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HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING: NEW ERA FOR UNDERGROUND

UTILITIES

Conference Paper · December 2013

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING: NEW ERA FOR

UNDERGROUND UTILITIES
Siddharth J. Jariwala1, Prof. Jayeshkumar Pitroda2, Prof. J. J. Bhavsar3
1
P. G. Student (C.E & M), B.V.M Engineering College, Vallabh Vidhyanagar,
Email: siddharthjariwala510@gmail.com
2
Assistant Professor and Research Scholar, Civil Engineering Department, B.V.M. Engineering
College, Vallabh Vidyanagar-Gujarat-India, Email: jayesh.pitroda@bvmengineering.ac.in
3
Associate Professor, P.G. Cordinator of Construction Engineering & Management, B.V.M Engineering
College, Vallabh Vidyanagar-Gujarat-India, Email: jaydev_2004@yahoo.co.in

ABSTRACT:
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) was pioneered in the United States for an innovative road
boring contractor who successfully completed a 183 m river crossing using a modified rod pushing a
tool with no steering capability. Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is defined as “A steerable
system for the installation of pipes, conduits, and cables in a shallow arc using a surfaced launched
drilling rig. Traditionally HDD is applied to large scale crossings such as rivers in which a fluid filled
pilot hole is drilled without rotating the drill string, and this is then enlarged by a wash over the pipe
and back reamer to the size required by the product.” It is currently an efficient, safe, cost effective
method for highway bores and is the current industry standard for Trenchless technology for bores
between 2 and 48-inch diameters. The main objective is to install such services without using
traditional trenching methods, helping to avoid any unnecessary environmental impact and provide
added security. This paper focus on new era for construction sector of underground utilities in India.

Keywords: Horizontal Directional Drilling, Environmental, Underground, Utilities

INTRODUCTION

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) is defined as “A steerable system for the installation of pipes,
conduits, and cables in a shallow arc using a surfaced launched drilling rig. Traditionally HDD is
applied to large scale crossings such as rivers in which a fluid filled pilot hole is drilled without
rotating the drill string, and this is then enlarged by a wash over the pipe and back reamer to the size
required by the product.”

This technology has been in existence since the 1970’s. It is currently an efficient, safe, cost effective
method for highway bores and is the current industry standard for Trenchless technology for bores
between 2 to 48-inch in diameters.

Horizontal directional drilling(HDD) is also known as Directional Boring.

HDD is used when trenching or excavating is not practical.

HDD is used for installing infrastructure such as telecommunications and power cable conduits, water
lines, sewer lines, gas lines, oil lines, product pipelines, and environmental remediation casings.
The main objective is to install such services without using traditional trenching methods, helping to
avoid any unnecessary environmental impact and provide added security.

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

Figure 1: Entry Pit Figure 2: Exit Pit

COMPONENTS

A directional drill rig sized for the job at hand.

Drill rods linked together to form a drill string for advancing the drill bit and for pulling back
reamers and products.
A transmitter/receiver for tracking and recording the location of the drill and product.
A tank for mixing and holding drilling fluid.
A pump for circulating the drilling fluid.

Figure 3: Components of Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)

PROCESS OF HDD

Stage 1 :- Site Investigation and Design

Stage 2:-Pilot Hole Drilling
Stage 3:-Hole Enlargement
Stage 4:- Pullback

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

Stage 1:- Site Investigation and Design

Project designs start with the gathering of necessary information. This information includes the, site
survey including locations of existing pipelines and services, and a Geotechnical site investigation.

This will determine the tools necessary to successfully drill the crossing and determine the design.

Figure 4: Site Investigation and Design

Stage 2:- Pilot Hole Drilling

The pilot hole is drilled from the entry point to the exit point following a previously designed profile
and alignment. The drilling tools and rig equipment selected for each job is largely determined based
on the results of the Geotechnical investigation and the size of the crossing (length and diameter).

During the pilot hole drilling, a directional guidance system is used to navigate the pilot hole along its
pre-designed profile.

The entry angle of the drill string is typically 8° to 16° degrees.

The drill string, is advanced by a combination of rotation torque and thrust supplied by the rig. So that
it allows the operator to change the direction to navigate the pilot hole along its pre-designed profile.

There are many types of bits designed to navigate through different types of soil, from clays and sands
to rock. Most drill bits have a slant-face.

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

To move in a straight line, the rig operator both rotates and pushes the drill string. To change
direction, the operator, stops rotating the drill string and pushes the string. The path will change in the
direction that the bit’s slant-face is pointing. On-board controls allow the operator to monitor the
orientation of the bit and the change in the general direction of the bore.

A walkover tracking system is used to help guide and monitor the location of the bore. The system is
comprised of a transmitter and receiver.
The transmitter emits a continuous magnetic signal, which is picked up by a portable handheld
receiver.

Figure 5: Pilot Hole Drilling

Stage 3:- Hole Enlargement

In small diameter crossings the pipeline may be directly installed in the pilot hole. However in most
cases pilot hole enlarging, known as “prereaming”, will be necessary. Pre-reaming is required to
provide a bore diameter large enough so that the pipeline can be installed in the drilled crossing.
Based on the final desired diameter and soil conditions this process may include one or more stages.

Figure 6: Hole Enlargement

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

Stage 4:- Pullback

Once the drilled hole has been enlarged to the required diameter and cleaned adequately, the pipeline
is installed. When applicable, the pipeline is preassembled in a single string and placed on rollers
prior to pullback. For pullback, a reamer is connected to the drill pipe. Behind the reamer a swivel is
connected allowing the drill pipe to rotate the reamer without allowing the transfer of torque to the
product pipe. The drill pipe is then pulled back towards the entry point until the pipeline is fully
installed.

