Ttc 0812 Scr
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www.trenchless-world.com
December 2008 Issue 14
TRE CHLESS
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The magazine for the no-dig professional
ProjectsStatic and pneumatic pipebursts in TexasCrossing the Mahi river, India
TechnologyLocating equipmentTechnologyLocating equipmentTechnology
UCT preview
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CONTENTS
FRONT COVER
December 2008
[email protected] (Arch) BA(Hons), DipBldgCons (RICS)
Production [email protected] [email protected]@aspermontuk
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Advertising [email protected]+44 (0)20 7216 6086Senior advertising sales executiveSenior advertising sales [email protected] advertising sales executive
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+44 (0)20 7216 6053
Trenchless World (ISSN 1756-4093) USPS No: 023-551 is published monthly (except January and July) by Mining Communications Ltd, Albert House, 1 Singer Street London EC2A 4BQ England.The 2008 US annual subscription price is US$170. Airfreight and mailing in the USA by Agent named Air Business, C/O Worldnet Shipping USA Inc., 149-35 177th Street, Jamaica, New York, NY11434. Periodicals postage paid at Jamaica NY 11431.US Postmaster: Send address changes to World Tunnelling, Air Business Ltd, C/O Worldnet Shipping USA Inc., 149-35 177th Street, Jamaica, New York, NY11434.Subscription records are maintained at Aspermont UK, PO Box 1045, Bournehall House, Bournehall Road, Bushey WD23 3ZQ
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Regulars1 Comment
2-4 Global news A round-up of the latest news and technology
2m-diameter Hobas CC-GRP pipes were inserted into steel host pipes as part of the
extension and reconstruction of the wastewater system in Bratislava, Slovakia
Features6-8 Project: IndiaPrime Horizontal’s record 2,008m HDD crossing of the Mahi River, Gujarat
9 Project: The NetherlandsUpgrading the gravity sewers in Groningen to handle higher flow during rain
10-11 Project: PolandCrossing the River Sleza
12-14 Project: Indian HDDProfessor Niranjan Swarup describes the current state of play
15-18 Project: Texas, USHow Miller Pipeline and Earth Tool Co met a pipebursting challenge in Plano
19 Technology: locating equipment20 Technology: HDD reamingA recent HDD project in Egypt through unstable soil required a special reamer
22-23 Preview: UCT 200912
advertisersAmerican Augerswww.americanaugers.com Cov III
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Channeline Internationalwww.channelineinternational.com 17 Colli Drillwww.collidrill.it 5
Connectrawww.ConnectraFusion.com 22
HDD Brokerwww.hddbroker.com 14
Hermes Technologiewww.hermes-technologie.com 4
IDSwww.idscompany.it/georadar 11
Malå Geoscience, USAwww.malags.com 8
Mud Technology Internationalwww.mud-tech.com 10
Prime Horizontalwww.primehorizontal.com 7
Radiuswww.radiusHDD.com 18
Straightlinewww.straightlinehdd.com 21
Tracto-Technikwww.tracto-technik.de 13
Vermeerwww.vermeer.com 3
The helpful, peak performerTODAY’S municipalities and utility owners
face enormous pressure to do more with less. The recent battering of world economies will
do little to aid embattled operating and capital infrastructure budgets. Added to this is the increasing public pressure to be more environmentally responsible. While certainly not the solution to every problem, there is one peak performer that can help: trenchless technology.
The technology is not exactly new, but increased recognition and usage of these low-impact techniques has fuelled both the science and the growth of the trenchless industry. The bonus is that, generally, the installation or rehabilitation costs are less than for traditional methods.
For owners, this has translated into more trenchless options, along with healthy bidder competition, while satisfying social considerations.
For contractors and suppliers, the expanding market has meant quality equipment investments, improved field practices and the knowledge that they can successfully
bring the right solutions to urban problems while reducing their risks.
Trenchless technology presents an ever increasing menu of cost-effective and environmentally-friendly approaches. The engineering world can now happily spout a whole host of new acronyms, such as CCTV, CIPP, HDD, HDPE, TBM and so on. The advance of robotics for trenchless installations has given
the industry that 21st Century sense of ‘cutting-edge’ – a far cry from the days of pick and shovel indeed.
The adaptation of new approaches to infrastructure problems should not only be out of necessity to reduce costs and social impact, but also as an opportunity to address environmental and economic concerns without sacrificing one for the other.
Michael J WillmetsExecutive DirectorNorth American Society for Trenchless Technology
WEB ADDRESS www.trenchless-world.com
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December 2008
2NEWS
US
IPR acquires Underground IPR acquires Underground IPR acquires
TechnologiesUnderground TechnologiesUnderground
US-BASED pipe-rehab company Inland Pipe Rehabilitation (IPR) has announced its acquisition of Underground Technologies, based in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The latter is an established, privately-owned contractor that specialises in pipebursting and sliplining.
Described by IPR president Joseph Cutillo as a result of his company’s continued, national expansion efforts, the acquisition is in line with the company’s growth plan, particularly given the rapidly evolving US infrastructure scene.
UCT San Antonio looking to surpass Atlanta
US
WITH less than a month left to go to UCT 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, on January 20-22, the annual underground construction event is looking every bit more successful than the Atlanta 2008 show.
Showing every sign of bettering Atlanta, the organisers have announced that there will be more than 400 stands in the exhibition hall and they expect around 3,000 visitors, who, if they turn up, will ensure it becomes one of the best trenchless events ever.
UCT (Underground Construction Technology) is the US-staged, annual event that highlights developments in the underground construction
sector, particularly the no-dig side. Visitors will have access to the latest developments in equipment, products and services aimed at sewer, water, gas distribution, telecom, power/energy pipelines and other engineering challenges.
A major component of UCT is the conference – sponsored this year by 33 trade associations and universities – which is put together to provide ample learning opportunities for delegates. Also a part of the event will be the third annual WaterWorks conference (January 20-21) that will highlight the key issues,
problems and challenges in the water infrastruc-ture sector.
Online registration is possible, but should be done by January 2 to allow time for badges to be posted.
Exhibitor, programme or registration information can be found at www.uctonline.com or by emailing convention manager Karen Francis at [email protected]ËSee preview on pp22-23
ACCORDING to its annual outlook survey, the US-based Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) has forecast that sales of trenchless equipment for 2009 could rise, despite not being that optimistic about construction-machinery sales in general.
The figures relate to predicted, average sales of machinery used in construction and infrastructure works in the US, Canada and worldwide.
The survey is based on AEM’s construction-equipment manu-facturer members’ expected sales and there are seven different categories.
However, it is difficult to apply the figures directly to trenchless equipment as it is grouped with other construction equipment in the ‘miscellaneous’ category, which also includes machines such as: heavy-duty and light-to-medium trucks; earth drills (augers); landfill/refuse compactors; side dump, live bottom and flatbed trailers; sewer vacs; environmental grinders; equipment washers and sweepers.
Nevertheless, the survey forecast that sales of miscellaneous equipment in 2009 are expected to rise by 9.5% in the US, by 11.1% in Canada and 9.3% worldwide.
But, this is far better than the general scene, for which AEM has predicted flat growth of 0.04% for the US in 2009. Canada will fare slightly better in 2009 with 2.2% growth, while sales to worldwide markets will rise by 5.4% in 2009.
AEM president Dennis Slater said: “We need to get dollars in the construction pipeline. An immediate increase in public works funding will help jumpstart the US economy.
“Construction projects are being deferred and our customers are looking for work. It is estimated that there are currently 3,000 projects that could begin work within 30-90 days of a government funding commitment.”
He continued: “Our ageing roads, bridges and highways need repair and upgrades. Committing funds to infrastructure renewal not only provides manufacturing and construction jobs, but also helps to ensure we have safe and efficient movement of goods and people.
“An adequate transportation network is essential to commerce and maintaining US competitive-ness in global markets.”
