment comes into play, as well as the unit’s individual operational components.

“The inconvenience is that you have to have a separate control system to control the fluid pump and those controls aren’t built in to the self-contained unit,” says Levings. “You also have added costs, since you’re running more diesel and there’s the added maintenance to worry about. But for those people who want to do those types of jobs, it’s a good alternative for them.”

Although mud bypass has not been a frequent companion on the jobsite, Levings still believes it is a useful practice in the industry — both for getting jobs completed and for doing so with a smaller unit.

“I think a mud bypass serves to support the industry,” says Levings. “It allows a contractor to do more with a smaller unit. It’s not a big part of the industry, but it’s a helpful tool people use when the project calls for it. We have had the requests for bypasses, but not enough to say it’s a trend.”

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a conventional method employed by cities and construction workers to install utilities and plumbing underground. Unlike traditional underground installation, HDD does not require open trenches to complete.

As horizontal directional drilling requires both entry and exit sides, there are multiple pieces of equipment necessary depending on the side. For the entry point, side workers need:Power units and generators

As for the rig itself, there are a couple of components that are solely dependent upon the overall boring plan. These are the drill rod and drill bits. Drilling rods, also known as drill stems, come in a variety of lengths most commonly 3.0, 4.6, and 9.1 meters. The segments have female and male threading on opposite ends to allow for the attachment one to another.

Overall rod length is calculated based on the entry and exit angles in degrees, depth in meters, length of an obstacle to be circumvented, and curve radius in meters for both the entry and exit point. Calculations must be considered carefully as exceeding the bend radius can cause damage to the rod and eventual failure. Failure results in additional costs for replacement and downtime of the machine.

The type of rock workers are drilling determines the choice of the drill head. For soft ground, such as clay, soft limestone, shale, unconsolidated sand, and red bed, a drag or fixed cutter bit is best. These bits are a single solid piece that rotates with the drill string. There are no bearings and workers can use either cutting fluid or air to remove broken ground.

For medium or hard ground, such as limestone, calcites, cherty limestone, hard shale, mudstone, or dolomites, a three-cone rolling cutter is best. The shape, angle and material determine their use. Bits with long widely-spaced teeth are for the medium ground while shorter, tightly spaced teeth are made to break up hard soil. Bits for hard and medium ground use drilling fluid to excavate rock chips. (Learn more in " The Right Drill Bit for Soft, Medium & Hard Ground Conditions.")

For horizontal directional drilling, there are four necessary steps to complete. To begin there is the pre-site planning. The planning is followed by drilling the pilothole, expansion of the shaft via reaming, and then pullback of the pipe string.

Pre-site planning begins with a geotechnical report. This report includes an examination of past geological surveys. In addition to reviewing historical information, surveyors take samples of the ground at random intervals.

Surveyors may collect these samples via hand auger or drilling machine. The soil samples are then sent for analysis, which tells the location, elevation, depth of the example. The report returns with indications of soil types encountered at each depth.

In addition to soil classification, the geotechnical report indicates the soil strength and any groundwater conditions. Engineers use this information to plan for additional drainage, and possible uplift pressure or foundation seepage that may occur.

Once the geotechnical report is complete, engineers determine the entry and exit points for the HDD rig. They use the report data to map the drill path. After planning the route, the project planners refine entry and exit points.

After all the pre-site planning is complete, it is time to bring the equipment to the site and set it up accordingly. The geotechnical report indicates the bearing capacity of the soil, so workers are guaranteed not to bring machinery too heavy for the site. The survey results also help engineers in the selection of the appropriate bits and rod length for the job. (See " Choosing Drill Rods for Trenchless Tunneling.")

Once the equipment is in place, workers drill a pilot hole along the predetermined path. A probe situated close to the bit sends readings back to the controller periodically. These readings indicate the vertical and horizontal coordinates a long the hole. These readings are in relation to the initial entry point. Operators use them to ensure they are staying on the path and avoid deviation. (Read " Working With Drilling Deviations.")

Often, while drilling the pilot hole, workers will inject drilling fluid into the hole. This fluid helps to provide stability to the borehole and transport drill cuttings out. It also helps to clean the build up on the drill and cool down the bit while reducing friction between drill and the wall.

The pipe string is the drag section, which is slightly longer than the drill length. The line is pulled over rollers into the exit hole and pulled back to the rig until the entire pipe string has moved through the borehole. Often this piece is connected to the reamer.

The external coating on the pipe string is visible and allows workers to inspect the line for damage upon pullback completion. Workers then complete internal inspection to ensure there was no damage to the pipeline during retraction.

Horizontal directional drilling projects require careful planning. Geotechnical reports allow planners to determine what drill bits to use, how long rods need to be, and the site can manage heavy equipment. Once a plan is in place, workers can drill the pilot hole and expand it for pipeline use. (See " The Process of Borehole Expansion."

In this app, the User will document the hours for the drillers at the job, their production for the day and drilling pressures and atmosphere reading. After that, the User will document the drilling equipment on the job and the safety inspection. This equipment screen is in a loop that allows the User to input the drilling equipment name, then check a box for rental or not.

The 2,200-hp mud pump for offshore applications is a single-acting reciprocating triplex mud pump designed for high fluid flow rates, even at low operating speeds, and with a long stroke design. These features reduce the number of load reversals in critical components and increase the life of fluid end parts.

