trenchless drilling rig and mud pump in stock

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Our HDD Pumps are developed according to the design specifications and API standards of oil drilling mud pump, which is widely used in trenchless, CBM drilling, geothermal water injection and other applications. The pump can be equiped with different cylinder liner and piston, so as to adapt to various working conditions.

SHANDONG BEYOND PETROLEUM MACHINERY CO.,LTD. is established on request of customer and aimed to supply best product and service for the customer. It focuses on to supply best solutions for the overseas oilfield customer on equipment & spares maintenance and supply. China has become main supplier for oil production countries, but Chinese equipment has some special features different with European and American countries, and there exits big language and cultural difference between China and other countries, so it has become one big challenge for the overseas customer to get the exact equipment and parts they need in a short time. However, BEYOND takes root in China, and has very good cooperation relationship with most of famous factories, plus strong technical support and good advantage in language. Therefore, BEYOND is quite capable to help the customer to solve this challenge.

tools, OCTG and other related equipment and parts. Meanwhile, BEYOND can offer technical services, personnel training and maintenance guide towards China-made drilling rigs. Only if it is what you need, BEYOND can get it for you: from best factories, with most competitive price and within shortest lead time.

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.

Specifically designed for the horizontal-drilling market, our THE pump is an upgraded, 215 BHP version of the TEE and features a cast-through studded fluid end with piston and liner sizes up to 5.5 in. for high flow rates.

Interested in a trade in value or converting your equipment into cash? We buy or trade for all types of directional boring equipment including: directional drills, trailers, HDD Tooling and other HDD support equipment. We make it as easy as possible to get you the money you need for your equipment.

As development brings new utilities and services to suburban and rural areas near growing cities, installing new buried lines and pipes pose many challenges. These additions are usually installed close to existing houses and businesses, requiring careful drilling and boring procedures. Directional drilling is a great way to make essential infrastructure and utility installations while disturbing local traffic patterns and residents as little as possible. Yet the success or failure of any particular directional drilling or boring project often hinges on the quality of the pump chosen for the process.

Directional drilling is a method of creating a shallow underground tunnel with a boring tip and a heavy-duty slurry pump. This combination can dig relatively large diameter channels without disturbing the surface of the ground, minimizing damage to the landscape and qualifying the procedure as a trenchless service. This technique is also referred to as directional boring and Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), depending on the size of the channel and the equipment used to bore it. This technique can penetrate a wide range of dense and soft soil conditions, including flooded grounds and wetlands.

Almost any installation of a curved and relatively shallow pipe or cable can be handled with directional drilling equipment. This means there’s high demand for the services across the country.

Since directional drilling doesn’t require digging a trench from the surface downward, there’s little disturbance to plants and trees. This makes it popular among both city planners and homeowners living around the installation areas where boring is necessary. A drilling fluid is used to keep heat from building up and to encourage the flow of debris smoothly down the pipe. This fluid consists of a steady supply of fresh water mixed with a specially made polymer or bentonite clay to increase the lubricating and cooling properties of the liquid. To keep the fluids moving at full pressure, the project needs heavy-duty slurry pumps to move the debris-filled liquid back to the reclaiming chamber to clear out bits of dirt and rock. The slurry removal and transport pump takes the brunt of wear and tear from the process since it must move liquids packed with sharp bits of stone and soil that are highly abrasive.

Most directional drilling pumps are based on modified slurry pump designs since these units need to work with drills producing up to 600 metric tons of thrust force. Large bore directional drilling heads can remove large chunks of solid stone and compacted soil that causes a lot of wear and tear to traditional slurry pumps. Debris bouncing against internal parts like impellers and spiral vanes results in constant repairs and a shortened lifespan of the pump. EDDY pumps are designed to last even in challenging directional drilling and boring applications.

It’s the specific design of the EDDY Pump that makes it ideal for directional boring and HDD uses. An open rotor design allows objects of up to 12 inches in diameter to pass through the pump without clogging it. This should cover even the largest and most aggressive cuttings generated by boring and drilling. There’s also no issue with generating plenty of pressure with any kind of drilling fluid with the open rotor design. Corrosive and abrasive mixtures don’t cause issues for the tough EDDY Pump design either. There’s relatively little maintenance needed to keep the high solids EDDY slurry pump working project after project. Sizing the right pump to the boring equipment will ensure it lasts for years with minimal wear and tear from the abrasive debris and cuttings.