US
AEM cautiously optimistic on construction machinery sales
Overall average % changes predicted for unit sales
US (%) Canada (% ) Other (%)Equipment Type 2007/08 2008/09 2007/08 2008/09 2007/08 2008/09Earthmoving -15.8 -3.3 -6.8 -0.6 6.0 4.8Lifting -7.4 2.4 0.9 5.6 4.2 8.2Bituminous -8.8 -3.3 -2.8 -0.6 16.4 7.8Concrete/Aggregate -8.6 4.6 -5.3 2.0 20.4 3.9Light -10.7 -1.9 1.1 3.0 5.0 3.1Attach/Components 3.3 3.4 2.6 2.6 6.9 5.4Miscellaneous -11.2 9.5 -1.6 11.1 16.5 9.3Industry Wide Totals -8.6 0.04 -1.7 2.2 8.5 5.4
© 2008 copyright Association of Equipment Manufacturers
AEM outlook survey results
trade associations and universities
problems and challenges in the water infrastruc-ture
Online registration is possible, but should be done by January 2 to allow time for badges to be posted.
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UNEVEN TERRAIN, TOUGH SOIL CONDITIONS, TIGHT SPACES.
We know you need reliable and productive equipment to stay on schedule and on budget.Vermeer has the planning tools and trenchless equipment to help complete your
utility installation projects without shutting down a major street.When it comes to underground installations, look to the industryleader – Vermeer. Call +1-641-628-3141 or visit Vermeer.com.
WE HOLDRELIABILITYTO A HIGHERSTANDARD.YOURS.
VERMEER and the VERMEER LOGO are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the United States and / or other countries.
© 2008 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
WE JUST DESCRIBED OUR IDEAL WORKING ENVIRONMENT.
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December 2008
4NEWS
UK
UK provider Yorkshire Water is the first water company to trial a new pipe-sealing technology that seals leaks from inside the pipe in a similar way to how blood platelets seal cuts in the human body. Currently being trialled by the firm, the new technology could revolutionise pipe repair and minimise disruption to customers.
When a leak is detected, platelets are released into the water-supply pipe and travel under pressure to the trouble spot where they seal the leak.
Launched earlier this year, the technology was originally developed for use in the oil and gas industry by Aberdeen-based Brinker, with whom Yorkshire Water has worked.
The technology has already been used by Yorkshire Water on a burst cast-iron main in Bradford, Yorkshire. Specially-developed silicon cubes were inserted into the pipe via a hydrant and, within minutes, they located the problem and sealed the leak from the inside. There was no need to dig up the road and no need to fell a nearby tree, which would have had to come down to allow engineers to work safety.
Yorkshire Water implement-ation manager Stephen Herndlhofer said: “The repair on Yew Tree Avenue is a great example of how the new tech-nology has the potential for us to fix leaks in difficult locations. Normally, we would have had to dig a hole, remove the tree, fix the pipe and fill the hole.
“The technology developed by Brinker of Aberdeen in partnership with Yorkshire Water allowed us to avoid the need for roadworks and saved the tree… it’s a quicker, cheaper and far more environmentally-friendly way to repair bursts.”
INSITUFORM Technologies has won a US$4.4 million contract for a water-pipe renewal project in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
The project will involve the rehabilitation of 4,496m of high-pressure steel pipes, ranging from 200-600mm in diameter, located mostly in residential areas.The firm will use its PuraGuard technology – a close-fit polyethylene solution for water-pipe renewal.
Ken Foster, vice-president of Insituform Canada, said: “Insituform has rehabilitated sewer lines for the city of Victoria in the past and we look forward to continuing our productive partnership in the future. We are confident our customer service and superior watermain rehabilitation methods will meet the high standards the city has set for us.”
PuraGuard is part of Insituform’s Blue line of tools for the trenchless rehabilitation of potable water lines.
Insituform will complete the work in Victoria in 26 installations, rehabilitating 4,237m of 500mm, 152m of 600mm and 91m of 200mm water lines. Work began in late November and is expected to be completed in August 2009.
In another development, in November, Insituform was awarded a US$10.3m CIPP project in Connecticut, which involves the rehabilitation of about 83,000 linear metres of sewer line using its jointless, pipe-within-pipe system that is designed to extend the life of existing infrastructure by 100 years.
Work on the project, involving line diameters of 150-750mm, began in December and is expected
to last for about a year. Insituform was awarded the contract by the Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC), which provides sewer and drinking water services to the Connecticut municipalities of Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Windsor and Wethersfield, as well as parts of other towns in the region.
David Goldwater, business dev-elopment manager for Insituform’s Atlantic Region, said: “We are excited to again have the opportu-nity to work with MDC. We had a very positive experience working with MDC in 2007 and hope to continue this relationship well into the future. We also look forward to developing additional projects and relationships in this region.”
HAMMERHEAD Trenchless Equip-ment, North America’s largest manufacturer of piercing tools, pipebursting and pipe-ramming systems, has launched a revamped, state-of-the-art website.
Designed as a communication channel for customers worldwide, hammerheadtrenchless.com offers comprehensive, real-time, interactive media to engineers, contractors, municipalities and the public.
HammerHead president and CEO Brian Metcalf said: “Hammer-Head has led the industry in bring-ing innovative, trenchless solutions to customers in North America and around the world. The new website is a step to direct dialogue with customers wherever they may be, as well as a means of communicating with them on the latest news and technology in the trenchless construction sector.”
Insituform wins contracts in British Columbia and Connecticut
Canada
US
Hammerhead rolls out new website
Yorkshire Water is first to trial in-pipe sealant
ation Herndlhofer said: “The repair on Yew Tree Avenue is a great example of how the new tech-nology has the potential for us to fix leaks in difficult locations.
contractors, municipalities and the public.
comprehensive,
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20th ANNIVERSARY
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December 2008
6
ON AUGUST 18, 2006, the Gujarat Global News Network, Ahmedabad, India, filed the following report: “State
government has started massive evacuation operation to shift about 100,000 people from 26 villages of the Anand district as the Mahisagar River is flowing through central Gujarat in its worst fury. By 10am, 30,000 people have been shifted to safer places while efforts are ongoing to shift the rest of people.”
The impact of this massive flood continues as the damage to the infrastructure in the vicinity of the flood is undergoing repair and reconstruc-tion. In particular, a 300mm natural gas pipeline across the Mahisagar River between Pavda and
Ganja near Vadodara was damaged and unearthed by the flood. The pipeline is used to supply gas to the Gujarat Electricity Board power plant for electricity generation by the Vadodara division of GAIL, one of India’s state-owned gas distribution and marketing companies.
At this location the river is 1,130m wide, and the exit side bank of the river is very unstable, leaving very little tolerance on each bank to account for future erosion. In retrospect, the original pipeline was simply installed with insufficient cover above the product pipe.
The Mahisagar River is a tidal river, with a daily tide that continually erodes the banks, especially the exit side bank (Dabka side). During the August 2006 flood, 300m of the Dabka side bank were eroded away, exposing and damaging the existing pipeline.
GAIL appointed Mecon of New Delhi as its project management consultant to plan and manage the installation of a replacement pipeline with a design lifetime of 30 to 40 years. Mecon proposed a 2,000m HDD pipeline crossing under the river, and NR Patel & Co of Chennai was awarded the HDD crossing contract.
NR Patel & Co appointed Prime Horizontal of Amsterdam, Holland, a well-known HDD guidance and consulting company, to provide magnetic guidance services with Tensor and later ParaTrack-II systems. The rig and drilling equipment were mobilised to the site on February 23, 2008 and pilot hole drilling started on March 5, 2008. The project was completed in July 2008 at 2,008m, the longest HDD project in India to date.
PILOT HOLE DRILLINGThe pilot bore used an 8½in (215mm) bit on a 2° non-magnetic bent sub with a 5½in (140mm) IF drill string. Practically speaking, the project had two phases: one was the drilling of a pilot hole of 1,758m, guided with a Tensor system, and the other was the drilling of a second pilot hole, guided with the ParaTrack-II magnetic guidance system and with ream and pull of 2,008.4m length.