The pump’s critical components are strategically placed to make maintenance and inspection far easier and safer. The two-piece, quick-release piston rod lets you remove the piston without disturbing the liner, minimizing downtime when you’re replacing fluid parts.

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Directional drilling is a broad term used to describe any boring that doesn’t go in a straight line vertically down. In fact, even in a vertical well, it might be necessary to deviate to avoid a geological formation or a previous stuck pipe, then return to the original path. In this instance, the driller uses sidetracking techniques.

In conventional drilling for oil and gas, the drill bit, drillstring, pipe and casing all go down in a straight line. If a driller aims away from the 180-degrees down, that’s technically directional drilling. Nowadays, however, it’s more likely that there’ll be a series of one or more carefully planned directional changes along the wellbore.

Directional drilling techniques have been employed for almost 100 years now. Over the past few decades, technological improvements have meant that angles, turns and underground distances covered are amazing feats of engineering.

Techniques such as multilateral, horizontal and extended reach drilling (ERD) are enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods that can increase the yield of a downhole dramatically. It’s possible for ERD specialists to drill for more than 10 kilometers/6.2 miles. Students of petroleum engineering often get shown illustrations and diagrams that look like tree roots. If we imagine the rig as the trunk of the tree, the directional possibilities of the roots are endless. Even the branches of the roots are comparable to multilateral drilling.

Multiple down holes can be drilled from the same rig, minimising surface disturbance and environmental impact. Also, these boreholes can extend up to a mile down, and for more than five miles at shallower angles. In an oilfield with dispersed deposits, a large radius can be tapped, maximising the expensive asset which is the rig. Rigs and crews have day rates that run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, one rig working up to five or ten square miles is very cost-effective in comparison to having a dozen or more vertical rigs, which may or may not be tapping into the same accessible reservoir deposits.

Geologists and engineers use terms such as an ‘oil reservoir’ or a ‘hydrocarbon reservoir’ to describe underground pockets of resources. Scientific terms give a label to help everyone understand each other, but Mother Nature has different ideas about the way she organises things.

People who perform well plans such as seismic geologists, geoscientists, exploration engineers and CAD experts join together to give the best idea of where oil and gas deposits may lie. Their estimates are based on different types of surveys, and past experience. What they’re unlikely to do is pinpoint the exact place where they’d access the maximum amount of resources.

When we see reservoirs of water, we can imagine dropping a giant straw into the middle and sucking up the entire lake. The flat surface area of the water and the likelihood of human-made dams and walls might give us a false idea of the topography of an underground reservoir. The bottom of the lake would provide a better insight into the random geometry of the dispersed resource. For example, if your imaginary straw happened to touch a shallow gravel bar in the middle of the lake, you might only extract a small percentage of the water.

On top of this randomness related to upper, lower and outer dimensions, there are plenty of other possibilities:By drilling at an angle, more of the reservoir gets explored, since they tend to form horizontally (between formations) not vertically.

The deposit might not resemble a reservoir at all, it might be oil-saturated sand or shale. Directional drilling is especially valuable in shale, where the formation can be explored to follow richer seams.

There’s some other reason why the reservoir is inaccessible from above, such as the surface land being a town, mountain, nature reserve or area of special scientific interest (SSI).

Rather than the oil and gas settling in a single deposit, it’s in separate distinct pockets, not clearly joined to each other. This can occur where there are multiple bed dips or altitudes.

It’s common to find deposits below salt domes or fault planes, where the driller faces increased technical risk. Horizontal drilling can avoid salt domes, and reduce pressure on equipment near fault lines.

In fact, these ‘irregular’ reservoirs are very common. Now that relatively fewer elephant reservoirs are being discovered, and technology improves, directional drilling becomes more critical each year.

Another use for directional drilling is in the event of an uncontrolled, or ‘wild well’. If you imagine a well that has broken through the blowout preventer and is gushing, how can you cap it?

This depends on the amount of underground pressure. In some instances, a second control well is drilled so that it intercepts the same point where the original wellbore meets the reservoir. Once the new directional well is completed, it can be pumped with kill fluid.

If the well pressure isn’t too severe a relief well can help to release gas so that the original gusher reduces in intensity, allowing it to be controlled. Mud and water are pumped in from a different angle, to get the first well under control and back to proper working order.

It’s not possible to see hundreds of metres underground, in fact, the drillers and engineers rely entirely on technology to ‘see’ where they are going. A directional driller has a guide that has been created by the engineers and geologists. Every 10-150 metres, (with 30-40 being typical), survey data is sent back to make sure that the original ‘blue line’ well path is being followed.

Directional drilling software receives input from multiple measurements while drilling (MWD) sensors in the drill bit, and at any branches or junctions. (Other measurement tools include Electromagnetic MWD and Global Positioning Sensors (GPS)). In addition to MWD technology, mud loggers use logging while drilling (LWD) sensors and software. The drill bit has vibration sensors that can detect the type of formation being drilled at any point. Collars can be added along the length of the well, sending back information to the surface regarding torque, weight and bending.

From the surface, electromagnetic sensors can also track the progress of the drill bit. When all of the data from the drill bit, collars, motors and the surface equipment enter the control panel, a complete representation occurs.

As well as being able to know what is going on, even a mile along the drill bore, drilling engineers can make adjustments in real-time that ensure that everything is going to plan. This is especially relevant when unexpected things occur concerning geology or severe equipment stress.

