Figure 1. An HDD drill rig starts the drilling of a pilot hole.

NEW PRESSURES BOOST INTEREST IN HORIZONTAL

DIRECTIONAL DRILLING. TRENT MILLER,
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER NATURAL RESOURCES,
GOLDER ASSOCIATES, USA, AND TOM BRYSKI,
ASSOCIATE AND SENIOR GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEER,
GOLDER ASSOCIATES, CANADA, DISCUSS THESE CHANGES.

GOING DEEP WITH HDD

H
orizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology
has seen progressive and impressive
developments over the past 40 years. Advances
in engineering analysis and design, equipment
capability and contractor capacity have pushed back some
of the historic limitations of this pipeline installation
method.
Pipeline operating companies are more interested
than ever in routinely considering HDD as a practical
and longterm economical choice for installing pipelines
beneath surface obstacles. Now, several trends are helping
make the use of HDD more attractive in more situations
and this is expected to push back historic limitations even
further.
It is more important than ever for pipeline operators,
designers, regulators and others in the oil and gas sector
to be familiar with the current state of HDD construction
practice and where this technique is applicable and will
be successful in achieving set out objectives. These may
include protecting the environment, minimising physical
intrusion and optimising lifecycle costs.
It is just as important to understand that HDD is not
always the best solution for pipeline installation and there
are other more conventional construction techniques that
may be more applicable, result in less cumulative impact
and provide better control of environmental and cost risk.
HDD versus trenchandcover
Several trends are having the effect of pushing the
risks associated with trenchandcover upward in many
circumstances, and HDD may present a total lower risk
profile. These include:
Disturbing sensitive environments
Rivers and streams, wetlands, rarespecies habitats, historic
sites and the urban environment are becoming increasingly
difficult to disturb through traditional trenchandcover
methods. Even in places where surface disturbance is

OCTOBER 2012 | Reprinted from World Pipelines

allowed, it may well be that the longterm monitoring
and mitigation obligations, together with the attendant
legal liability, means that disturbance should be avoided.
Accordingly, HDD is being seen as a longterm lower risk
and more costeffective solution as compared to more
traditional construction methodologies in an increasing
number of situations.
Figure 2. Initial setup of a HDD trackmounted drill rig.
Figure 3. A side view of an HDD drill rig, showing the hydraulic arm
of an excavator being used to handle the drill rod.
Figure 4. A horizontal directional drill (HDD) completes a reaming
pass to widen the hole, with the reamer bit and mud pit visible in
the foreground.
Reprinted from World Pipelines | OCTOBER 2012
Even in jurisdictions and environments where local
laws and regulations may permit trenching across
a stream, corporate boards, project financiers and
influential third parties may apply pressure to avoid
such disturbance. Wellfinanced and internetsavvy
nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) may put pressure
on companies and their financial backers to reduce their
environmental impacts, in part by eliminating surface
disturbance in sensitive areas. In addition, by drilling
underneath these sensitive areas, the pipeline company
can avoid the need to obtain many necessary permits
that would take months to acquire, thus decreasing the
lead up times on their construction schedule.
One of the authors recently worked on an
HDD project in the western US. The pipeline was to
run under a National Wildlife refuge, including several
wetlands that were home to some endangered or
protected species. The HDD portion of the line, some
2100 m in length, cost approximately US$5 million
more than a comparable opencut construction.
However, mitigation costs associated with opencut
would have been around US$9 million for offsite
mitigation, and an additional US$1 million for longterm
monitoring.
The result was that despite the higher direct cost of
using HDD under the refuge, using this technology saved
the client US$5 million.
Areas of potential erosion
Increasing public concern over wellpublicised pipeline
breaks and spills, particularly when streambeds and banks
have been eroded, is putting pressure on the industry
to better manage the effects of scour and erosion.
Trenching down from surface with an open cut to reach
an appropriate depth to prevent a pipeline from being
exposed in future may be impractical. One alternative is to
go deep with HDD when geologic conditions, geometric
constraints and logistical considerations allow it.
Futureproofing from climate change
With the expectation that climate change will bring with
it more severe storm events, companies in all industries
are being called up on to assure the integrity of their
installations against conditions that may occur in the
future. Pipelines that are not at risk from erosion now
may be so if severe storms become more frequent.
This may mean the need to place pipelines beneath
watercourses at even greater depths than would be
required today, and extend the deep portions further
back from the current stream banks. This may be
possible in an increasing number of circumstances due
to the advances and greater capabilities associated with
HDD technology that were discussed above.
More advantages
Many of the recent advances in HDD have come from
technology developed for horizontal directional drilling
for conventional oil and gas extraction, as well as