The first pilot hole failed due to the presence of a gravel layer that caused excessive drag force near the exit side end. The decision was made to deploy a second rig on the exit side to drill an underground intersect with the longer existing
Crossing the Mahi River Thomas L Teer and Abhishek Khare of Prime Horizontal discuss the record 2,008m HDD crossing of the Mahi River in Gujarat, India
PROJECT: India
Herrenknecht 250T – Model H016 Drilling Rig
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Prime Horizontal CompaniesIn Holland: +31 (0)251 271 790In USA: 1-570-675-0901
visit our website: www.primehorizontal.com
HDD Guidance services for Intersects and Drilled Crossings
using ParaTrack
Call us today for a consultationAlways Hiring Well Qualified Field Engineers
Prime Horizontal
Unexcelled Accuracy
Prime Horiz.indd 1 31/3/08 16:07:32
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hole, but down-hole circulation was lost while struggling with the gravels and this intersect was abandoned on June 12. However, significant information about the ground conditions from the exit side was collected.
Armed with knowledge about the depth of the gravel layer on the exit side, and with the information available from a vertical borehole at 1,750m range and 8m to the right of the abandoned hole, a new drilling profile was developed. In this profile, the hole would start building early, keeping the angle less than 2° to ensure that the borehole was at least 12m below ground at a range of 1,600-1,700m, where the borehole would start to build to the exit point. The new pilot hole was started 2m to the right of the abandoned hole and about 3m higher on June 20, and punched out on July 8.
REAMING AND PIPE PULLProduct pipes were provided by GAIL India. Steel pipe was used with specification of 12in (300mm) OD x 7.9mm wall API 5L Grade X 60. Normal manual arc welding (in coils) was used for preparing the pipe string.
There were no problems in reaming and pipe pull after the pilot hole was completed.
Wiper sub run to reduce drill string torque was started on July 8 and finished on July 12.
A fly cutter of 455mm started on July 13 and finished on July 18, including the removal of casing that measured 10in (250mm) OD x 300m.
A 455mm barrel reamer was used first as an initial reaming and then as clean pass. This started on July 19 and finished on July 2.
Product pipe 12in (300mm) OD pull back finished on July 23.
SUMMARYGiven the size and the complexity of the project, the longest HDD project ever completed in India was very successful.
Prime acknowledges the vision and unwavering support of GAIL and Mecon for this project. Special acknowledgment is extended to NR Patel & Co for its provision of untiring operational support of the project. And thanks are extended to Prime Horizontal’s field engineer, Abhishek Khare, for his unflagging efforts to make sure that this project was successfully completed.
Once again, the boundaries of horizontal directional drilling projects have been pushed a little bit farther.
EquipmentRig Herrenknecht 250T – Model H016 High pressure mud pump Herrenknecht 550 GPM – Model H 019
Gardner Denver 700 GPM – PZ 8Downhole tools Tensor Kits (Tensor Inc, USA)
ParaTrack2 Kit (Vector Magnetics)Mixing tank 40ft (12.2m) two each (company owned)Buffer tank 20ft (6.1m) one each (company owned)Recycle unit Kemptron Double Deck Type – Model Tango 1000SPumps Sykes Pump (Primax) for slurryBackhoe L&T Komatsu PC 200, four each
Tata Hitachi EX 70, one eachTata Hitachi EX 210, one eachSamsung SE 210LC, one each(all company owned)
Crane Cap 25 T and 12 T, two each (hired)Pipe layer BEML BP 41, one each (company owned)
PROJECT: India
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Successful punch-out on the exit side
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December 2008
9
GRAVITY sewers in Groningen, the largest city in northern Netherlands, could not cope with high flow rates that occurred
during periods of heavy rain. This was why the local authority decided to
extend the DN 1000- and DN 1200-sized sewer main, but also to convert it into a closed-pressure system to avoid sewage overflows and the associated environ mental pollution.
Achieving 3,000m3/h flows and system extension required 2.4km of Hobas CC-GRP pipe not only to cater for future needs, but also to allow another village to be linked to the system in future.
Early on at the design stage, the engineers
decided to install the proposed pressure pipes using pipejacking, as the line crosses a busy part of the town and the client wanted minimal dis ruption to the city’s daily life.
The cost for the pipe alone on the entire project was US$1.5 million. This included five jacking sections using Hobas CC-GRP jacking pipes (DN 1000-1500), as well as PN 6 Pressure Pipes (DN 1000) and 1,600m of DN 1200.
Also included in the contract were flanges, elbows, reducers and tees with stainless-steel locked joints.
However, not all the project was pipejacked. Various roads and channels presented obstacles that necessitated the use of microtunnelling in parts. The road authority stipulated that two sections running below the highway would have to be realised with cover pipes from HOBAS Benelux, and HOBAS CC-GRP Pressure Pipes were inserted. The largest with an outer diameter of 1,500mm was used below highway A7.
Three other microtunnelled sections were carried out using PN6 CC-GRP pressure-jacking pipes and flush FWC couplings. These ran beneath a gas pipeline, a main road, several streets and a navigable channel where the installation took place 12m deep. A 275m-long section with CC-GRP pressure-jacking pipes of 1,280mm outer diameter was jacked in a curve of 1,300m radius.
In accordance with safety standards, the contractor installed an intermediate station
which was required if jacking forces were to exceed 4,000kN.
However, on this project, the smooth and non-absorbing outer surface of the pipes, and their light weight and constant outer diameter, meant that the maximum jacking force did not exceed 1,800kN.
The intermediate station was, therefore, never really used.
Five different contractors were involved on the project and a sixth will rehabilitate the pumping station in two years.
Year of construction 2006-07Length of pipe 2,400mPressure class PN 1, 6Diameter DN 1000, DN 1200, DN 1500 OD 1099, OD 1280Stiffness class SN 5000, SN 320000Application SewerLine®Client Community of GroningenContractor 5 different contractorsAdvantages Corrosion-resistant, low
weight, fast installation, whole system by one supplier, long lifetime, low maintenance costs
Gronigen project facts
Pressure was on to upgrade gravity sewer in Groningen
PROJECT: The Netherlands
The HOBAS fl ush couplings used for jacking are designed to be absolutely leak-tight and facilitate assembly
Below: Several obstacles along the pipe route, such as roads and a channel, were overcome by microtunnelling
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We manufacture our own line of shakers, desilters, desanders and mud pumps.
Our tank & Mixing Systems are designed for maximum flexibility.
Technology Today Shaping The Future
www.mud-tech.com
P.O.Box 509, Athens,Texas 75751 USA
PROJECT: Poland
SABEL is a specialist trenchless pipe con-tractor and cable laying contractor that employs 70 workers. It is one of the main
contractors working for Polish Railways and is involved in rebuilding the railroad connecting Wroclaw and Dresden. When completed, this will cut the journey time between the two cities by around a half.
Associated with the works was the construc-tion of new electric cable networks, which involved the installation of two 125mm HDPE sleeves running 84m under the 79km-long river Sleza, which is located in southern Poland and is close to the city of Wroclaw.
HDD MACHINE TECHNOLOGYTo undertake the work, Sabel chose the TJ (Terra-Jet) 2608 E machine. An interesting characteris-tic of the machine is that the thrust and rotation are driven by two separate hydraulic circuits, which allows both circuits to be operated simultaneously and at maximum power. For the TJ 2608 machine, this allows a torque of 2,600Nm and a thrust and backreaming force of 80kN (8t) simultaneously, which is unique for this size of HDD machine.
Having a rock-drilling capability for hard, stony and rocky ground, the TJ 2608 E is equipped with a Terra-Rock air percussion head. Other features include quick gear for fast drill-rod changing and an Automatic Drilling and Backreaming System that adjusts the operating
speed of the machine according to the ground conditions encountered on the bore.
The machine can be pit or surfaced launched. For pit launch, hydraulic cylinders allow the HDD machine to be easily set up and adjusted to the required inclination in the starting pit. The company claims specialised drilling tools used in combination with a precise electronic locating system guarantee the highest accuracy for drilling lengths up to 150m.
Designed on a modular basis with separate power packs and mixing systems, the machine is compact and can be easily transported on a small truck. The unit has a drilling fluid volume of 100 litre/min and its mixing and pumping station enables 2,000 litres of high-quality drilling fluid to be mixed in only five minutes. Maximum drilling fluid pressure is 70 bars.
PILOT BOREThe river is 2m deep and the installation was required to be 3m beneath the river bed. The TJ 2608 E was installed in a 3m-long by 1.5m-wide launch pit. To undertake the pilot bore in the
HDD crossing of the River Sleza HDD crossing of the River Sleza HDD crossing of
The 215mm backreamer reaches the HDD drilling machine
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We manufacture our own line of shakers, desilters, desanders and mud pumps.