If you were to imagine the mechanics of directional drilling without seeing the technology, you might wonder how the drill could suddenly change direction. Since the motor that turns the drill is at the surface, how can the drill string continue to rotate at 360 degrees while going around a corner?

We now have downhole drilling motors, that can drive the drill bit in a completely different direction to the usual 180-degree downhole starting point. Turbodrills and rotary steering drills are employed in directional situations where they’re best suited.

The rotational speed of the drill and the weight and stiffness of the drillstring can also be used to influence direction. One of the original methods was jetting, a high-pressure nozzle shot water or drilling fluid from one edge to the drill bit, creating a weaker side in the formation.

Another traditional method was to use a whipstock. A whipstock is a type of wedge that can redirect the drill. At the desired depth the drill is withdrawn to the surface, a whipstock gets put in place, then the drill goes back down and gets redirected by the whipstock. Next, the drill is brought to the surface again, the whipstock pulled out and then drilling resumes and the bore changes path.

Drill bit sensors can tell the driller about external weight, and rotary speed that can also be used to influence the trajectory. Mud motors can also be used to change direction. With a steerable drill pipe, there’s a bend near the bit. The drillstring stops turning, and then there is plenty of time to use chosen directional techniques to reposition the bit to the desired trajectory. When it starts spinning again, it’ll start going in the direction that it’s now pointing towards. (More about steerable mud motors in the next section).

Specialised drillbits are used to improve performance and reduce the chance of failure. Schlumberger supply directional PDC drill bits for both push- and point-the-bit rotary steerable systems. Horizontal Technology, Inc. provides ‘Varel High Energy Series bits’ designed for the unique, rigorous conditions of horizontal directional drilling.

Mud Motors. Downhole steerable mud motors get positioned near the drill bit, which has a bend in it. What happens is that at the correct depth the drillstring stops rotating, then drilling fluid is pumped through the mud motor so that the drill bit starts to turn just due to the force of the liquid. This mud pressure pushes the drill bit into a different angle, and also begins to bite into the formation at a different angle to the central well trajectory. Once the sensors verify that the drill bit is pointing in the right direction, the drillstring starts to turn again.

Rotary Steerable Systems (RSS). Directional drilling by using the mud motor means that often the drill pipe needs to be slid forward while the drill is motionless. A rotary steerable system can drill and steer at the same time. This means that previously inaccessible formations can be accessed.

Custom whipstocks that work with downhole motors don’t need removing in between drilling. These are a significant advance on the old fashioned ones previously mentioned. More time can be spent drilling, and less time removing the drill bit and conventional whipstock.

Networked or wired pipe. The Intelliserve system from National Oilwell Varco is a broadband networked drilling string system. It can transmit data from the sensors back to the surface.

Well integrity is perhaps the most crucial aspect of directional drilling. Drilling at deeper, or extended distances, and especially changing direction causes a number of additional engineering challenges and stresses on the equipment.

For example, a downhole drilling motor will always be far smaller and less powerful than one connected to a robust drilling rig above ground. It’s more likely to fail, or have insufficient torque or speed to get through challenging geological formations.

The drillstring itself will be less stressed when going in a straight line, every degree of turn add extra friction and unbalanced pressure. If drillstring integrity isn’t maintained, the drillstring can snap or get jammed. It could mean that a brand new set of equipment is needed, and a new well might need to be drilled again in a slightly different direction.

Maintaining hydraulic pressure, and wellbore cleaning is much more challenging with these types of wells. Modern directional drilling equipment is so advanced, it can cope with high pressure/high-temperature HP/HT conditions, a mile away, after the wellbore has changed direction.

Computer simulation programmes are used to simulate the well plan. 2D and more recently 3D modelling programmes give the geoscientists and engineers a visualisation of the planned path. This software is created based on previous knowledge, current seismic and magnetic data, supplemented with real-time data from the MWD instruments.

There are a few different types of directional drilling. Multilateral drilling is where a downhole bore has multiple lateral (90 degrees) offshoots. For example, a well might be 1000 metres in depth but have numerous lateral wells connected to it.  Extended reach drilling (ERD) is categorised by ever longer wellbores drilled from the rig.

Land tenders offer the right to explore and extract resources from a particular square meterage of land. It’s possible to purchase a lease for an oil patch, then drill horizontally into neighbouring territory. Close to a national border, it’s been known for drillers to drill into another country.

This is different from straightforward situations, where two territories happen to tap into the same reservoir. The industry has guidelines and regulations. Simultaneous operations (SIMOPS) and combined operations (COMOPS) have strict procedures for situations where well interference can occur.

Of course, the majority of horizontal drilling is done for good reason, not to cross borders of ownership or sovereignty. Sometimes horizontal directional drilling is the only possible way to tap a reservoir, such as the case of dilling under a town or nature reserve. Other times it’s a cost-saving exercise, to drill under a salt dome or mountain. Lastly, drilling horizontally can be the best way of maximising extraction by reaching more sections of a reservoir.

Serial Energy Entrepreneur. Webmaster at drillers.com. Founder of Out of the Box Innovations Ltd. Co-Founder of Natural Resource Professionals Ltd. Traveller and Outdoorsman, Husband, Father. Technology/Internet Geek.

Mud pumps are a vital part of pipeline drilling projects. But with mud pumps, you have a decision to make: Should you use an onboard or a stand-alone mud pump? Both can get the job done well, but what’s the best option for your operation? To answer those questions, we have to look at three different factors: productivity, transportation and space.