Most contracts for public and private directional boring work include a clause stipulating the contractor is responsible for cleaning up after the work is completed. These cleanup steps usually include dewatering any remaining drilling fluid or transporting the cleaning water left over after the drilling bits are removed. Slurry pumps are also great for quickly removing these lingering fluids even when plenty of debris is mixed into the liquid.

Consider the EDDY Pump for your next directional boring project. Contact our team today to discuss your needs and let us pair you with the perfect pump for slurry removal and transport.

To do this job right, it takes a special person. Someone willing to wake up every morning, laugh in the face of Lady Luck, and go the distance. Because, you know, out in the field with the right team at your back, success is anything but lucky.

Many things go into getting the most life out of your mud pump and its components — all important to extend the usage of this vital piece of equipment on an HDD jobsite. Some of the most important key points are covered below.

The most important thing you can do is service your pump, per the manufacturer’s requirements. We get plenty of pumps in the shop for service work that look like they have been abused for years without having basic maintenance,  such as regular oil changes. You wouldn’t dream of treating your personal vehicle like that, so why would you treat your pump like that.

Check the oil daily and change the oil regularly. If you find water or drilling mud contamination in the oil, change the oil as soon as possible. Failure to do so will most likely leave you a substantial bill to rebuild the gear end, which could have been avoided if proper maintenance procedures would have been followed. Water in the oil does not allow the oil to perform correctly, which will burn up your gear end. Drilling mud in your gear end will act as a lapping compound and will wear out all of the bearing surfaces in your pump. Either way it will be costly. The main reasons for having water or drilling mud in the gear end of your pump is because your pony rod packing is failing and/or you have let your liners and pistons get severely worn. Indication of this is fluid that should be contained inside the fluid end of your pump is now moving past your piston and spraying into the cradle of the pump, which forces its way past the pony rod packing. Pony rod packing is meant to keep the oil in the gear end and the liner wash fluid out of the gear end. Even with brand new packing, you can have water or drilling fluid enter the gear end if it is sprayed with sufficient force, because a piston or liner is worn out.

Monitor your oil and keep your pistons, liners and pony rod packing in good condition. If a liner starts to leak, identify the problem and change it as soon as possible.

There is also usually a valve on the inlet of the spray bar. This valve should be closed enough so that liner wash fluid does not spray all over the top of the pump and other components.

Liner wash fluid can be comprised of different fluids, but we recommend just using clean water. In extremely cold conditions, you can use RV antifreeze. The liner wash or rod wash system is usually a closed loop type of system, consisting of a tank, a small pump and a spray bar. The pump will move fluid from the tank through the spray bar, and onto the inside of the liner to cool the liner, preventing scorching. The fluid will then collect in the bottom of the cradle of the pump and drain back down into the collection tank below the cradle and repeat the cycle. It is important to have clean fluid no matter what fluid you use. If your liners are leaking and the tank is full of drilling fluid, you will not cool the liners properly — which will just make the situation worse. There is also usually a valve on the inlet of the spray bar. This valve should be closed enough so that liner wash fluid does not spray all over the top of the pump and other components. Ensure that the water is spraying inside the liner and that any overspray is not traveling out of the pump onto the ground or onto the pony rod packing where it could be pulled into the gear end. If the fluid is spraying out of the cradle area and falling onto the ground, it won’t be long before your liner wash tank is empty. It only takes a minute without the cooling fluid being sprayed before the liners become scorched. You will then need to replace the pistons and liners, which is an avoidable costly repair. Make a point to check the liner wash fluid level several times a day.