Our tank & Mixing Systems are designed for maximum flexibility.
Technology Today Shaping The Future
www.mud-tech.com
P.O.Box 509, Athens,Texas 75751 USA
PROJECT: Poland
clay and gravel ground, a universal type C head clay and gravel ground, a universal type C head was used. Location by means of the i-Track system from both sides of the river allowed precise tracking of the pilot bore without the need to have men in a boat above the drill line in order to locate the drill head. After only six working hours, the 100mm pilot bore was completed, with the drill head reaching the starting pit right on target.
BACKREAMING AND PIPE PULLINGOnce the drill head was disassembled, the borehole was enlarged using a 215mm-diameter backreamer. Thereafter, a 300mm-diameter backreamer and the pipe bundle of two lots of HDPE pipe 125mm OD were pulled through effortlessly in a single operation.
Facilitating the operation was the use of a
specialised Bentonite drilling fluid that fulfilled a specialised Bentonite drilling fluid that fulfilled a number of important functions. It suspends the borehole spoil in the drilling fluid mix and transports it back to the starting and launch pits; it stabilises the borehole preventing collapse during the drilling works, owing to its thixotropic qualities; and it lubricates the HDPE pipe during pipe pull-in, thereby reducing friction.
Thanks to the good ground that was encountered beneath the Sleza River, the works were completed using only 30m3 of drilling fluid; the entire HDD component and HDPE sleeve installation was completed in only two days.
The engineer responsible for the works commented: “This small HDD machine has more power than I had ever seen before in such a compact drilling system.” Terra-jet 2608 E pit-launched HDD machine
215mm backreamer ready for intermediate backreaming
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TRENCHLESS Technology applications in India are increasing as a result of several government initiatives and infrastructure
development activities. Also, increasingly dif-ficult projects are being tackled. The successful execution of such projects – whether for cross-country or city grids, for gas distribution or telecom networks or other sub-surface sectors – will require substantial drilling capacities, both in terms of HDD rigs and technical expertise.
This article discusses the HDD business in India while talking about some of the recent major projects, and invites international HDD stakeholders to join the Indian trenchless industry as a service provider.
INDIAN HDD MARKETSimilar to global markets, the Indian require-ments for HDD crossings are for pipelines of:
Power and telecom networks;Oil and gas transmission and distribution networks;Pressurised water supply networks and sewer lines allowing partial line and grade tolerances, especially in the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM) cities;Pollution control (drainage) lines.
MARKET VALUATIONRecently, the Indian Society for Trenchless Technology (IndSTT) conducted a study to identify the HDD manufacturing business in India for one stakeholder who intends to start an HDD rig manufacturing unit in India. One of the objectives of the study was market valuation, which is applicable to both manufacturing and contracting. Detailed hereafter are the market values of the sectors indicated above.
To date, in the telecom sector, 670,000km of optic fibre cable has already been laid and the sector has grown by 21%. And with the tremendous demand for broadband, DTH and urban connectivity lines, there is tremendous scope for laying telecom lines using HDD. This sector is the major market for smaller rigs and associated products which are currently being imported from different manufacturing nations such as China, the US and Germany.
For power transmission, the plan is to install 26,553 circuit kilometres in the current national plan period. The urban portion of this network will also call for installing the substantial
ËË
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quantity of cables by HDD. In addition, one of the urban reforms pertains to urban power supply in JnNURM cities where T&D losses are to be minimised. With 63 such cities, the demand is high.
Oil and gas sectors generally need higher-end HDD rigs where the input costs are higher. With the Petrochemical Vision 2020 in place, projected demand is estimated at between US$590 million and US$1.02 billion. The current machine population is low but numbers are growing quickly.
Water and sewer networks, supported by the ongoing government initiative of implementing JnNURM, is a virgin territory as HDD operations in this sector have not started in a major way other than for a few projects. But as the projects are based mostly in urban areas, directional drilling requirements are going to be very high. The expected investment in water supply and sewerage systems under JnNURM is estimated to be around US$18 billion for various cities.
In addition, pollution control lines and ground water drainage lines are going to be new vistas in HDD growth and will be a source of specialised rigs. One example is ground water drainage from mountainous regions where landslides are commonplace.
INDIAN HDD RIG POPULATIONThe phenomenal growth of the HDD sector has led to a situation where the strength of HDD machines/rigs in India has surpassed that of many other nations. India has an estimated rig population exceeding 1,000, which is more than is found in several competing economies. Based on the current and future market demand, an average annual demand of 200 to 250 rigs can be expected for the coming three to four years, taking the population to approximately 2,000. Subsequently, machine attrition would lead to an equal and stable market population of 2,000.
INDIAN HDD OPPORTUNITIESA machine population of the size detailed above naturally paves the way for four types of primary businesses:
HDD contracting;HDD consultancy;Equipment manufacturing and trading;Spare parts manufacturing and trading.
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The current situation warrants the entry of several consulting, contracting, manufacturing and trading organisations. Consultants and contractors are needed as several new opportunities such as water and sewer are opening, and there are demands for more difficult crossings, such as the ones discussed below.
Manufacturers are needed to produce lower-, middle- and higher-end HDD rigs as the current practice of shipping or airlifting rigs, plus the associated customs duty, increases the costs substantially; a local manufacturing operation can produce products at a much lower cost. In addition, there are many requirements for spare parts, down-hole tools and other equipment/consumables for the existing machines.
RECENT INDIAN HDD PROJECTSProject: Mahisagar River CrossingProject value: US$2.5 million Trenchless contractor: NR Patel & Co., ChennaiClient: GAIL (India) LimitedConsulting engineer: Mecon Limited, IndiaProject requirement: The pipeline, part of GAIL’s network for the state of Gujarat, is to supply gas to the Gujarat Electricity Board power plant for electricity generation. Ground conditions comprise medium- to high-plasticity clay, sand and gravel.
HDD was considered to be the best method because of the 1,130m width of the river. Being close to the sea, the river has tidal flows. The bank on the exit side (Dabka) is unstable and suffers periodic erosion. HDD would provide a good depth of cover under the river and banks to provide a better pipeline life.
The HDD rig used was a Herrenknecht 250T Model: H- 016.
The trenchless work comprised:Pilot bore – 215mm with 2º bend sub;Wiper sub running – to reduce the drill string torque;
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PROJECT: India
Indian HDD on the riseProfessor Niranjan Swarup, executive director, Indian Society for Trenchless Technology, describes the current state of play of Indian HDD
The 1.13km Mahi River has tidal fl ows
12-14trench0812.indd 12 15/12/08 16:40:26
13
Reaming – 455mm fly cutter;Clean Pass – 455mm barrel reamer;Pull product pipe of 300mm OD;Length of crossing – 2,008m.
Ground investigation works: Geotechnical sub-soil investigation and topographical survey was undertaken prior to the rig mobilisation on site and was carried out by the client’s approved vendor, MK Soil Testing Laboratory. Based on its reports, the project, including the drilling profile, was designed by NR Patel & Co. Steel product pipes of 300mm OD API 5L Grade X 60 were provided by the client (GAIL). Normal manual arc welding (in coils) was used to prepare the pipe string.
Project timings: The project was awarded on December 10, 2007. Rig spread mobilisation was complete by February 23, 2008. The first pilot was started using tensor kits on March 5. Contractors were able to reach up to 1,758m from one side. Upon facing the difficulty in progressing ahead, they tried to intersect the pilot from the pipe side using a second rig of the same capacity with a tensor steering tool but could not succeed and therefore abandoned the hole on June 12.
A second pilot parallel to the first hole was begun on June 21 and completed in July.
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Wiper sub began on July 8 and finished on July 12. The 455mm fly cutter was started on July 13 and finished on July 18 (Including removal of casing – 250mm OD x 300m). The 455mm barrel as clean pass was started on July 19 and finished on July 22. Pipe pull back was completed by July 23.
Project challenges: The project was executed in two phases, the first being 1,758m of pilot drill and the second the new pilot, ream and pull of 2,008.4m length.