First, you have to consider your productivity goals. To maximise the capacity and productivity of your pipeline directional drills, you need a consistent flow of drilling fluid that a mud pump can provide. However, there is a difference in size between onboard mud pumps and stand-alone ones.

For example, on the Vermeer D220x300 S3 Navigator® horizontal directional drill the maximum drilling fluid flow is 345 gal./min (1306 l/min). An onboard mud pump most likely won’t be able to reach that maximum flow but a stand-alone pump could. At 100% efficiency, the Vermeer SA400 Tier 4i (Stage IIIB) high-pressure mud pump has a maximum flow of 550 gal./min (2082 l/min), which would allow you to maximise the fluid flow on your drill.

If you lower your fluid flow, you are slowing your downhole speed and your thrust/pullback speed. You can get by with a smaller onboard mud pump, but you will have to take things slower and be patient as you drill.

“The higher the flow, the higher the productivity,” said Tod Michael, a Vermeer product manager for trenchless products. “If you are drilling a smaller diameter bore, a small onboard pump could handle the job. But if you need to increase your fluid, have a higher gal/min flow downhole or are drilling a 24 in. (60.9 cm) diameter or larger, a stand-alone mud pump is a good option.”

A stand-alone mud pump means there is more equipment to haul to the jobsite. Often, this requires an additional truck to transport it, since you also have to haul your drill, reclaimer and drilling fluid too. Another truck means extra costs and is something to be aware of beforehand.

“I would advise weighing the transportation costs with your productivity advantage,” suggested Michael. “If you find you can live with lower productivity because it’s more economical to haul only one truck, that’s great. If you find it’s better to haul two trucks of equipment to maximise your productivity, that is great too. It all comes down to your preference and your specific operation.”

One last thing to consider before you make a decision between onboard or stand-alone mud pumps is the space on the jobsite. Think about the typical amount of room you have for equipment. Will you have space for a stand-alone mud pump each time?

“Your jobsite space may vary from site to site, but ensuring that you will have room for a mud pump is an important factor to remember as you plan the project,” said Michael. “Usually, if contractors have the space, they will opt to have a stand-alone mud pump onsite.”

At the end of the day, the decision is yours. Considering the productivity pros and cons, the additional transport costs and the space on your jobsite can help make the decision simpler but it all depends on your specific needs and how you operate on a daily basis.

I’ve run into several instances of insufficient suction stabilization on rigs where a “standpipe” is installed off the suction manifold. The thought behind this design was to create a gas-over-fluid column for the reciprocating pump and eliminate cavitation.

When the standpipe is installed on the suction manifold’s deadhead side, there’s little opportunity to get fluid into all the cylinders to prevent cavitation. Also, the reciprocating pump and charge pump are not isolated.

The gas over fluid internal systems has limitations too. The standpipe loses compression due to gas being consumed by the drilling fluid. In the absence of gas, the standpipe becomes virtually defunct because gravity (14.7 psi) is the only force driving the cylinders’ fluid. Also, gas is rarely replenished or charged in the standpipe.

Installing a suction stabilizer from the suction manifold port supports the manifold’s capacity to pull adequate fluid and eliminates the chance of manifold fluid deficiency, which ultimately prevents cavitation.

Another benefit of installing a suction stabilizer is eliminating the negative energies in fluids caused by the water hammer effect from valves quickly closing and opening.

The suction stabilizer’s compressible feature is designed to absorb the negative energies and promote smooth fluid flow. As a result, pump isolation is achieved between the charge pump and the reciprocating pump.

The isolation eliminates pump chatter, and because the reciprocating pump’s negative energies never reach the charge pump, the pump’s expendable life is extended.

Investing in suction stabilizers will ensure your pumps operate consistently and efficiently. They can also prevent most challenges related to pressure surges or pulsations in the most difficult piping environments.

Sigma Drilling Technologies’ Charge Free Suction Stabilizer is recommended for installation. If rigs have gas-charged cartridges installed in the suction stabilizers on the rig, another suggested upgrade is the Charge Free Conversion Kits.

That’s because an equipment breakdown in the field due to neglected maintenance doesn’t just mean downtime. It could mean completely abandoning a hole midbore and starting a job over at the beginning. It’s not easy to remove broken-down equipment from belowground and still make use of that hole.

Drilling fluids greatly reduce the amount of wear on the drill pipe, as well as the tooling on the bottom of the drill string. And just because you’re tackling a 100-foot bore as opposed to a 1,000-foot bore, don’t think you can get away with not using drilling fluids.

Industry experts estimate that an operator can expect to see about 20% more life out of a drill by regularly using fluids, and even more so for the tooling going into the ground. Adjust your fluid formula as needed. If you have sand that’s super abrasive in one area, you may need to approach it differently than if you were drilling in clay soil. If the machine’s gauges are showing excess rotary torque, it could be a sign that the wrong type of fluid is being used.

You may have selected the right formula of drilling fluid for the job, but if you’re not careful about your water source, you may still find yourself vulnerable to potential equipment damage.

For example, if you are pulling water out of a fire hydrant and that hydrant has sat dormant for a while without being flushed, you may have sand that has settled in those lines go directly into your mixing tank. The sand can then get mixed up in the drilling fluids and run through the mud pump. Alternatively, if you’re pulling out of a creek, you need to make sure you’re using a strainer system for that water before it goes into the tank. Otherwise you may end up with pebbles, small rocks and larger grains of sand in the mud system, and those will get pumped through the mud pump also.