Drilling fluid — whether pumping drilling mud, straight water or some combination of fluid — needs to be clean. Clean meaning free of solids. If you are recycling your fluid, make sure you are using a quality mud recycling system and check the solids content often throughout the day to make sure the system is doing its job. A quality mud system being run correctly should be able to keep your solids content down to one quarter of 1 percent or lower. When filling your mud recycling system, be sure to screen the fluid coming into the tanks. If it is a mud recycling system, simply make sure the fluid is going over the scalping shaker with screens in the shaker. If using some other type of tank, use an inline filter or some other method of filtering. Pumping out of creeks, rivers, lakes and ponds can introduce plenty of solids into your tanks if you are not filtering this fluid. When obtaining water out of a fire hydrant, there can be a lot of sand in the line, so don’t assume it’s clean and ensure it’s filtered before use.

Cavitation is a whole other detailed discussion, but all triplex pumps have a minimum amount of suction pressure that is required to run properly. Make sure this suction pressure is maintained at all times or your pump may cavitate. If you run a pump that is cavitating, it will shorten the life of all fluid end expendables and, in severe cases, can lead to gear end and fluid end destruction. If the pump is experiencing cavitation issues, the problem must be identified and corrected immediately.

The long and the short of it is to use clean drilling fluid and you will extend the life of your pumps expendables and downhole tooling, and keep up with your maintenance on the gear end of your pump. Avoid pump cavitation at all times. Taking a few minutes a day to inspect and maintain your pump can save you downtime and costly repair bills.

By contrast, PTEN completed its acquisition of Pioneer Energy Services, has upgraded more of its equipment to producer-preferred Tier 1 super-spec rigs, and is operating in all major basins with a heavy emphasis on the favored Permian.

Day rates have been increasing and demand for drilling rigs and services is strong. Moreover, the forward curve for future oil (and gas) prices underpins a resumption of drilling activity and profitability.

Because Russia is a big oil and gas exporter, the potential for conflict between Russia and Ukraine and further drop in its natural gas (and oil) exports has boosted world prices. Other factors include post-Covid demand increases that have not been matched by increases in production due to both deliberate restraint by OPEC+ and US producers-to meet investor preferences-and capex underinvestment reducing the ability of some countries to produce to their targets.

For 2021 Patterson-UTI reported a net loss of -$655 million, or -$3.36/share, compared to a net loss of -$804 million or -4.27/share for 2020. Revenues were $1.36 billion, direct operating costs were $1.08 billion and-note-noncash depreciation, depletion, amortization, and impairments were $849 million.

Adjusted EBITDA, which subtracts the tax loss benefit and adds back interest and impairments, was $171 million for 2021. By operating segment this divides as: contract drilling $196 million

Daily rates are heating up. For example, even a few months ago in early November 2021, a private company executive at an oil conference said, "21K on a hot rig on Friday becomes 24K on a stacked rig on Monday." Translation: $21,000/day for a ready drilling rig became $24,000/day for a cold (non-operating) drilling rig three days later.

Indeed, in the company"s 4Q21 investor call, CEO Andy Hendricks said, For the base rig we are now in the mid-20s for day rates and that is where the discussions begin. And further to that, in some cases, our total revenue per day is at or above $30,000 a day when you include the revenue from technologies and ancillary services in our contract drilling business. In pressure pumping we see further pricing improvement for both dual fuel and conventional spreads due to the lack of readily available premium equipment in the market.

As the graph above shows, the number of PTEN rigs operating follows the oil price but with a lag and not proportionately. The number has increased but not yet recovered to the pre-2020 level. This reflects public company producers" caution as they prioritize return of capital to shareholders ahead of expanding drilling.

Of the company"s 192 rigs, about a third or 73, are in West Texas. Per the company"s rig locator only about a quarter of Permian rigs are available, the rest are contracted.

The 2022 capital expenditure forecast is $350 million. Most of the capex will be used for rig maintenance and reactivation. This includes upgrading more rigs to Tier 1 super-spec status with ESG and sustainability capabilities. Producers prefer, and PTEN has a competitive advantage in providing, Tier 1 super-spec rigs that have more clearance under the rig floor and a third mud pump for horsepower and redundancy. (The extra clearance allows the rig to "walk" to a new location.)

