Directional drilling

Directional drilling is a trenchless method of laying communications for various purposes under natural and artificial obstacles.

Directional drilling is carried out with the help of special installations, which are a whole complex.

The accuracy of the method is ensured by the operation of the location system of the installation. The receiving and transmitting location system is designed to determine the coordinates of the location of the drilling blade. The location system consists of a primary converter-transmitter located in the base of the drilling blade attachment, a portable locator with a display and a duplicate information panel at the workplace of the operator of the laying machine.

During the drilling process, the operator constantly monitors the position of the drilling blade by three coordinates-the distance traveled, the depth of the tool and its angle. All data is promptly transmitted to the information panel of the directional drilling operator.

Construction of underground utilities by horizontal directional drilling is carried out in several stages:

• Drilling a pilot well.

It is carried out using a rock-breaking tool (drill head), which is connected by means of a hollow body with a flexible drive rod, which allows you to control the process of construction of a pilot well. The drill head has holes for feeding special drilling mud, which is pumped into the well and forms a suspension with crushed rock. Drilling mud reduces friction on the drill head and rod, protects the well from collapses, cools the rock-breaking tool, destroys the rock and cleans the well from its debris, bringing them to the surface.

• Sequential expansion of the well to the desired diameter.

Expansion of the well is performed after completion of pilot drilling with the connection of a rimmer-expander of the reverse action, instead of the drill head. The final expansion of the well should exceed the diameter of the pipeline by 25-30%, depending on the length of the section.

• The pulling of the pipeline.

Stretching of the pipeline occurs after the well is expanded to the desired diameter by connecting the pipeline through a swivel and rimmer.

All over the world, horizontal drilling is hydraulically directed and is used to extend communications without digging a trench. This technology has many advantages over standard methods. First, it is financially profitable.

Secondly, they can be carried out even under a river or highway, that is, in places where it would seem that this is simply impossible. In any case, traditional methods in this case will be absolutely powerless. Third, HDD does not affect the landscape in any way due to the fact that all activities are conducted underground.

Thanks to the technology of horizontal directional drilling, the original landscape of the territory is preserved. In addition, the volume of earthworks is significantly reduced. Thus, the environment is not subject to such a large man-made impact as with the open method of laying communications, which is associated with the complete destruction of grass cover and green spaces. The accident-free warranty period of operation of facilities as a result of horizontal directional drilling increases several times.

Main advantages of HDD:

• An economical and environmentally friendly way to install pipelines.
• Wide geological range of application: stable loose soils and rocks.
• There are five main types of drilling rigs available for different implementation ranges.
• Complete range of drilling rigs, high pressure drilling pumps, separation and mixing systems, pipe motors, tooling and training programs.