The prejob inspection is particularly important in directional drilling since an equipment malfunction during a bore can mean having to start over at square one. On an inspection checklist, there should be items such as ensuring all connections are tight and looking for hairline fractures or signs of excessive wear on tooling.

If there’s a fracture on the tooling or if something is not tight, you could lose your bit downhole or the tooling could break. It’s important to catch such things above ground because once you’re downhole, if there’s a breakdown, (a.) you don’t know exactly what happened and (b.) it’s difficult to get these things out and still use that hole. A lot of times you have to start over.

A lot of what goes into good directional drill maintenance is simply proper operation. Be sure operators are properly trained and are familiar with the limits of a drill and the drill pipe. Staying within those limits and not pushing the drill too fast will help prevent pipe from coming back bent or having pipe that doesn’t come back at all.

For more of a look at directional drilling training, check out this article featured in the September 2020 issue: "Why It"s Smart to Seek Out Hands-On Horizontal Directional Drilling Training."

We understand that the most important factor in your drill rig"s effectiveness is the performance of its operator. To help make their workday as productive as possible, we"ve incorporated safety and comfort features into the new operator"s cab. The new cab ensures operator comfort with features like climate control, all around visibility, air suspension seat and easy to use controls.

Directional drilling is a technique that enables the drill bit to be directed toward a specified coordinate. It can be used to get back on course if drilling deviates from the desired path. More often, it is a pre-planned approach to reach a designated target, which can include one or several points off a main hole. For example, a typical project could involve drilling a 915-meter mother hole and, from that, three or four legs, each with different azimuth and inclination targets.

This technique can help drillers overcome environmental challenges, including reaching a target zone under a bench or other geological feature that would be inaccessible with vertical drilling practices, or drilling into a deep mineral zone covered by rock that would make drilling multiple surface holes difficult and dangerous. Directional drilling has a long history in the oil and gas industry and is increasingly being used in mining thanks to technological advances that have made steering tools more feasible for mining equipment.

Compared with traditional core drilling, directional drilling can provide greater mineral production from one hole and save significant time and costs. Safety and environmental benefits can be realized as well by not moving drill rigs to new sites and drilling multiple surface holes.

For shorter hole corrections, wedges (window, full-hole and retrievable) are effective in steering the bit to the desired target zone. Sharper angles can be achieved with a positive displacement mud motor in combination with wedges. Used with full-hole wedges, a mud motor makes a continuous, smooth curve.

Directional drilling requires a bigger mud pump to handle the significant increase in pressure in the fluid system that drives the bit. It also calls for a better mud cleaning system, with the goal of keeping sludge and mud to below 2 percent. While mud motors are more costly than wedges and require additional technical support, this technique saves costs in the long term through increased efficiency and production.

Survey/steering tools increase the accuracy of hitting a target, by using various types of signals to transmit data to the driller. Mud pulse tools, located at the mud motor, are able to send pressure pulses up the string, via mud or other fluid, to the surface where they can be decoded. Electromagnetic tools use electrical waves through the rock to the surface where it can be decoded.

Another option is a third-party system such as Devico’s, which combines equipment in a unique approach that provides controlling and steering precision as well as opportunities for core collection.

If you need to hit a specific target, Boart Longyear offers directional motors, steering tools, and pumps for directional drilling projects. Using advanced technology for monitoring and reporting, we can accurately steer to target within budget.

n: a record made each day of the operations on a working drilling rig and, traditionally, phoned, faxed, emailed, or radioed in to the office of the drilling company and possibly the operator every morning.

(pronounced "tower") n: in areas where three eight-hour tours are worked, the shift of duty on a drilling rig that starts at or about daylight. Compare evening tour, morning (graveyard) tour.

(pronounced "tower") n: in areas where two 12-hour tours are worked, a period of 12 hours, usually during daylight, worked by a drilling or workover crew when equipment is being run around the clock.

n: the mass or weight of a substance per unit volume. For instance, the density of a drilling mud may be 10 pounds per gallon, 74.8 pounds/cubic foot, or 1,198.2 kilograms/cubic meter. Specific gravity, relative density, and API gravity are other units of density.

n: a special radioactivity log for open-hole surveying that responds to variations in the specific gravity of formations. It is a contact log (i.e., the logging tool is held against the wall of the hole). It emits neutrons and then measures the secondary gamma radiation that is scattered back to the detector in the instrument. The density log is an excellent porosity-measure device, especially for shaley sands. Some trade names are Formation Density Log, Gamma-Gamma Density Log, and Densilog.

n: a large load-bearing structure, usually of bolted construction. In drilling, the standard derrick has four legs standing at the corners of the substructure and reaching to the crown block. The substructure is an assembly of heavy beams used to elevate the derrick and provide space to install blowout preventers, casingheads, and so forth.

n: the crew member who handles the upper end of the drill string as it is being hoisted out of or lowered into the hole. On a drilling rig, he or she may be responsible for the circulating machinery and the conditioning of the drilling or workover fluid.

n: a removable, hard-steel, serrated piece that fits into the jaws of the tongs and firmly grips the body of the drill pipe, drill collars, or casing while the tongs are making up or breaking out the pipe.

n: a high-compression, internal-combustion engine used extensively for powering drilling rigs. In a diesel engine, air is drawn into the cylinders and compressed to very high pressures; ignition occurs as fuel is injected into the compressed and heated air. Combustion takes place within the cylinder above the piston, and expansion of the combustion products imparts power to the piston.