The primary driver of PTEN"s activity is the oil price, although it is clearly subject to the level of activity public and private producers choose to undertake at a given price.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts higher production of both oil and natural gas in 2023: 12.6 million BPD average for oil and 106.6 BCF/D average for natural gas.

A Wall Street Journal article on drilling explained that while public companies such as Devon (DVN), Continental Resources (CLR), and Pioneer (PXD) were drilling only enough to keep production flat or up 5%, private companies were increasing drilling at a faster rate. Private oil producers were running 323 rigs in February 2022, up 127% from the beginning of 2021 while rigs run by large and mid-sized public companies were up only 28% to 215.

Be aware that due to a lack of takeaway (pipeline) capacity relative to the enormous size of Appalachian gas reserves, Marcellus prices usually lag those at Henry Hub, Louisiana. This is important because much gas drilling takes place in the Marcellus and PTEN has 33 rigs there. For example, on February 16, 2022, the Henry Hub price was $4.39/MMBTU while the Appalachian price (Tennessee Zone 4) was $3.70/MMBTU.

Patterson-UTI is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Its three service segments are: a) contract drilling, b) pressure pumping, and c) directional drilling.

US competitors include Baker Hughes (BKR), Halliburton (HAL), Helmerich and Payne (HP), Liberty Oilfield Services (LBRT), Nabors Industries (NBR), and ProPetro (PUMP). Schlumberger (SLB), which exchanged its US pressure pumping business for an ownership interest in Liberty, is a global competitor.

At February 1, 2022, Institutional Shareholder Services ranked Patterson-UTI"s overall governance as 1, with sub-scores of audit (4), board (2), shareholder rights (2), and compensation (1). In this ranking a 1 indicates lower governance risk and a 10 indicates higher governance risk, so the overall rating is excellent.

The company"s beta is 2.82, far more volatile than the overall market, representing a company on the front lines of the turbulent oil and gas drilling sector.

On December 31, 2021, PTEN had $1.35 billion in liabilities, including $850 million of long-term debt. With $2.96 billion in assets the liability-to-asset ratio is 46%. Given that PTEN is a contract driller it is no surprise the bulk of its assets--$2.33 billion-is in property and equipment.

The 52-week price range is $5.99-$14.13 per share, so the February 18, 2022, closing price of $13.15/share is 93% of the one-year high and 98% of the one-year target of $13.38/share.

At December 30, 2021, the five largest institutional stockholders, some of which represent index fund investments that match the overall market, were Blackrock (16.3%), Vanguard (10.2%), Macquarie Group (6.0%), Van Eck Associates (5.5%), and Dimensional Fund Advisors (4.0%).

However, some of these passive index investment companies have become activists. It is possible the tenets of their activism may not align with long-term profitability for other public shareholders. For example, Blackrock, Vanguard, and Macquarie are signatories to the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero, a group that manages $57 trillion in assets worldwide and which advocates limiting hydrocarbon investment.

Its activity is a function of both oil and gas prices as well as the intensity of drilling at any given price level, both of which can fluctuate dramatically.

PTEN can be affected by changes in regulation (political risk) from hydrocarbon-unfriendly federal and state governments whose actions have ranged from slow-walking or canceling pipeline permits to preferring renewable energy for electrical generation to saddling project analyses with unmeasurable upstream and downstream emissions.

Patterson-UTI has good current and prospective adjusted EBITDA, an excellent governance score, positive analyst ratings, a slightly increased dividend due to good cash flow, a reasonable debt level, a solid oil price forward curve underpinning activity, producer-preferred rigs at rising day rates, moderate demand from public company customers and strong demand from private company customers.

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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.

Drilling mud, or drilling fluid, is a critical but often overlooked contributor to the overall success of a trenchless construction project. The wrong drilling mud has the potential to cause severe problems like frac-outs or borehole collapse. The right drilling fluid can make a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) project run smoothly and efficiently.

Drilling heads generate large amounts of heat as they cut through the ground. The more friction between the drill bit and the rocks, clay or shale in its path, the more heat gets generated. The presence of drilling fluid reduces friction and removes heat from the cutting edge.

