Horizontal Directional Drilling

Horizontal directional drilling is a type of directional drilling, or slant drilling, used to reach natural resources such as oil and natural gas.  It’s an important tool in the constant search for the resources that provide our power.

horizontal directional drilling

Until the oil industry lost the perception that deposits were only vertical there could be no horizontal directional drilling.  It took a long time for this to come to people’s attention.  In 1920 lawsuits over drilling reaching over property lines brought this to oil industry’s attention.  New tools developed to help oil companies determine when oil wells moved off in horizontal directions.

It’s easy to measure how much a well is shifted from straight vertical.  This is an important step in horizontal directional drilling.  It’s accomplished with a pendulum.  But engineers must also know which direction the well shifts from vertical.  This was first done by measuring magnetic fields, but the metal drilling equipment could influence the fields.  Later gyroscopic compasses were used.  These were originally designed for aeronautical navigation.

horizontal directional drilling machine

Horizontal directional drilling required a number of other advances in drilling as well.  Vertical drilling had provided experience of techniques that would drill crooked, away from the vertical .  It was something to be avoided in the past, but could now be put to use.  Directional drilling soon taught oil companies how to get back to the vertical.  These were both important for steering in directional drilling.

In the 1970’s a major advance made horizontal directional drilling more of a reality.  Drills were designed that were mostly stationary, but had rotating drill bits driven by circulating mud down the drill shaft (or drill string.)  Now direction could be changed on the fly simply by adding bent pipes at the top.  

But horizontal directional drilling required knowing the direction the drill was traveling.  MWD, measurement while drilling, techniques evolved to tell people at ground level which way the drill moved.  

In modern drilling there are expensive tools which allow direct steering of a drill bit.  But they make it possible to automate the drilling process.  As more companies research these devices, they will become practical for everyone to use.

horizontal directional drilling contractors

Horizontal directional drilling is all about finding the oil and exploiting it from where it lies.

http://drillingnow.com/

Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • Sphinn
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Mixx
  • Google
  • BarraPunto
  • blogmarks
  • BlogMemes
  • Blogsvine
  • co.mments
  • De.lirio.us
  • Fark
  • Kirtsy
  • laaik.it
  • LinkaGoGo
  • LinkArena
  • LinkedIn
  • Linkter
  • Live
  • muti
  • Netvouz
  • NewsVine
  • Propeller
  • Reddit
  • Scoopeo
  • Smarking
  • Socialogs
  • SphereIt
  • Spurl
  • StumbleUpon
  • ThisNext
  • TwitThis
  • Upnews
  • Webnews.de
  • Webride
  • Wikio IT

Related Articles

  • Nabors Drilling
  • Nabors drilling is an international on-demand drilling company.  Oil and natural gas are critical to the world's economy.  This company is one of the top Drillers in the world. nabors drilling Gomer Pyle has nothing to do with Nabors drilling
  • Drilling Anwar
  • Drilling ANWaR is a touchy subject.  People are passionate on both sides of the issue.  They'll often write about their take online. drilling anwar President Carter was responsible for giving ANWaR protective status.  He allowed drilling but only if Congress
  • Anwr Oil Drilling
  • Many people have opinions about ANWR oil drilling.  It's a complex situation which leads to many diverse opinions. anwr oil drilling Our country needs its oil.  Everyone in the world needs oil.  The entire world economy is based on oil. 
  • Oil Drilling In Alaska
  • Why all the hub bub over oil drilling in Alaska?  Oil powers the world.  So drilling should be done.  The anti drilling crowd makes their own arguments about environmental impact and that oil will eventually all be gone.  Read on
  • Offshore Oil Drilling
  • A lot of offshore oil drilling is conducted near the coasts of the continents.  It's important for fully exploiting natural resources such as oil and natural gas.  But people debate its merits offshore oil drilling Congress banned offshore oil drilling
  • Alaskan Oil Drilling
  • The arguments over Alaskan oil drilling have heated up in the last few years.  Political campaigns include a lot of talk about the issue.  This article shows some of the opinions people express about it. alaskan oil drilling Alaskan oil

Comments

Leave a Reply