n: an oilwell-surveying method that determines the direction and angle of formation dip in relation to the borehole. It records data that permit computation of both the amount and direction of formation dip relative to the axis of the hole and thus provides information about the geologic structure of the formation. Also called dipmeter log or dip log.

n: 1. intentional deviation of a wellbore from the vertical. Although wellbores are normally drilled vertically, it is sometimes necessary or advantageous to drill at an angle from the vertical. Controlled directional drilling makes it possible to reach subsurface areas laterally remote from the point where the bit enters the earth.

n: in well cementing, the fluid, usually drilling mud or salt water, that is pumped into the well after the cement is pumped into it to force the cement out of the casing and into the annulus.

n: a source of natural reservoir energy in which the dissolved gas coming out of the oil expands to force the oil into the wellbore. Also called solution-gas drive. See reservoir drive mechanism.

n: a drilling tool made up in the drill string directly above the bit. It causes the bit to turn while the drill string remains fixed. It is used most often as a deflection tool in directional drilling, where it is made up between the bit and a bent sub (or, sometimes, the housing of the motor itself is bent). Two principal types of downhole motor are the positive-displacement motor and the downhole turbine motor.

adj: pertaining to packers and other tools left in the wellbore to be broken up later by the drill bit. Drillable equipment is made of cast iron, aluminum, plastic, or other soft, brittle material.

n: the employee normally in charge of a specific (tour) drilling or workover crew. The driller’s main duty is operation of the drilling and hoisting equipment, but this person may also be responsible for downhole condition of the well, operation of downhole tools, and pipe measurements.

n: an agreement made between a drilling company and an operating company to drill a well. It generally sets forth the obligation of each party, compensation, identification, method of drilling, depth to be drilled, and so on.

n: an internal-combustion engine used to power a drilling rig. These engines are used on a rotary rig and are usually fueled by diesel fuel, although liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, and, very rarely, gasoline can also be used.

n: circulating fluid, one function of which is to lift cuttings out of the wellbore and to the surface. It also serves to cool the bit and to counteract downhole formation pressure.

n: all members in the assembly used for rotary drilling from the swivel to the bit, including the kelly, the drill pipe and tool joints, the drill collars, the stabilizers, and various specialty items. Compare drill string.

n: a method of formation testing. The basic drill stem test tool consists of a packer or packers, valves or ports that may be opened and closed from the surface, and two or more pressure-recording devices. The tool is lowered on the drill string to the zone to be tested. The packer or packers are set to isolate the zone from the drilling fluid column.

n: the column, or string, of drill pipe with attached tool joints that transmits fluid and rotational power from the kelly to the drill collars and the bit. Often, the term is loosely applied to include both drill pipe and drill collars.

n: a type of portable service or workover rig that is self-propelled, using power from the hoisting engines. The driver"s cab and steering wheel are mounted on the same end as the mast support; thus the unit can be driven straight ahead to reach the wellhead.

n: a single well that produces from two separate formations at the same time. Production from each zone is segregated by running two tubing strings with packers inside the single string of production casing, or by running one tubing string with a packer through one zone while the other is produced through the annulus. In a miniaturized dual completion, two separate casing strings are run and cemented in the same wellbore.

We’ve compiled thisextensive glossary of the most common and frequently used directional drilling terms and phrases, to help foster better communication and understanding. Learn the basics and understand horizontal directional drilling terminology. Directional drilling is somewhat new oil and gas industry, and many people find themselves confused with the terms especially when they are very similar to well drilling, but represent different things.

Air Sparging– This method injects air below the water table, removing volatile pollutants from ground water. The method is frequently used in conjunction with soil vapour extraction. To improve biodegradation, engineers sometimes sparge for the purpose of increasing dissolved oxygen in groundwater and soil.

Annular Seal– A physical barrier that runs the length of a borehole"s annulus, often from the surface to a depth of 20 feet or greater. The seal keeps surface water out of the borehole and prevents air sparging or soil vapor extraction devices from short-circuiting into the atmosphere. The annular seal in a horizontal well is often made up of a bentonite plug, bentonite-cement grout, expanding polyurethane foam, an inflatable or other packer, or a mix of these materials.

Annulus– The space between the components of a well or borehole. The annulus of a borehole, for instance, is the free space between the drill string or well casing and the walls of the bore being drilled. During drilling, drilling mud normally flows through the annulus of the borehole. This is also known as a well annulus after the well materials have been placed, and it is usually sealed near the surface in some way.

Auger Boring:Use of a rotating cutting head to form a bore between a reception pit and a drive pit. Auger flights wound in a helix rotate within a steel casing and remove spoil back to the driveshaft. Auger boring equipment is likely to possess limited steering capacity.

Bent Sub:A portion of drill stem that is offset behind the drill head. Allows for the drill string to be rotated, orienting the cutting head for steering corrections. Often employed in directional drilling.

Bentonite: Colloquially referred to as directional driller’s mud, this colloidal clay forms a slick, slurry, or gel when water is added to it. Sold under a variety of trade names.

Blind Well – A directionally-drilled, horizontal well that is drilled and completed from a single end. Single-entry wells are another name for them. A pilot bore is bored at the required location and depth utilising steering and a guidance system to establish a blind well. The pilot bit is then taken out of the borehole. The drill string has a forward reamer attached before it is pushed through the pilot bore, as it typically must be reamed to a bigger size before well casing installation. With a large bore diameter, this can be done in phases. Finally, the reamer is removed from the borehole and the well materials (casing and screen) are placed into it.