Cuttings removal is part of the HDD process. This is only possible if the drilling fluid holds the cuttings in suspension as it flows out of the borehole. (Read also:Understanding Drilling Fluids Solids Control with Horizontal Directional Drilling Rigs.)

Each type of soil requires specific drilling fluid properties that match the characteristics of the ground. The science of drilling fluid, therefore, plays a significant role in choosing the right mud composition.

Drilling mud stabilizes the borehole by laying down deposits on the sidewalls. The wrong mud composition can cause the fluid to break through the sidewall, causing a frac-out. This shuts down the HDD project until the borehole"s integrity can be re-established, thus wasting time and adding to the cost of the project. The wrong composition could also cause a collapse of the borehole with similar consequences.

A joint study by the University of Illinois and the Illinois Department of Transportation explored the approval of HDD as a construction method in specific applications. The study highlights the importance of drilling fluid for the success of an HDD project.

The primary constituent of drilling mud is either oil (called synthetic-based or low toxicity oil-based mud) or water. Other components are added to this base in order to achieve the desired characteristic. The main secondary ingredient is bentonite, which is a mineral found in clay beds. It is the bentonite which forms a cake-like film on the inside walls of the borehole to stabilize it. (Read also:Bentonite and the Use of Drilling Mud in Trenchless Projects.)

When using water-based drilling mud (WBM), the quality of water also influences its performance. pH should be kept between 8.5 and 9.5, while calcium content should be below 100 parts per million (ppm).

The final constituent of drilling mud is an additive. Several additives are available, and each is suited for different conditions. Polyanionic cellulose (PAC) is common in sand and cobbles. Partially hydrolysed polyacrylamide (PHPA) polymers work well in reactive clays instead of bentonite. Polymers with larger molecular weights are most suitable for rocky soil.

Finding the right drilling mud mix for any project starts with an understanding of the soil conditions. The more thorough the geotechnical investigation of the proposed HDD path, the more precisely the ideal drilling mud formula can be determined.

While it is possible to complete an HDD project with a generic drilling mud mix, it is often not the most efficient method, and it can lead to major problems like frac-out. Even if frac-out or borehole collapse are avoided, the project may take longer and cost more than necessary.

Inadequate lubrication can cause drill head damage and inefficiency. In some cases, it can also cause the pipe to stick in the borehole. A poor suspension characteristic can consume more energy to circulate the drilling mud through the system, thus slowing down the drill"s progress.

The order of mixing also plays a role in the science of drilling mud. Adding polymers before the bentonite has thoroughly mixed can cause balling. PAC polymers go before PHPA polymers and dry polymers before liquid polymers.

The science of drilling fluids goes beyond chemistry and includes the physical characteristics of the soil. Shear modulus determines the maximum drilling fluid pressure in the borehole before raising the risk of frac-out. This idea is explored in a paper available from the International Society for Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering. (Read also:Job Role: Mud Engineer.)

Having the right volume of drilling mud in the system is also a key parameter for HDD success. The following process describes how to calculate the right amount of drilling fluid:

Drilling mud systems on an HDD rig consist of a mixing hopper and fluid tank. Pumps take suction from the tanks and pump the drilling mud down the borehole. The return fluid passes through screens and hydro cyclones to remove cuttings before being recycled.

The used drilling fluid may need to be transported to hazardous waste dump sites, often some distance away from the HDD installation. Disposing of hazardous waste is expensive and adds to the cost of an HDD project. (Read also:Why Proper Disposal of Used Drilling Fluid Should Be a Crucial Trenchless Planning Step.)

Studies investigate the effect of drilling mud on vegetated land. These studies yield promising results and propose a philosophy that could minimize transport and disposal requirements.

Drilling mud is a critical element of the success of an HDD project. Getting the science of drilling mud wrong can lead to inefficiencies, delays, and higher costs. It can even result in frac-outs or collapses, resulting in major problems. On the other hand, getting the science of drilling mud right can significantly improve the HDD rig"s performance and save both time and money.

A thorough geotechnical survey is the starting point for developing drilling mud recipes. This information enables engineers to choose the right base and the best combination of additives for the job.