The other river bank has silty sand with fine gravels at a span of 200m. In the first pilot, the contractors rotated and pierced the gravel zone
at a 24m depth but were not able to maintain the profile, ie, were unable to build up (gradually coming up) at that point. They then decided to sidetrack, move and build further but found pushing the build impossible.
To overcome the problem, they started a fresh pilot 2m off the old hole and maintained more or less the same depth, especially below scour level at river bank to bank. On the other side, they came up and maintained a shallow profile, punching out at the desired length.
Project: Gomti River CrossingProject description: City gas distribution steel pipeline installation under Gomti River at LucknowClient: Green Gas LimitedConsultants: Mecon Limited Contractor: Trenchless Engineering ServicesHDD contractors: Skipper Steels LimitedProduct pipe: 300mm diameter, API Grade B Pipe, 7.1mm WT and 100mm CS pipeCrossing length: 700mCore equipment: Vermeer D300x500, FDCI SST Project duration: 17 daysSite geology: Primarily very fine sand and silt.
Location: The pipeline crossing was located inside the city, with the biggest constraint being
The GAIL gas pipeline that supplies gas to the Gujarat electricity power plant
PROJECT: India
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12-14trench0812.indd 13 15/12/08 16:40:31
14
the space available at both exit and entry sides. Precise planning was required for the set-up at both rig and pipe sides.
Methodology: An SST guidance system was
used for surveying. Further, since the water was not conducive to drilling, a 150mm-diameter borewell was dug for the supply of sweet water for drilling. As the drilling was under the city, a straight drill-line was not possible. Hence, a smooth curve was adopted and the exit point was about 5m away from the straight survey line or drill line. Precise engineering calculations for compound curve were made so that the pipeline was free of excess stresses during installation.
After the pilot, the reaming was carried out up to 600mm and subsequently the hole was swabbed with the same reamer. Finally, the pipe strings were pulled using a 450mm reamer.
Challenges: Space constraints at the rig and pipe side forced the contractor to make arrangements at the rig side to dispose of the cuttings (returns) about 300m away from the mud pit. Large-capacity slurry pumps had to be deployed for this purpose.
As the drilling job was inside the city, a straight alignment was not possible and the exit point had to be shifted by 5m. Immaculate tracking, therefore, had to be carried out to retain the line within 300mm of the target.
Herrenknecht 250t/H016 punching out at the exit side at Mahi River
PROJECT: India
View of the jobsite at the Gomti River crossing
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Owing to space constraints, both at the pipe side and at the rig side, hole-reaming was done without the trailing pipes behind the 600mm reamer. Furthermore, at the clean pass stage, the reamer had to be pushed with the string. Since the soil strata was of fine sand and silt, hole stabilisation was difficult, requiring the correct viscosity of drilling fluid.
Again, owing to the constraints at the rig side, the contractor could not use equipment to break the assembly; therefore, they had to push the same 600mm reamer for clean pass.
CONCLUSIONThe IndSTT is inviting global stakeholders to consider venturing into the Indian trenchless sector for HDD consultancy, contracting and equipment manufacturing/trading and also for spare parts manufacturing/trading.
As the apex organisation to promote and nurture the Indian trenchless industry, IndSTT shall provide whatever assistance is needed to global players wanting to work in India.
One example of this support is the Mega Drill Show organised on December 4-5, 2008, which provided a platform for global stakeholders to network with Indian counterparts. Aspects of the show included:
A series of technical training lectures under the continuing professional development system of Assam University;Release of the model contract document, general conditions of contract employing horizontal directional drilling suiting Indian conditions, and model consultancy agreement for HDD crossings; A display of HDD equipment/products.
Similar activities shall be held in future and interested readers can contact IndSTT for details.
For further information on HDD projects in India, contact Professor Niranjan Swarup at [email protected]
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IN February 2008, when officials from Miller Pipeline Corporation (MPC) and Earth Tool Company (ETC) considered bidding on a
major mainline sewer-replacement project in Plano, Texas, they realised that portions of it were bigger than anything either had tackled before. But, Mark Hallett, vice-president of MPC’s utility division and Mark Randa, ETC’s director of pneumatics, believed a quadruple upsize – 610mm reinforced-concrete pipe (RCP) to 810mm outside-diameter (o.d.) HDPE – could be achieved. It was just going to be a matter of getting suitable planning, teamwork, and the right primary tools and support equipment.
The overall job called for updating 1,890m of a 30-year-old, reinforced-concrete pipe system, which was starting to deteriorate due to hydrogen sulphide gas and significant amounts of rain. The existing pipe capacities of 610mm, 686mm and 762mm would be replaced with 813mm o.d. pipe. The city of Plano put the job on the fast track after experiencing line collapses almost weekly last winter and Miller Pipeline, which had been carrying out work in Plano for about four years, immediately indicated interest.
The length of the job was not remarkable for the Miller team as it had previously completed projects in excess of 15,000m. But, as Mr Hallett pointed out, “those jobs were with 203mm, 254mm, 304mm or 457mm pipe”.
Miller Pipeline owns a 228t static bursting machine, which Mr Hallett was confident could at least handle the size-on-size portions of the job. “We weren’t even too worried about the 762-813mm bursts,” he says. “We were a little conservative on the 686-813mm runs, but we were concerned about the 610mm RCP upsize.”
As he became serious about bidding for the project, Mr Hallett invited Mr Randa and Earth Tool Company of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, which makes the HammerHead Mole products, to bring in some engineering expertise and custom equipment to help get the job done.
“Ninety-five per cent of the equipment we own is HammerHead Mole,” Mr Hallett says. “I knew we didn’t have a piece of machinery that could handle a job like this, so I asked them to develop a system that could perform under these conditions.” Having worked with the group several times during his 14-year history with
Jeff White, of US-based Earth Tool Company, looks at a challenging static and pneumatic pipeburst in Texas
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15151515151515PROJECT: Texas
FEW pipebursting jobs would have a quadruple reinforced-concrete pipe upsize and so many other challenges and so many other challenges andalong with it.
Miller Pipeline and Earth Tool Company had much to compete with to be successful in Plano, outlined below.
PHYSICAL AREACrews were working very near Plano Parkway, a major east-west artery through the city. They had to close down one lane of traffic during work, but quarters were still extremely tight and traffic control was very extensive. Miller Pipeline’s Mark Hallett says that if they hadn’t had the one lane to work in, it would have been very tough, if not impossible.
BYPASSINGMiller Pipeline, with help from Godwin Pumps, configured a completely redundant system, which was capable of handling 73 million litres per day, taking out 2,438m of bypass. Mr Hallett points out that, at one point though, their system ended up pumping through more than 163 million litres of water per day because of all the infiltration from rainfall. “At times, we were pumping and using the same line just to keep things from surcharging,” he explains.
EXISTING UTILITIESMr Hallett says that there were no less than five separate utility companies with major trunkline systems in the area in which they were working. It became critical to relocate those lines during the operation.
PIPE NEEDEDAnother challenge was to be able to get the necessary HDPE pipe, especially within the relatively short timeframe, as they were gathering permits and materials approvals. “It’s typically very difficult to get a manufacturer to commit to a quoted price and then deliver that quantity of pipe on short notice,” Mr Hallett explains. “But, Isco Pipe came through for us, and once the pipe was delivered there was nothing stopping us.”
Contending with multiple challenges
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15,17-18trench0812.indd 15 15/12/08 16:49:52
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Untitled-1 1 31/8/07 09:20:57
17PROJECT: Texas
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Earth Tool Company, Mr Randa was familiar with Mr Hallett and his team. But, neither he nor Mike Walk, the ram-and-burst specialist from Earth Tool Company who later became involved with the project, had performed an upsize of this magnitude. They echo Mr Hallett, who says: “This is not the biggest job we’ve ever done in terms of length, but certainly the biggest that we’ve undertaken in terms of complexity.”
On the “complexity” front, the upsize was just one of many challenges the team faced. Added to this list are difficult proximity to above-ground obstacles, incredible bypass requirements, a right-of-way crowded with existing utilities, tough ground conditions and brutal weather. Rain set the project back by a month when the time allowed for the job was 130 days. Originally, the target finish date was August 31, but it was moved back to September 31, because in June alone, Texas was hammered with more rainfall than it had received during the whole of 2006.