Bore or Borehole – Drilling operations create an extended cavity called a bore or borehole. This is most commonly a hole filled with drilling mud and cuttings, rather than a void. To complete a well, well casing is pushed or pulled into the borehole.

Boring:(1) The use of a drill string or rotating auger to displace or dislodge spoil, producing a bore (hole). (2) A process for installation of pipelines or conduits via earth-drilling. (3) The obtainment of soil samples for assessment.

Cable Sonde– Instead of internal batteries, this downhole probe or transmitter is powered by energy from the ground surface. A wire running inside the drill rod connects the cable sonde to a drilling rig power source. A length of wire must be threaded through each rod, then attached to the wire extending from the existing string when each rod is added to the drill string. At the drill rig, the surface end of the wire is linked to a swivel that gives electrical contact.

Carrier Pipe:Pipe for carrying product across highway and railroad crossing casings. Carrier pipe is typically made from concrete, clay, steel, plastic, ductile iron, or other materials. Potentially bored directly underneath railroads or highways.

Closed Face:Refers to the ability of tunnel boring equipment to seal off its facial opening to prevent soil leakage into the machinery. Also refers to bulkheading in hand-dug tunnels to prevent material inflow.

Compaction Reamer– A reamer that enlarges the diameter of a borehole by compacting the dirt around it. In general, compacting the formation surrounding the well bore is not useful in an environmental well that demands adequate hydraulic contact with the surrounding formation.

Corn Starch– Corn starch is a polymer used to thicken liquids and is a common food component. By removing sperm, endosperm, gluten, and other components from maize grains, starch is concentrated. Corn starch powder is blended with other polymers to make a drilling fluid.

Cured-in-place Pipe (CIPP):A lining technique wherein a thin flexible tube of glass or polymer fiber or fabric is implanted with thermoset resin and inflated into position on the inner wall of a damaged pipeline using fluid pressure before curing the resin to harden the material. With or without the use of a turning belt, the uncured material can be inserted by winch or inverted by water or air pressure.

Deformed Reformed Pipe (DRP):A term that refers to various systems whereby a liner is bent during insertion to reduce its size, then returned to its original shape using heat and/or pressure.

Ditch Witch: One of the biggest U.S. manufacturers of horizontal directional drilling equipment and tooling. Ditch Witch manufactures short to long range HDD rigs.

Drill String:1) In a drill borehole, the total length of drill pipe or rods, bit, swivel joint, and other components. 2) Rod system for attaching to the drive chuck a cutting or compaction bit.

Drilling Fluid/Mud:A continually pumped mixture of water and usually bentonite and/or polymer to aid cutting, minimize necessary torque, facilitate cutting removal, stabilize the borehole, lower head temperature, and lubricate product pipe. Water alone may be employed in proper soil conditions. Learn more information about drilling fluids - Directional Drilling Fluids.

Double-entry Well – A well, drilled and completed from both ends, that is horizontal and directionally drilled. A pilot bore is bored at the required location and depth utilizing a guiding system and steering to establish a double-entry well. At the well"s distal end, the pilot bore is directed to the surface and the drill bit is withdrawn. In most circumstances, prior to well casing installation, the pilot bore must be reamed to a bigger size, therefore the drill string has a reamer attached and is dragged back through the pilot bore. Additional drill rods are inserted behind the reamer as it retracts, ensuring the borehole sees a continuous string of drill steel throughout. For large bore diameters, this can be done in phases. The product line (well casing, conduit, etc.) is linked to the drill string and pulled back after the final diameter is reached.

Dry Hole – This circumstance develops when drilling tools have advanced past the drilling mud. Attempting to advance the borehole too quickly is the most common cause.

Enzyme Breaker– A liquid solution comprising proteins created by biological action that serve as a catalyst to accelerate long chain polymer biodegradation in drilling fluids (that are biodegradable).

Filter Cake – A cake made up of stacked mineral particles in bentonite-based drilling mud that forms along borehole walls. Filter cake acts as a borehole-formation barrier, reducing the amount of drilling mud required and preventing groundwater intrusion.

Flexural Modulus of Elasticity:Defined mathematically as the stress divided by the material"s strain; a measure of a material"s stiffness or rigidity. A stiffer material has a higher flexural modulus.

Fold and Form Pipe:A pipe rehabilitation process that involves pulling a plastic pipe in a folded shape with a smaller cross-sectional area into an existing conduit and then expanding it with pressure and heat. The reformed plastic pipe fits tightly against the host pipe"s ID and conforms to its shape.

Frac Out – Drilling fluid moves from the drill head up the borehole and into a collection pit during routine drilling operations. The fluid pressure inside the borehole can fracture the surrounding formation if the borehole becomes clogged, collapses, or the fluid pressure inside the borehole becomes too high, producing a channel for the fluid to migrate from the well, often upward to the ground surface.

Front Locate Point – The magnetic field formed by the down hole transmitter is used by walkover locating devices to identify the azimuth of the drill head (sonde). When examined in map view, this magnetic field has an hourglass form, with a positive field in front of the sonde and a negative field behind it. The Front Locate is the point in the sonde"s magnetic field where the field is both vertically directed and positive.

