The Horizontal Directional Drilling Process（水平定向钻井过程）.pdf

APPENDIX J HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING The Horizontal Directional Drilling Process The tools and techniques used in the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) process are an outgrowth of the oil well drilling industry. The components of a horizontal drilling rig used for pipeline construction are similar to those of an oil well drilling rig with the major exception being that a horizontal drilling rig is equipped with an inclined ramp as opposed to a vertical mast. HDD pilot hole operations are not unlike those involved in drilling a directional oil well. Drill pipe and downhole tools are generally interchangeable and drilling fluid is used throughout the operation to transport drilled spoil, reduce friction, stabilize the hole, etc. Because of these similarities, the process is generally referred to as drilling as opposed to boring. Installation of a pipeline by HDD is generally accomplished in three stages as illustrated in Figure 1. The first stage consists of directionally drilling a small diameter pilot hole along a designed directional path. The second stage involves enlarging this pilot hole to a diameter suitable for installation of the pipeline. The third stage consists of pulling the pipeline back into the enlarged hole. Pilot Hole Directional Drilling Pilot hole directional control is achieved by using a non-rotating drill string with an asymmetrical leading edge. The asymmetry of the leading edge creates a steering bias while the non-rotating aspect of the drill string allows the steering bias to be held in a specific position while drilling. If a change in direction is required, the drill string is rolled so that the direction of bias is the same as the desired change in direction. The direction of bias is referred to as the tool face. Straight progress may be achieved by drilling with a series of offsetting tool face positions. The drill string may also