Figure 7: Pullback

WHY CHOOSE HDD?

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

Trenchless Method For Establishing New Lines : In the past, the only way to establish a new
line was through expensive and damaging trench work. With directional boring you can get the
advantages of Trenchless methods where a preexisting line is either unavailable or needs to be
relocated.
Saves Money : A significant portion of the cost of a new line goes into digging for a new line
and putting back excavated material. Tap into significant cost savings and skip the damage that
comes with traditional methods used to establish new lines.
Saves Time : Drilling not only saves money, but it also creates a significant time savings.
Without trenches to dig or material to put back, the completion time on projects using drilling is
significantly less than with conventional methods.

MAJOR SECTORS OF HDD

The HDD industry is divided into three major sectors according to their typical application areas.
Large-diameter HDD (maxi-HDD)
Medium-diameter HDD (midi-HDD)
Small-diameter HDD (mini-HDD, also called guided boring)

Table 1
Typical Application Areas
System Product Depth Drive Torque Thrust/ Machine Typical
Description Pipe Range Length Pullback Weight Application
Diameter (Including
truck)
Maxi-HDD 600-1,200 ≤ 61 m ≤ 1,818 ≤ 108.5 ≤ 445 kN ≤ 267 kN River,
mm (200 m kN-m Highway
(24-48 in) ft) (6,000 ft) crossings
Midi-HDD 300-600 ≤ 23 m ≤ 274 m 1-9.5 89-445 ≤ 160 kN Under rivers
mm (75 ft) (900 ft) kN-m kN and
(12-24 in) roadways

Mini-HDD 50-300 ≤ 4.5 ≤ 182 m ≤ 1.3 ≤ 89 kN ≤ 80 kN Telecom and

mm m (600 ft) kN-m Power cables,
(2-12 in) (15 ft) Gas lines
Source: (Iseley and Gokhale , NCHRP Synthesis 1997)

ADVANTAGES OF HDD

Avoid damage to your building, landscaping and Hardscaping.

Trenchless option for establishing a new line.
Significant cost savings compared to conventional line installation methods.
Shorter completion times & safer for the environment.
Less invasive than the traditional open cut.
Surface disturbance is minimized.
More secure than above ground or trenched installations.
Can make deep installations and avoid surface obstacles such as rivers, railways, or highways.

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

DISADVANTAGES OF HDD

Special equipment and very high degrees of operation skill is required.

As the cost of the equipment and the operation are high, bore length should be sufficient in
order for it to be economical.
Mainly steel pipe is being installed by the method.

CONCLUSIONS

In the present era of new developments, Trenchless technology is quite useful. The HDD is such a
type of Trenchless technology which has the benefit of significant cost saving compared to the
conventional line installation methods. Though the greater initial cost of special equipment and
greater degree of operational skill requirement, this method is faster and avoids damage to an existing
structure and operation time is very less, so very good alternative to many conventional time
consuming methods.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Authors thankfully acknowledge to Dr. C. L. Patel, Chairman, Charutar Vidya Mandal,
Er.V.M.Patel, Hon.Jt. Secretary, Charutar Vidya Mandal, Mr. Yatinbhai Desai, Jay Maharaj
construction, Dr. F.S.Umrigar, Principal, B.V.M. Engineering College, Dr. L.B.Zala, Head and
Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Dr. A. K. Verma, Head and Professor, Structural
Engineering Department, B.V.M. Engineering College, Vallabh Vidyanagar, Gujarat, India for their
motivations and infrastructural support to carry out this research.

REFERENCES

Diamond, W. P. and Oyler, D. C., 1986, "Direction Drilling for Degasfication of Coalbeds in
Advance of Mining", in Methane Control Research: Summary of Results, 1964 - 1980, U.S. Bureau of
Mines Bulletin 687, pp. 128-133.

Guidelines ,planning horizontal directional drilling for pipeline construction, ,Canadian association
of petroleum producers(CAPP), CAPP publication 2044 -0022

Diamond, W. P., Bodden, W. R., Zuber, M. D., and Schraufnagel, R. A., 1989, "Measuring the Extent
of Coalbed Gas Drainage after 10 Years of Production at the Oak Grove Pattern, Alabama", in
Proceedings of the 1989 Coalbed Methane Symposium, April 17 - 20, 1989, Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
pp. 185-193.

Directional Crossing Contractors Association (DCCA). (1994). “Guidelines for a Successful

Directional Crossing Bid.

Dr. Neeraja Lugani Sethi, Pre- Requisites for Trenchless Technology. Civil Engineering and
Construction Review October 2000.

Iseley, T. and Gokhale, S. (1997). “Trenchless installation of conduits beneath roadways.” NCHRP
Synthesis 242.

Jagadish Chandra, Trenchless Technology in India: Need of the New Millennium. Civil Engineering
and Construction Review October 2000.

Maninder Singh, Techniques of Trenchless Technology In Use In India. Civil Engineering and
Construction Review October 200.

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 Proceedings of National Conference CRDCE13, 20-21 December 2013, SVIT, Vasad

Youssef Hashash & Jamie Javier University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, “Evaluation of

Horizontal Directional Drilling”, November 2011.

www.primehorizontal.com

www.coedrilling.com

www.millerthedriller.com

www.nacap.com

www.vermeer.com

www.istt.com

www.kingcounty.gov/environment/ wtd/Construction/Seattle/SMagnolia CSOStorage

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