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    Challenges and Risks

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    vivek garad
    Horizontal directional drilling projects face several challenges and risks that should be shared between the contractor and owner. These include uncertainties regarding soil conditions and existing utilities, unpredictable subsurface conditions like flowing groundwater or cobbles, the need for extensive training of drill operators, and risks associated with drilling fluids like hydralock where slurry fails to remove cuttings. Proper planning through tools like ground penetrating radar and gaining experience can help mitigate some of these challenges, but horizontal directional drilling will always carry risks that require contracts to appropriately allocate between parties.

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    Challenges and Risks

    Uploaded by

    vivek garad
    15 views2 pages
    Horizontal directional drilling projects face several challenges and risks that should be shared between the contractor and owner. These include uncertainties regarding soil conditions and existing utilities, unpredictable subsurface conditions like flowing groundwater or cobbles, the need for extensive training of drill operators, and risks associated with drilling fluids like hydralock where slurry fails to remove cuttings. Proper planning through tools like ground penetrating radar and gaining experience can help mitigate some of these challenges, but horizontal directional drilling will always carry risks that require contracts to appropriately allocate between parties.

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    HDD Risks & Challenges

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    Horizontal directional drilling projects face several challenges and risks that should be shared between the contractor and owner. These include uncertainties regarding soil conditions and existing utilities, unpredictable subsurface conditions like flowing groundwater or cobbles, the need for extensive training of drill operators, and risks associated with drilling fluids like hydralock where slurry fails to remove cuttings. Proper planning through tools like ground penetrating radar and gaining experience can help mitigate some of these challenges, but horizontal directional drilling will always carry risks that require contracts to appropriately allocate between parties.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    15 views2 pages

    Challenges and Risks

    Uploaded by

    vivek garad
    Horizontal directional drilling projects face several challenges and risks that should be shared between the contractor and owner. These include uncertainties regarding soil conditions and existing utilities, unpredictable subsurface conditions like flowing groundwater or cobbles, the need for extensive training of drill operators, and risks associated with drilling fluids like hydralock where slurry fails to remove cuttings. Proper planning through tools like ground penetrating radar and gaining experience can help mitigate some of these challenges, but horizontal directional drilling will always carry risks that require contracts to appropriately allocate between parties.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    ChallengesandRisks

    Whilethemanybenefitsofhorizontaldirectional,thereareindeedmanychallengesassociatedwith
    thiswork.Thisisonereasonthatcontractsforthisworkshouldbewrittensothatcontractorand
    ownersharetherisk.Infact,someprojectsarewrittenin2contractsoneforthepilotholeand
    thenonefortheremainderofthework.Followingarefewofthechallengesfacedbythisindustry.
    1.
    2.
    3.
    4.
    5.

    SoilInformationandExistingUtilities
    SubsurfaceConditions
    Training
    DrillingFluids
    BindingofDrillPipeandBit