THE BURSTING SYSTEM ETC was primarily involved in just under 305m of the job, carried out in four bursts – 70m, 39m, 83m and 57m – all of which involved upsizing from 610mm to 813mm o.d. HDPE. Previously, Mr Randa and Mr Walk’s largest
upsize went to 762mm, so equipment brought to the site was truly custom:ËCrews used a 914mm bursting headËThe head featured a long pilot on the front to keep the tool on line, and to keep material from collapsing in front of the pipe and impeding progressËIt also featured a cutting blade, designed to go
through the old pipe’s concrete and wire mesh.
Traditional equipment included: ËA 508mm pneumatic tool, mounted on the tail of the pipe designed for a ‘burst-assist’ËThree compressors: two 900 cfm units to run the bursting head and a 1,300 cfm unit for the burst-assistËA 20t winch to pull the bursting head through.
Most of the custom concepts had been used before, but on a much smaller scale. For example, Mr Randa has added pilots to bursting heads before, but not for an upsize like this. “We basically stepped up what had already been proven technology,” he says.
The 508mm tool used for burst-assist was an interesting
component. It’s an application that has been used many times before, but usually to save a bore on an HDD project. “We just turned the hammer on running very slowly to relieve the pipe drag and keep forward progress,” says Mr Randa. “We wanted to have as much energy downhole as possible to complete the job.”
The 508mm tool was also on hand to back up Miller’s static-bursting unit in case the progress of the burst slowed or stalled. To save the burst, the rod could be shuttled out of the burst head through the back end of the pipe. The hammer could be attached, pulled into place and locked into the burst head. The burst could then be resumed using a combination of static and pneumatic forces. “Although we didn’t use it, it’s good to have a contingency
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15,17-18trench0812.indd 17 15/12/08 16:50:42
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18PROJECT: Texas
DOES it seem odd that a contractor would enlist the help of a manufacturer to tackle an underground construction job?
Not any more, according to Mark Hallett of Miller Pipeline and Mark Randa of Earth Tool Company. Both say the latter company’s ability to develop custom equipment was only one aspect that made it a good partner for Miller.
“Our expertise is obviously in pneumatic equipment,” says Mr Randa. “But, customers also depend on us to provide consultation and engineering, and to help them anticipate problems and develop solutions in advance.”
One example he points to is the burst-assist component of the job. Earth Tool Company used it on the quadruple-upsize runs, but Mr Randa also engineered a back-up for Miller Pipeline’s static-bursting unit, just in case it ran into problems on some of the other bursts.
“The worst thing you can do is to rush through the preliminary planning,” says Mr Randa. “If you step back and take a few, deep breaths the problems can be anticipated. You have to think about everything that’s going to be good and everything that’s potentially going to be bad. Anticipate and create the right scenarios, and you’ll end up being fully prepared.”
Mr Randa believes the industry may see more collaboration, especially from Earth Tool Company, as large upsizes become even more common. “It used to be that anything over 508mm or 610mm was unheard of,” he says. “But cities are finally changing many of the larger, dig-and-place jobs to bursting. And, with each job, we become more experienced and our tools become more proven. Miller is a great contractor and we’ve learned how to build the right tools – that’s why we were able to win this job together,” he adds.
Contractor-manufacturer teamwork pays off
plan on jobs of this magnitude,” said Mr Hallett. Mr Randa, Mr Walk and the team also
employed a continuous ‘lube line’ just behind the bursting head, pumping 68-91 litres of polymer per minute, just to keep things moving.
“Frictional drag is a problem with length,” says Mr Walk. “If you have instances where you have a large amount of hose on the ground, you can get a larger compressor to make up for it. But, you cannot make up for the ground conditions, so we compensated a little just to be safe.”
In the end, the upsize bursts went faster than expected. On the first pull, they intended to gather much of their data and crews planned on about 300mm/min, according to Mr Randa. But, with the rear hammer (burst-assist) and lube, they ended up getting faster than this.
Even though rain pushed the job’s completion back a month, Mr Hallett still calls it “absolutely successful”, especially given the challenges. He also says this could be the largest job of the year. “I am not aware of anything this size or this complex going on,” he says.
“In fact, I cannot recall something this large in the past. The complexity of this job, with the upsize, traffic control, existing utilities, sense of urgency, bypassing and rain events that we’ve had, I’m not sure there’s been anything like it.”
Mr Hallett is particularly proud of his personnel – the superintendent managing the job day-to-day, Ray Gonzales, and the project manager, Brian Smith, working out of Indianapolis. “And, it was a great joint effort with Earth Tool Company,” he adds. “The partnership made this job successful.”
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15,17-18trench0812.indd 18 15/12/08 16:50:46
EVERY time a shovel pierces the surface of the earth there is an inherent risk of accident. Locating and marking under-
ground utilities is essential to reducing that risk, and is required by law in most places. However, features incorporated in the latest locating equipment can help to further lessen that risk.
New locating instruments are easy to use, provide for a shortened learning curve, and are efficient and flexible. While older equipment may still function properly, the added features and benefits found in new equipment can significantly improve the accuracy of locates, saving both time and money.
When comparing new and old locating instruments, the first thing that most people notice is the difference in equipment displays. Modern receivers include directional arrows, depth measurements and even mapping displays. Directional arrows inform the operator if he/she has drifted left or right of the target utility line. Mapping displays can indicate when target lines turn and change direction. These improved visual displays are intuitive to the operator, making the equipment easy to adopt, requiring less time for training. This helps novices locate with confidence and can increase the efficiency of experienced operators.
Another advantage of the new equipment is its flexibility to locate different types of pipe and cable under varying circumstances. It is no longer necessary to buy separate pieces of equipment for different utilities. Today’s locating instruments come equipped with a wider range of available frequencies. While much of the equipment made in the past only had one or two frequencies, almost all of the current market offerings give the user more choice. This is extremely important because each locate job is different; even the weather can have an effect.
On a dry day, 33kHz may work just fine to locate a particular gas line. If it rains the next day, locating the very same gas line may require a different frequency because the wet soil is much more conductive. Furthermore, users are no longer limited to preprogrammed frequencies. Advanced equipment gives the user the ability to customise a locating unit to an optimal frequency for the conditions or to a propriety frequency, if necessary.
Operators can improve the accuracy of locates when using new instruments because significantly more information is provided to the user. One example is the ability of the equipment to warn the operator when signal distortion is present. Modern locating instruments work using electromagnetic principles. When a
transmitter is properly connected to a line an invisible magnetic field is emitted.
Without distortion, the magnetic field can be visualised as concentric circles around the utility line. Often, some of the current will bleed on to a second utility line nearly. This second line will have its own magnetic field that will constantly pull or push on the field from the first line, causing the magnetic fields to become egg-shaped or distorted. This phenomenon is referred to as signal interference or distortion.
Distortion can be created by rebar, fence posts, power lines, pipes and other metal objects in the proximity. When using older equipment, it is easy for an operator to make erroneous locates when distortion is present. Newer equipment will warn the operator,
allowing him to set up allowing him to set up adjustments to decrease the adjustments to decrease the distortion, improve the locate distortion, improve the locate and lessen the potential for and lessen the potential for an accident. an accident.
New locating equipment New locating equipment will increase efficiency on will increase efficiency on the job site due to improved the job site due to improved antenna designs. When using antenna designs. When using traditional equipment, traditional equipment, proper orientation of the proper orientation of the instrument over the instrument over the target line was target line was essential. If the essential. If the operator stood operator stood perpendicular to the line, perpendicular to the line, the locating instrument may the locating instrument may not have any signal at all, even when not have any signal at all, even when standing directly over the buried line.
New antenna configurations allow the operator to approach a line from any direction. The instrument will detect the magnetic-field signal and indicate the direction of the target line to the operator. This is especially helpful when performing passive sweeps.
A passive sweep is a technique used to check an area for unknown utilities. Safety-conscious contractors perform a passive sweep prior to excavating an area to verify that there are no surprises when digging. It’s termed a passive sweep because it is performed using the receiver only. Instead of using a transmitter, signals are generated as the result of power-transmission lines, usually in multiples of 60Hz in North America or 50Hz in Europe. Higher-end locating equipment has a wider band of passive frequencies, which improves the users search capabilities.