Figure 5. A trackmounted HDD drill rig.
Figure 6. Welded steel product pipe is supported on pipe cradles
as the pipe is pulled back through the hole.
unconventional extraction, particularly in tight formations.
Other improvements have come through public works
experience, including the installation of sewer lines and
electrical conduits in ways that do not disturb traffic on
busy roadways. Some examples follow.
Longer
Ten or so years ago, HDD bores over a kilometre in length
were virtually unheard of. Now, thanks partly due to the
ability to accurately determine the position of the drill
head underground, it has become possible to use the drill
intersect method to work from both sides of a crossing
at the same time, and meet in between. Advancements
in drilling fluid engineering make it easier and faster
to remove the cuttings along these greater lengths of
borings, so that the cuttings remain in suspension and
are adequately removed from the hole. There are also
better ways to monitor and control the annular pressure
of the drilling fluid while drilling the pilot hole. Now
HDD projects with bore lengths in excess of 2 km have been
achieved.
More versatile
As well as longer, HDD technology is able to work with
a wider variety of soil types, including gravel and cobble
formations that were previously considered not feasible
due to the high potential for significant loss of drilling
fluid. Not only would this pose a financial cost, it was
an environmental hazard, particularly when the fluid
migrated to surface. One of the technologies supporting
increased versatility of HDD is the use of telescoping
surface casing, in which successively small diameter
temporary steel casings are installed inside one another
along the initial length of the planned course of the
HDD bore path prior to pilot hole drilling. The casings are
advanced sufficiently to bypass the coarse grained soils
and retain the drilling fluid as the HDD bore is conducted
inside the casings.
Deeper
Elevation differentials now allow HDD pipe installations
to greater depths underground. Until recently, 100 m of
bore path elevation differential were hard to achieve;
now, elevation differentials approaching 300 m are
possible. This allows safe installation of pipelines under
deeply incised watercourses, protecting the pipe against
exposure and possible rupture.
Bigger
Pipelines with up to 1067 mm diameter pipe, installed
using HDD methods for increasingly greater distances, are
opening up options for high capacity lines, or even single
bores containing more than one pipeline or conduit.
Not a magic bullet
While HDD has come a long way, pipeline builders and
owners need to be aware of its limitations.
Many of the more challenging, leadingedge
applications should only be carried out by highly skilled
and experienced contractors, supported by consultants
with a wide range of experience in the field.
Use of the drill intersect method requires advanced
downhole and surface survey equipment, highly skilled
steering technicians and drill operators.
Misaligned or poorly installed telescoping surface
casing may result in casing that has to be redriven or
abandoned. Also, since the equipment most often used
to drive the casing resembles a subhorizontal pile driver,
the noise level means it is most practical in remote areas.
Miscalculations of the forces required while pulling
the pipe through the HDD bore may ovalise plastic pipe,
cause excessive abrasion damage to the exterior surface
of the pipe, or even fractures and breakages.
However, the pressures that are making cutandcover
less practical can only help push technology ahead, and
increase the numbers of contractors who are familiar with
HDD technology. As such, it can provide a more practical
solution to concerns by government entities, nearby
community members, landowners, regulators and other
stakeholders.
OCTOBER 2012 | Reprinted from World Pipelines