Horizontal Directional Drilling

Horizontal directional drilling is also known as directional boring.  It is a trench less method of installing pipes and underground cables. Normally to install pipes of cables under the ground a huge trench must be dug up so that the cables can be laid. However with the use of horizontal directional drilling one can lay pipes and cable lines without disrupting the neighborhood. It is a special method that is developed where the disturbance to the environment around is minimum and where digging a huge trench is not feasible. It can be used from many soil conditions and river crossings as well and the work is done quickly and smartly than every before. The entire process is carried out by a surface launched drilling rig. This method is ideal for sensitive areas where other methods will take up a lot of money. Also this method is also used for traffic congested areas where digging up the earth will cause even more traffic and congestion. This technique has a shorted completion time and is safer than the other methods of laying the pipes. It helps a great big deal in avoiding open trench techniques that are rather unmanageable in many areas.  Uncontrolled drilling however can lead to damage in the existing utilities in the soil. Therefore before drilling a hole the operator must have total knowledge of the utilities that are present in the soil so that the hole alignment can be planned and the other utilities that are present can be safely avoided.

While the drilling is going on, the drilling head is under the surface of the earth. The drill head is not visible in most cases so guiding the drill is not that simple. But it is very important to locate and guide the drill head, as an uncontrolled drill head will cause substantial destruction to the area around. That is why it is always important to locate and guide the drilling head. To locate the drilling head there are two methods available. These are called the walk over method or the wire line locating system. In both the systems there is a transmitter or a sonde that is attached to the drill head. This constantly sends data about angle rotation and temperature. At the surface of the ground the receiver is present this receives the information of the sonde. This is also called the locator. The steering is done by the boring operator to whom this information is relayed to. In the wire line system this information is sent through a cable. This is how the drilling head is controlled. Both these system have their own set of merits and demerits. The method is chosen depending upon the surroundings.