In addition to locating power lines, passive sweeps are very effective on pipelines that have been equipped with cathodic protection. Often, other cables such as phone ands CATV are energised by transient radio frequencies in the region and can be found using passive searches. It is highly recommended to perform a passive sweep to verify one-call marks prior to digging. This simple step can significantly reduce the risk of accidents.
Some companies are hesitant to update or upgrade their equipment because of the cost. However, it will easily pay for itself if the added benefits provided by a new piece of equipment help to avoid even one accident. The ease of use and short learning curve make adoption painless. Modern locating instruments will help avoid significant project delays and unnecessary headaches caused by preventable accidents.
Rob Trefz of Ridgid outlines some of the benefits of modern locating equipment
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19191919191919TECHNOLOGY: Locating equipment
Very revealing stuffVery revealing stuff
19trench0812.indd 19 15/12/08 16:51:39
PROPER tooling selection is the critical link in the success of an operation. It can mean the difference between a successful
bore and a failed one. Tool selection will play a large part in the profits you make, save wear and tear on your drill rig, and could even reduce the amount of diesel fuel you consume.
When a contractor needs a reamer for a specialised directional-drilling job, finding one that precisely matches the project requirements is often impossible with off-the-shelf solutions. In order to achieve optimum performance, HDD superintendents regularly rely on custom-designed and manufactured reamers.
Such a project was recently faced by American Augers’ customer, Petrojet, an oil-and-gas pipeline contractor based in Cairo, Egypt. The ground conditions common to the area are of unstable sand, clay and alluvium, which called for an open body-style reamer for the pre-ream passes and a barrel-style reamer for the product-installation pass.
After reviewing the project parameters, it was determined that a StraightLine Maxi Fly Cutter would best serve as the open-body reamer. The basis of that decision was found in the analysis of the following characteristics: aggressive cutters that would quickly reduce the soil to fines; numerous fluid jets positioned along the low-pressure side of the wings, extending from the shaft to the tool perimeter, thereby facilitating even mud placement; and a large, stabilising ring to keep the tool running true in the borehole.
These features, when combined with a viscous bentonite-based drilling fluid, will allow the driller to efficiently reduce the material to fines and suspend them in the drilling fluid and, ultimately, maintain control over the tunnel.
The barrel reamer that was chosen was the StraightLine Maxi, primarily for two reasons: first, due to its reliable carbide jet system, which resists erosion and maintains precise mud flow, and, secondly, because it provides a long, smooth wall that will help to keep the drill string and product pipe centered in the bore during the product installation phase of the bore.
This order was the single-largest, custom reamer order that the company has received to date, consisting of 26 total reamers – 13 each of the Maxi-Fly and Maxi-Barrel. The reamers ranged in size from 457mm (18in) to 1,625mm (64in) and were built on 241mm (9½in)-diameter shafts with 65/8 FH connections. The entire order took approximately 20 business days to complete.
StraightLine began its custom reamer
manufacturing service in 2002, which quickly grew to account for 30% of the company’s entire reamer production by 2005. In 2008 alone, the firm fabricated more than 450 custom reamers for clients in need of project-specific tools.
Since 2005, the HDD industry has enjoyed outstanding growth in every sector and around the globe, from which many manufacturing firms have benefitted. That year, StraightLine moved its manufacturing operation to a 6,500m2 facility in Hutchinson, Kansas, which offers virtually unlimited capability for the manufacture of HDD tools and accessories. The facility is fitted with the latest equipment, including CNC milling and turning centres, gun drills and conventional machine tools, along with complete fabrication, welding and paint facilities.
Due to customer demand, the firm’s reamer offering has grown to 13 unique designs in order to provide tools that make easy work out of any ground condition, from alluvium to solid rock. These styles are categorised into four unique groups. These are: Ëopen-body designs for non-compactable conditionsËclosed-body designs for compactable conditions Ëfluted-body designs for aggregate conditions in compactable base materials
Ëhole openers for solid formations. In addition to our standard reamer line we offer an infinite array of custom reamers.
These reamers are available in diameters of 100mm (4in) to 2,400mm (96in), in shaft sizes from 50mm (2in) to 262mm (10½in). Tools are regularly built for drills made by American Augers, Astec, Case, Ditch Witch, Robbins, StraightLine and Vermeer. In addition to threads for popular brands, the company also has the capability to cut over 50 thread types common to the HDD industry – from Ditch Witch JT520 to 75/8in FH, with new connections being added as the industry expands.
All reamers feature: replaceable fluid ports in either hardened steel or carbide; precise fluid port placement; leading edges with carbide-impregnated hard surfacing, and the placement of carbide teeth positioned to maximise cutting performance, to name a few.
Currently, StraightLine employs 31 machine operators, welders and fabricators in its manufacturing facility, and offers 13 different, standard reamer styles that are also available for client customisation. In order to create the right reamer for a specific project, the company works with its clients to design the tool required to get the job done.
Record-setting reamer order
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20TECHNOLOGY: HDD reaming
A recent HDD project in Egypt through unstable soil required a special reamer to complete the job. Don Carey of US-based StraightLine reports
Phot
o: Ju
stin
Car
ey P
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A reamer being custom-made at StraightLine’s Kansas plant
20trench0812.indd 20 15/12/08 16:43:24
Custom ReamersStraightLine first entered the directional drilling market in 1989. Since that time, our technical specialists have accumulated many thousands of StraightLine first entered the directional drilling market in 1989. Since that time, our technical specialists have accumulated many thousands of hours of hands-on drilling experience, in every ground condition that creation could throw at us all across North America, Australia, Europe and Asia. The knowledge gained from these endeavors led to the design and manufacture of 13 different styles of HDD reamers for use in every ground condition imaginable. These reamers are available from 4” (100mm) to 96” (2,400mm), in shaft sizes from 2” (50mm) to 10 ½” (262mm), with more than 50-different thread connections to choose from. At StraightLine our emphasis on reamers isn’t an afterthought, it is in our DNA.more than 50-different thread connections to choose from. At StraightLine our emphasis on reamers isn’t an afterthought, it is in our DNA.
For More Information contact us at 620.802.0200 or visit us at www.straightlinehdd.com.
Straightline.indd 1 11/12/08 10:37:25
What’s on at UCT in San Antonio
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THE underground Construction Technology (UCT) conference will be held in San Antonio, Texas, on January 20-22, 2009,
at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. More than 400 stands are lined up for the exhibition hall and organisers expect nearly 3,000 people to attend.
One of the top priorities for the incoming Obama administration will be to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure. This will be a key topic for speakers at UCT 2009, where 33 trade associations and universities will co-sponsor the sessions, thereby providing an unrivalled educational opportunity for those delegates seeking to expand their trenchless know-how.
UCT encompasses the entire spectrum of trenchless technologies and also the complete underground infrastructure sector. This means that attendees will be privy to the latest developments in equipment and services aimed at sewer, water, gas distribution, telecoms, power/energy pipelines and other engineering challenges.
In addition to pre- and post-show workshops, there will be numerous presentations, association/organisational meetings and specialised conferences, plus, of course, the networking opportunities that UCT always presents.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMEHeld in January, UCT has the advantage of being the first major meeting of the year, and it allows industry leaders to hold special conferences, such as this year’s third annual WaterWorks conference (January 20-21). WaterWorks will examine the issues, problems and challenges in the water infrastructure sector.
REGISTRATION DETAILSTo register online for UCT, for exhibitor or registration information, programme updates and details regarding travel and accommodation, visit www.uctonline.com or contact convention manager Karen Francis on [email protected]. Here’s a selection of companies at UCT 2009.
