Directional Drilling
 |
Locators & Vacuum Excavators:
Underground contractors must safely and efficiently identify existing infrastructure. more >>
Gyroscopic-Based Mapping Aids in HDD Utility Installations A project for a major transit authority was recently undertaken in the western United States more >>
Crossings in Connecticut Wisconsin Contractor Successfully Completes Challenging HDD Bores for Sewer Project more >>
|
November 2008
|
Drilling Fluid FlubsDrilling fluids have been described as a project’s lifeblood, comparing them to the blood that circulates through a human body. more >> Getting Greater Penetration When Drilling HorizontallyThe residential construction near Washington, D.C., is booming with new developments. more >> Ground Proves Unsettling for Maintaining GuideAs a utility contractor, you try to prepare for the worst. more >> |
October 2008
|
Michigan Contractor Uses HDD to Keep His Business RollingIn the 47 years the company has been in business, Selge Construction, Niles, Mich., has built a reputation as one of the most respected utility contractors in the Southwest Michigan-South Bend, Ind. area. more >> Mud Systems: Use of a Centrifuge Can Play Key Role in Mud SuccessSolids control equipment has come a long way in the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) industry over the last 10 years. Mud systems are now considered critical pieces of the drill rig packages and it would seem the next leap is at hand. more >> |
August 2008
|
Canadian Crossing - Two Challenging Crossings Completed in Toronto Using 800,000-lb RigMears Canada Corp. (a division of Mears Group) based out of Nisku Alberta, Canada, recently completed a successful project consisting of two crossings for the installation of a 36-in. steel pipe in Toronto, Canada. more >> Mud Motors 101 - Five Questions with: Steve Cornwall, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Sharewell LPNeed to buy a mud motor but not sure what size is required for your job? Or what about the common mistakes contractors make when using this HDD tool? more >> |
July 2008
|
A Good Direction- The Horizontal Directional Drilling Market is Experiencing a Strong YearAs 2008 continues to quickly roll by, the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) market is keeping pace with projects across North America more >> Michels Installs Mammoth HDD Crossing in Texas: The 6,000-ft Plus Crossing Involved 42-in. PipeCrews from Michels Directional Crossing, a division of Michels Corp., have just successfully installed a record-breaking 42-in., intrastate crossing more >> Product Profile: Increase Productivity and Decrease Cost When Fusing HDPE PipeImproving efficiency, productivity and safety on the jobsite are always important. more >> |
June 2008
|
HDD Intersect- West Coast Intersect Sewer Project CompletedOn Nov. 16, 2006, Michels Directional Crossings, a division of Michels Corp., was awarded the Coronado Transbay Sanitary Sewer Force Main project for the City of Coronado, Calif. more >> Drill Pipe: More Than a Supporting Player on HDD ProjectsDrill pipe can be described as the unsung hero of a directional drilling job — not the part of the project that gets the flashy headlines or even a mention of its contribution to the project’s completion.more >> Induction: An Important Skill for Locators to LearnSome locators may have been taught to use induction as a last resort and that is what they practice much of the time.more >> |
April 2008
|
Drilling Fluids: Tackling HDD Spoil Disposal IssuesThe disposal of drill spoils is becoming increasingly difficult for drilling contractors today. more >> What's Holding Back the Open-Cut Sewer Industry From Using HDD?This article will address several issues that seem to be holding back the open-excavation sewer industry from going trenchless using HDD. more >> Prosperous PipelinesAs the population expands, the need for resources increases year after year. more >> |
February 2008
|
Troubleshooting in the FieldYou are on location in the middle of a bore and everything seems to be running fine. Then WHAM — you’re down. The inevitable “gloom of doom” overcomes you as your mind is telling you “time is money.” more >> Pump It UpIn today’s society, we’re always upgrading. Whether it’s super-sizing a value meal at the local fast food restaurant or turning in the modest sedan for a rugged SUV, we’re always pushing to make things bigger and grander. more >> On-Grade in Granite in AtlantaIt’s not too often that the methods of horizontal directional drilling and pilot-tube microtunneling cross paths in dramatic fashion in one project. But that’s what happened in the City of Atlanta last summer when the best of both trenchless methods were utilized to install a sewer pipe. more >> City of Dover, Del:By its sheer nature, you expect a sewer bypass project to be messy. Contractors, engineers and pumping solution specialists continue to team to refine bypass sizing, installation, operation and dismantle into swift, efficient segments. more >> |
January 2008
|
Swivel TalkAs one of the leading manufacturers of HDD pullback swivels, DCD Design & Mfg. Ltd. offers maintenance and purchasing advice. more >> Meets the Needs of Expanding CommunitiesThomas Township, Mich., uses directional drilling to expand its water and wastewater infrastructure to supply a greater capacity for growing communities. more >> HDD & Fusible PVC Team for a West Virginia Sewer ProjectAround the United States, directional drillers are starting to use fusible PVC pipe as part of their HDD projects, learning it is a viable alternative for pipe installation. more >> |