    SoilInformationandExistingUtilities
    Whileitseemsclearthatplanning,designandgeotechnicalevaluationofaHDDprojectare
    performedbetterthanforconventionalconstruction,therecanstillbemistakesandunknowns.For
    example, HDD projects might cause utility damages to utilities which are improperly marked. Drill
    cores,whicharethetypicalanalysisofthesoil,arejustnarrowcolumnsamplesandcannotalways
    provide reliable assumptions of the lateral continuity of the soil throughout the length of the drill
    path. So, if it is unclear where all of the utilities are, and the typical geotechnical analysis is not
    enough, the answer could be to use a method such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). It is the
    most common method of analyzing soil from the ground surface. GPR is capable of detecting
    changes between sands, silts, clays and gravels, identifying voids in the grounds, and the
    identification of Utilities. GPR involves the transmission of radio waves into the ground and the
    reception of reflected energy back to the surface. In the field, both transmitter and receiver are
    pulledoverthesurfaceandthereflectedenergyfromundergroundobjectsiscontinuouslyrecorded.
    This continuous recording enables the profile of the subsurface to be seen. The radar wave
    reflections are a result of the different bulk electrical properties of the soil. The main properties
    whichcausethereflectionsaresoilgrainsize,compactionandwatercontent.GPRcanbeeffective
    to150feet.GPRhasdifficultywiththickclaysoilsastheytendtoabsorbtheenergyandnotreturn
    it. GPR and other methods (EM induction, magnetics) are located on the ground, which causes
    problems because of the absorptive properties of some soil. As a result, current efforts and
    researcharebeingaccomplishedtomountsensorsonthedrillbit,whichwilltransmitinformationto
    thesurface.
    SubsurfaceConditions
    The main subsurface conditions which can inhibit a HDD project are flowing groundwater,
    gravelbedsandcobbles.Flowinggroundwaterhastheabilitytoruinthebore.Gravelbedscausethe
    slurrytobelosttotheexistingsoilstructureratherthancreatingamudcakeandprovidingborehole
    stability.Iftheborecannotbeconstructedinafashiontolimitthese2items,itispossiblethatHDD
    wouldnotbeused.Cobblespresentaninterestingdilemma.Drillingthoughthemhasbeenlikened
    totryingtoramafistthroughabucketofgolfballs.Ifthedrillheadisforced,thedrillbitandthe
    bottomholeassemblycanbelost.Itishighlydifficulttomaintainacoursewhenthedrillbitcannot
    findasolidsurfaceinwhichtobiteinto.

    Training
    Operatingadrillrigisnotassimpleasoperatingotherconstructionequipment.Ittakesalot
    of experience to know how much push and torque to use with various drill bits in different soils.
    Sincethetransmitterislocatedbehindthedrillbitandthebentsub,thedrillermustbeawareofthe
    positionofthedrillheadinrelationtothetransmitterwhenhegetsthepitchandrollinformation
    since it is the drill bit location he is concerned with. The driller also needs to be versed in some
    mathematicssinceinmostrivercrossingsandbusyhighwaycrossings,areceiverwillnotbeusedto
    determinedepthwiththewireline.Heshouldalsobeversedinbasichydraulics,basicsoilmechanics
    and also understand drilling fluid flow. To account for this lack of comprehensive training, the
    TrenchlessTechnologyCenter(TTC)andDivisionofContinuingEducationatMissouriWesternState
    College offered the first comprehensive HDD certification and training course (80 hours) in the
    UnitedStatesinAugust,1998.
    DrillingFluids
    Overtime,ithasbeenproventhatslurryneedstobeflowingateithertheentryorexithole,
    andthataminimumamountofslurryisneededtoensuresmoothoperationwithinthebore.When
    notenoughslurryisused,aconditioncalledhydralockcanresultwhereslurryisnotflowing,andthe
    drill pipe or reamer locks up in the bore. Another condition called fracout can occur when the
    naturalfissuresinthesoilallowfortheslurrytoreturntothesurface.Thiswillhappenmoreoften
    in fractured rock structures. A common misconception might be that drilling fluids pose an
    environmental problem, but in actuality, they do not. While the ingredients in the slurry are not
    hazardous, and while bentonite does not pose a risk on river crossings, some studies have shown
    thatintroducingsuspendedsolidsintoClearwaterstreamshasanegativeimpactontheecosystem.
    Hydralockoccurswhenthereisnotflowableslurry.Thisoccursbecausethecuttingsarenotbeing
    properly carried away and bind the bore. This causes pressure to build up and the drill pipe to
    become locked in place. The pipe does not move until the slurry finds an escape route. If the
    pressuredoesnotsubsideonitsown,aburpholemustbedugtorelievethefluid.Thisphenomenon
    ofhydralockcanoccurinanyphaseoftheoperationpilothole,ream,pullback,anditistheresult
    ofnotusingenoughdrillingfluid.
    BindingofDrillPipeandBit
    Therearetimeswhenthedrillpipecanbecomestuckinthebore.Thiscanoccurinanyphaseofthe
    operation.UsuallyIttakesnumerouseffortstoremovethereamer.Ifallattemptsfail, an
    alternativeholeisdugtorelievethestuckpipe

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