AKKERMAN Established in 1973, Akkerman recently celebrated 35 years servicing the trenchless industry. The firm sells and leases both new and used microtunnelling, pipe-jacking, guided boring and earth-pressure balance equipment. Watch out for CEO Maynard Akkerman’s ‘Comment’ in the January issue of Trenchless World.Stand 344 & 345 www.akkerman.com
ALLIED CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS ACP will display its recently launched Hole-Hog HH-57 50mm (2in)-class, underground piercing tool for the gas, water, sewer, electrical and telecoms sectors. Designed for the cost-effective, fast installation of relatively short hole lengths beneath roads, pavements and driveways without disturbing existing surfaces and landscaping, the HH-57 is designed to be cheaper and easier to use than an HDD rig. And, of course, much smaller.Stand 646 www.alliedcp.com
ASTEC UNDERGROUND/AMERICAN AUGERS Astec’s EarthPro Series DD-2024 horizontal directional drill offers power capacity in a compact size in tight working conditions. It has 20,000 lbs of thrust/pullback force with up to 2,400ft-lbs of rotary torque. Stand 121 www.astecunderground.com
ATLAS COPCO SECOROC The firm designs, makes and markets rock-drilling tools worldwide. Over 95% of the produced vol-ume is consumed by the mining and construction industry outside of Sweden. The firm uses the latest R&D and manufacturing technology.Stand 323 www.atlascopco.com/secoroc
BAKER HUGHES Baker Hughes’ Industrial Products has been involved in drilling fluids for over 60 years and caters for the needs of the HDD industry. In
The global trenchless sector will soon converge on the annual Underground Construction Technology (UCT) conference in the US. George Demetri gives a preview
Here’s
AKKERMANEstablished in 1973, Akkerman recently celebrated servicing the trenchless industry. The firm sells and leases both new and used microtunnelling, pipe-jacking, guided boring and earth-pressure balance equipment. Watch out for CEO Maynard Akkerman’s ‘Comment’ in the January issue of Stand 344 & 345 www.akkerman.com
ALLIED CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS
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What’s on at UCT in San Antonio
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addition to ongoing R&D and field-support labs, the company’s specialist fluids personnel have a wealth of experience to suit most projects. Stand 619 www.bakerhughes.com
BARBCO Barbco will introduce its BD-500 TK: a track-mounted 500,000lb push/pull directional drill with integrated drill cab. It is also available in a more powerful 750,000lb push/pull version. Stand 435 www.barbco.com
BAROID INDUSTRIAL DRILLING PRODUCTSBIDP supplies a comprehensive range of drilling, grouting, plugging, abandonment, and well rehabilitation and development products, engineered to optimise performance and user costs. Its Dino-Mul is an aqueous torque reducer, designed to reduce rotational torque and drag, and is claimed to reduce pull-back forces. Stand 716 www.baroididp.com
CERTAINTEED CORPCertainTeed manufactures: waterwell casing and drop pipe; industrial, mining and irrigation piping systems; restrainted joint PVC pipe; and PVC/ABS pressure, irrigation, sewer and DWV Pipe. A typical product is Certa-Lok – a restrained-joint PVC piping system for trenchless construction, non-metallic and easily-assembled.Stand 253 www.certainteed.com
CETCO DRILLING PRODUCTS Cetco offers a wide range of bentonite drilling fluids, grouts, sealants, polymers, and additives designed to maximise drilling and cost-efficiency. Clay Cutter is an additive formulated for use with any size HDD bore in reactive, clay soils. Stand 229 www.cetco.com/dpg
CHANNELINE INTERNATIONALAt UCT, Channeline International, manufacturer of rigid structural GRP sewer liners, will release details of Channeline SL – its new circular and non-circular gasketed slip line product. Stand 325 www.channelineinternational.com DERRICK EQUIPMENTDerrick specialises in slurry separation and de-sanding equipment for use in civil-engineering and underground applications. The firm has an in-house manufacturing and QA facility and offers
equipment, system packages, urethane screen panels and patented, corrugated Pyramid screens.www.derrickequipment.com
DRAGON PRODUCTS Dragon pumps are custom-assembled in Liberty, Texas. Internal components, such as bearings, shafts and mechanical seals, are manufactured from high-quality US parts and materials.Stand 621 www.modernusa.com
GODWIN PUMPS OF AMERICA Godwin Heidra pumps are designed for use on directional-drilling projects, mainly to aid in the pumping and recycling of drilling muds to and from the de-sander unit. They can also be used on pipebursting jobs for sewer by-pass pumping. Stand 527 www.godwinpumps.com
HDD BROKER INC Seattle-based HDD Broker is a leading supplier of used and repossessed equipment. It advertises and sells rigs for private owners, banks and equipment dealers worldwide.Stand 715 www.hddbroker.com
HERRENKNECHT Germany-based Herrenknecht is a market leader in mechanised tunnelling, supplying advanced tunnel-boring and drilling machines for a wide variety of applications in diameters of 0.1-19m. . Stand 225 www.herrenknecht.com
HOBAS PIPE USA Hobas will be displaying its centrifugally cast, fiberglass-reinforced, polymer mortar pipe, claimed to be corrosion-resistant and last over 100 years.The product is designed not to leak and to be cheaper to install thanks to its push-together, time-saving joints. Typical applications include sewers, potable water and corrosive environments for pressure and gravity applications.Stand 415 www.hobaspipe.com
INSITUFORM TECHNOLOGIES Insituform Technologies supplies a wide range of proprietary trenchless technologies and services for rehabilitating sewer, water and underground piping systems without digging or disruption. The company has a presence in more than 40 countries. Stand 426 www.insituform.com
MALA GEOSCIENCE USA MALÅ designs and makes ground-penetrating radar (GPR) systems for a broad range of applications, from non-destructive testing (NDT), concrete imaging, utility detection and mapping, to geophysical investigations, including borehole.Stand 101 www.malags.com
MCLAUGHLIN GROUP McLaughlin has been involved in the drilling tool industry for many years and this will be reflected by the products on its stand. Typical of these will be the McLaughlin Verifier G2, which uses smart technology to achieve accurate line location and depth. The Verifier G2 offers four frequencies for utility location, passive power and passive utility modes. With depths of up to 9.1m (30ft), the unit has been designed to handle most locating jobs. Stand 427 www.mightymole.com
NORTH AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TRENCHLESS TECHNOLOGY Founded in 1990, NASTT is a not-for-profit, educational and technical society that promotes the benefits of trenchless through education, training and research. NASTT is the definitive resource for professionals concerned with underground systems and trenchless applications.Stand 549 www.nastt.org
THE ROBBINS COMPANY Robbins has over 50 years’ experience as a major developer and manufacturer of underground construction machinery. The firm offers an extensive range of underground excavation equipment, typical of which are the small boring units (SBU-A) for use in hard rock. Available in diameters of 610-1,828mm, the SBU-A is used in conjunction with auger-boring machines.Stand 843 www.therobbinscompany.com
VERMEER VERMEER VERMEERVermeer entered the no-dig sector in 1991 with its first horizontal directional drill. Its recent buy of Texas-based HRE has given Vermeer a full range of HDD drills, particularly at the maxi-rig end with 1,000,000 pound thrust/pull-back capability. Stand 201 www.vermeer.com
WYO-BEN Wyo-Ben makes bentonite clay-based products that are used in applications including oil, gas and waterwell drilling. Based in Billings, Montana, the firm mines its raw material from Wyoming’s Big Horn Basin bentonite deposits.Stand 441 www.wyoben.com
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SUPPLIES & SERVICES
December 2008
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
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LITERATURE
BITS
WANTED
For more information on how to advertise, please contact: Jim Moore on:
Tel: +44 (0)20 7216 6060 Fax: +44 (0)20 7216 6050
E-mail: [email protected]
WANTEDthe following USED equipment
CIPPMobile Boiler / UV Curing Equipment
Air Inversion UnitWet Out / Impregnation Unit
Robotic CuttersCCTV Equipment6” Silent Pumps
PIPEBURSTINGGrundo Burst 40 / 80 Tonne
Pipe Coil TrailersElectro / Butt Fusion Equipment
De Beaders
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING EQUIPMENT
TEREX PS 6000 DUMERS
ZERO SWING MINI EXCAVATORS
E-mail Details & Specifications to:[email protected]
www.trenchless-world.comVisit our website at:
For more information on how to advertise,
please contact: Jim Moore:
Tel: +44 (0)20 7216 6060Fax” +44 (0)20 7216 6050
E-mail: [email protected]
24trench0812.indd 24 12/12/08 16:37:18
Anybody can engineer intense power into a piece of construction equipment; the real challenge is to design a
product that puts you in total command of that power.
Trenchless Const 200x275.indd 1Trenchless Const 200x275.indd 1 2/25/08 8:53:55 AM2/25/08 8:53:55 AM
