HOW DOES DIRECTIONAL DRILLING WORK?

Directional Drilling (HDD) is an efficient and innovative way to bury pipe and cables under roads, rivers, or other potential obstacles. HDD is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution that saves time and money.

Civil Horizontal Directional Drilling Explained

Horizontal directional drilling is an efficient, innovative way to bury pipe and cable under roads, rivers, or other potential obstacles.

Drilling begins with establishing a bore path, locating existing utilities, and choosing locations of the entry and exit pits. It's essential to properly and safely set up equipment at each location.

Once the operator starts drilling, they can guide the drill pipe and track it using a tracking beacon. A drill-head tracker monitors the head of the drill string so they know the housing's depth, position and area.

A fluid mixer mixes drilling fluids that flow through the drill to the end of the drill bit for more efficient cutting and cleaning of the borehole. Proper drilling fluids are essential for success in various soil conditions. A vacuum excavator is used to remove any excess drilling fluid.

GND Civil Group Ditch Witch HDD drilling contractor explained

Once the operator completes the pilot bore, it is typically enlarged to one and a half times the diameter of the new conduit or pipe to be installed. This widening is done by utilizing a back reamer, either through a multi-step process called pre-reaming or a swivel and pulling in the product on the initial back rim. Mud mixture is then used to fill the space around the pipe and cable.

Each drilling project comes with its own set of challenges. From determining the correct drill size and bit configuration to understanding soil conditions to proper HD tooling selection, there's a lot to consider when executing a horizontal directional drilling project.

For more information, contact us to discuss your project. We are experts in all aspects of civil horizontal directional drilling.

If you are interested in a job in directional drilling then take a look at our currently available jobs, and if you need help for an interview then feel free to study our Best 12 HDD Interview Questions and Answers.

If you are uncertain what kind of job would suit you best, check out our description of the various job roles in Directional Drilling, from Supervisor, to Pit & Pipe Crew, to Traffic Controllers.

*The video illustrates a Ditch Witch drilling rig. GND Civil Group owns a large fleet of drill rigs including both Vermeer and Ditch Witch:

4020 Ditch Witch JT – AT Horizontal Directional Drill
3020 Ditch Witch JT – AT Horizontal Directional Drill
2720 Ditch AT Horizontal Directional Drill (full time rock set up)
D20 22 Vermeer Horizontal Directional Drill x2
2020 Ditch Witch Horizontal Directional Drill
922 Ditch Witch Horizontal Directional Drill

And we use DCI- F5 Falcon Location and Tracking Systems.