December 2007
|
HDD Gas Project in New YorkHDD is used in New York to complete a project located in an enivironmentally sensitive area. more >> HDD Roundtable: HDD Rates--Fair or Foul?HDD contractors discuss the directional drilling market for 2008. more >> Fusible PVC & HDD Forge Successful Project in South Carolina10-in. diameter fusible PVC pipe was used in this record breaking HDD project. more >> |
October 2007
|
August 2007
|
Looking to Buy Pre-Owned Equipment?When deciding to add on to your HDD equipment fleet, the option of purchasing used machines comes into play. Rather than buying a new piece of machinery, many contractors and businesses opt to purchase used — a choice that often proves to be cost-effective and practical to their needs. more >> Locating & Identifying Utility LinesHorizontal directional drilling and auger boring contractors are purchasing electro-magnetic locators to verify the utility markings and depth at their jobsite. These locators transmit a radio signal on the metallic utility and a receiver, with antennas mounted inside, pick up the signal aboveground. more >> |
June 2007
|
Canadian IntersectThe rugged eastern slopes of the Canadian Rockies contain vast oil and gas reserves. Feeder and transmission pipelines must often traverse the slopes and canyons formed by glaciers and rivers over many millennia. more >> |
October 2006
|
HDD Successfully Used to Install Maine Sewer PipeHorizontal directional drilling was the trenchless method selected to upgrade an aging cast iron sewer force main that served the popular coastal town of Ogunquit, Maine — a project that also necessitated some innovative thinking by the contractor handling the job. more >> |
August 2006
|
HDD Intersect in FloridaSet up two directional drilling stations about 8,400 ft across from each other, start drilling and then meet in the middle to connect the two bores. Sounds simple enough but the key word there is “sounds.” Getting this accomplished takes an incredible amount of careful planning, teamwork and drilling experience. more >> Mears Canada CompletesMears Canada recently completed a challenging horizontal directional drilled (HDD) crossing of the Labiche River in the Yukon Territory in Northern Canada. The project was undertaken for Duke Energy Gas Transmission (DEGT) and involved the installation of a replacement crossing of the river for an existing 20-in. high pressure sour gas pipeline. more >> |
June 2006
|
Ohio HDD Rodeo Revival a SuccessTechnically, it did rain on their parade, but that didn’t stop the drill crews and attendees of the Ohio HDD Rodeo from having a good time. more >> Crossing Pearl HarborThe recent attack on Pearl Harbor was not by an enemy, but by hundreds of friendly construction workers contracted to make it a better place to live and work. more >> |
April 2006
|
Mid-range Rigs Continue GrowthThe mid-range drill rigs may not be as glamorous as the mini rigs or as spectacular as the maxi rigs, but these machines are considered the workhorses of the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) market. more >> |
February 2006
|
HDD Market ForecastWhen asking manufacturers and contractors how things are progressing in the HDD market over the past several years, it hasn’t been a fun topic. Sales were slow, work was scarce and spirits were low. more >> Michels Goes Under Seaway, Over RecordIt’s like a word problem. You know the one: Two trains on the same track leave at different times, one from the north and one from the south, where will they intersect? more >> |
December 2005
|
Drilling Rock in VirginiaThe recent attack on Pearl Harbor was not by an enemy, but by hundreds of friendly construction workers contracted to make it a better place to live and work. more >> Tough Rock Encountered in TexasWhen Nebraska-based contractor Georges Specialty Group (GSG) started an extensive fiber-optic project last year in the City of Carrollton, Texas, the ground conditions it dealt with were extremely different from those its crews work with in its home state. more >> |
October 2005
|
Mud Recycling Systems Operating & Maintenance TipsMud recycling systems in general are fairly simple units to operate but there are some items that need to be watched and maintained in order to to keep your system running smoothly. The following are some suggestions and tips in order to get the most out of you mud recycling system: more >> HDD Used as Part of Chilled Water System Replacement in MissouriThe year 2005 has been a big one for both celebrating the old and welcoming the new at Missouri State University. The university, located in Springfield, Mo., is in the midst of centennial celebrations and in August, dropped the longstanding “Southwest” from its name. more >> |
August 2005
|
Looking at the Maxi Rig MarketAfter several status quo years of work, the maxi rig market appears to have stumbled a bit in 2005 — at least in regard to rig sales — with those in the industry attributing the drop off in large diameter work to a sluggish gas and oil pipeline market. more >> One-Pass HDD InstallationIn January, a 720-ft, 24-in., DIPS HDPE sanitary sewer line was installed using horizontal directional drilling in Corunna, Ontario, Canada. The entire project took about five days to complete. more >> |
April 2005
|
HDD Helps to Expand a Municipal Water System in Thunder Bay, OntarioThe City of Thunder Bay, situated on the rugged north shore of Lake Superior, is home for approximately 130,000 residents. In 1970, the City was created through the amalgamation of the former Cities of Port Arthur and Fort William. T more >> |