Gel Strength – A drilling fluid property that determines whether it can be used for suspension and transportation of borehole drill cuttings. It can be defined more particularly as the shear stress at low shear rate after a mud sets quiescently for a given time period (10 seconds and 10 minutes for standard API procedure, though after 30 minutes or 16 hours measurements may also be taken).

Guar– Guar is a liquid-thickening polymer and is a frequent food component. The dehusked seed of the Guar Tree, native to India and Pakistan, is milled to make it. Guar powder is blended with other polymers to make a drilling fluid.

Hydro-lock – During the pullback process, the screens and well casing get "locked" in the borehole. When a borehole collapses, drilling becomes trapped within, either behind or in front of well materials. The drill"s ability to pull the casing into the hole is reduced (or eliminated) as pressure rises (or falls).

Hypochlorite– These chlorine and bleach chemicals, which are either sodium- (liquid) or calcium- (powder) based, are commonly used in cleaning and sterilization. To quickly reduce biopolymer drilling fluid viscosity, moderate quantities of hypochlorite are utilized.

Impact Moling:Boring a hole in a casing with a pneumatic or hydraulic hammer, usually in the shape of a torpedo. The phrase is mainly connected with limited steering or non-steered devices that rely on ground resistance for forward movement and are not rigidly attached to the launch pit. Soil is displaced rather than removed during operation. In suitable ground, a pipe can be dragged or pushed in behind the impact moling tool, or an unsupported bore can be formed. Cables can be drawn in as well.

Inertial Guidance System– A navigation and steering system for an HDD drill, typically in bores that are both long and deep, with exact bore path requirements. In order to find and control the drill head in three dimensions, the system uses sensitive accelerometers and/or gyroscopes coupled to a computing subsystem through a wireline (run inside the drill rod). When depth, surface impediments, and/or radio interference prevent the use of a walkover in environmental drilling, this system is often used. For more information on drilling interference check out Understanding Horizontal Directional Drilling Interference.

Jacking Frame:Housing component for hydraulic cylinders that move pipelines and microtunneling machines. The jacking frame distributes the thrust stress to the pipeline while also distributing the reaction load to the thrust or shaft wall.

Jacking Shield:Excavation is done either by hand or by machine from within this fabricated steel cylinder. Facilities are built into the cylinder that allow for it to be modified to manage line and gradient.

Liner Plate:Instead of casing, this product lines tunnels and comes in formed steel segments. When fastened together, they form a structural tube that prevents tunnel collapse. The segments have been designed to be fastened together from the inside of the tunnel.

Locator– A steering technician on a drilling crew uses this hand-held electronic instrument in conjunction with a downhole sonde to estimate horizontal placement and drill head depth while drilling. A walkover navigation system employs locators, which normally necessitate the technician having physical access to the ground surface right above the bore path. In a walkover system, the sonde transmits a radio signal that includes the drill head"s pitch and rotational direction. A sonde-emitted magnetic field is also interpreted by the locator to identify the depth and horizontal position. The steering technician can record the pitch, depth, and rotational orientation using the locator"s displays. Data can also be transmitted by a locator to a remote drill rig display, where a directional driller can interpret it. The most popular HDD locators on the market today are DigiTrak and Subsite.

Because the depth, direction, and location of the drill head are calculated using the field shape and strength of broadcast electromagnetic fields, local interference arising from electronics or ferrous masses can occasionally cause this surveydata to be skewed. A wireline system, replacing the battery with an electrical conductor that pulls power from the drilling rig electrical system, can increase the signal, allowing it to be used in deeper borings or areas where electronic interference is present.

Microtunneling:A trenchless pipeline installation technology that includes the following features: (1) Remote control – The microtunneling boring machine (MTBM) is controlled from a control panel on the surface. Routine operations do not necessitate personnel entry. (2) Guided - In the MTBM, the guiding system is usually based on a laser beam focused onto a target. (3) Pipe jacking - The technique of installing a pipeline by sequentially pushing the drill pipes and MTBM through the ground with the use of a jacking system. (4) Continuously supported - To balance groundwater and earth pressures, continuous pressure is applied to the excavation face.

Modulus of Elasticity (E):The required stress for producing strain that results in a change of length (Young"s modulus); a twist or shear (modulus or rigidity); or a change of volume (bulk modulus). Units are dynes per square centimeter.

Mud Motor: Rock drilling technology which derives its power from drilling fluid pressure. Instead of ejecting mud from a bore hole, a mud motor uses flow pressure to spin the drill bit, allowing for rotary cutting and simultaneous steering.

Open Cut:The procedure for gaining access to the necessary level underground for installation, inspection, or maintenance of a cable, pipe, or conduit. Following this, the excavation is backfilled and the surface is restored.

Packer– A mechanical device that isolates borehole or well segments. Packers can split wells into two or more compartments, each of which can be controlled separately. This also provides a component of an annular seal to prevent surface water infiltration and the exchange of extracted or injected fluids (air, chemical, or other) between the surface and well.

Pitch – In a horizontal drilling system, the drill head"s vertical angle. This is measured in degrees or percent. Wireline or inertial systems typically measure in degrees, while most walkover systems utilize percent. Pitch gives the drill string"s dip at or near the drill bit via direct measurement.

Pilot Bore:The making of the first (typically steerable) pass in any boring procedure requiring back-reaming or other enlargement afterwards. Guided boring, 2-pass microtunneling, and directional drilling are the most common examples.

Pipe Eating:A microtu