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With some
of the largest, including the largest, and difficult
directional drilling projects already in its portfolio,
Southeast Directional Drilling (SEDD), Tempe, AZ., continues
to complete spectacular gas and oil pipeline projects
in some of the most difficult locations in the world.
But that doesn’t mean it
all comes easy. SEDD relies on years of experience as
well as innovative thinking when it comes to tackling
these difficult horizontal directional drilling (HDD)
projects.
SEDD President, Steve Ugrich, said part of that innovative
thinking is reflected in the use of HDD assist techniques
on difficult HDD pullbacks. On recent projects in Colorado,
Washington State and other locations on North America,
SEDD crews have utilized various HDD assist techniques
with pipe rammer systems from trenchless equipment manufacturer
TT Technologies, Aurora, Ill.
According
to TT Technologies pipe ramming specialist Rick Melvin,
these techniques have become very valuable to directional
drilling companies. He said, “Like any other construction
application, directional drilling can run into difficult
situations. In certain situations using the percussive
power of pipe ramming tools can help overcome problems
with pullback, stuck drill stems, stuck pipe and difficult
soil conditions. These techniques can mean the difference
between project success and a very costly failure.”
Southeast Directional Drilling was founded in 2002 by several
members of Ozzie’s Directional Drilling, Scottsdale,
AZ. Ugrich said, “In 2000, Ozzie’s was purchased
by an investment group out of New York. In the spring
of 2002, the investment group wanted to get rid of the
directional drilling division. The president of Ozzie’s,
Mark Osadchuk approached a group of us to see if we were
interested in purchasing the division. We were able to
do so and were able to acquire two big rigs from Ozzie’s.
That’s how it went. We started out with two rigs
and we just bought number seven yesterday.”
Ugrich
estimates that ninety five percent of SEDD’s
work is oil and gas industry related. Much of that is considered
large diameter. Ugrich said that during much of the previous
year their projects consisted of installing 42-inch diameter
pipe. The same will be true for the next several years
as well. Installation lengths range between 1,600 feet
up to 5,000 feet plus. Ugrich said, “We’ll
be drilling the Mississippi River this year and that will
be 5,100 feet of 42-inch pipe. Last year we did two shots
that were over 3,000 feet each.” SEDD also holds
a world record for the installation of three 56-inch diameter
pipes in Trinidad.
Crew size at SEDD fluctuates depending
on the season. At peak times during the summer SEDD employs
between 70 and 80 people. But safety is a year-round topic
and
Ugrich tries to keep it in the forefront of everyone’s
mind. SEDD recently implemented a new safety incentive
program. Ugrich explained, “We’ve always done
gift cards. If a crew goes through a week without an incident
or accident, each crewmember is awarded a twenty-dollar
gift card to a major retail store. It just gives them a
little incentive to watch out for their buddies, because
if one person has an incident or accident, the whole crew
loses that card for the week.
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Now we’re adding another program where we’re
going to hold two drawings, one in July and one in December
where we’re going to award a couple of very nice
shotguns. Even if it costs us $3,000 dollars for those
two drawings, it’s worth it if they all watch out
for each other.” In order to be eligible for the
drawings, a crewmember must have remained accident free
the six months leading up to the drawing and must meet
other employment criteria.
In addition
to incentive programs, all SEDD crew members receive
mandated DOT training courses, as well as internal safety
instruction. Crewmembers also go through a JHA job hazard
analysis each morning and combine that with a toolbox
safety meeting. Ugrich said, “We’ve worked
up forty five toolbox safety meetings that adapt to everything
we do as a directional drilling company. After a crew goes
through all forty five, they roll back to number one as
a refresher. And with the JHA job hazard analysis, they’ll
go through the specific activities for that day. Let’s
say you’re finishing the pilot bore and ready to
backream, the JHA for that day will focus on backreaming.”
Once a year, SEDD’s drill rigs come in for maintenance.
Ugrich explained an added value of their maintenance program.
He said, “Each rig comes into the shop for a full
overhaul, hydraulic pumps, motors, the whole nine yards.
And the good thing is, that crew comes in with it. So when
the hydraulic motors and pumps are being taken apart, it’s
the crew doing the work. They know the preventive maintenance
procedures and how to fix the machine.”
Sometimes, however, problems in the field cannot be addressed
through safety and maintenance. Bores get stuck, swivels
break, and ground conditions change dramatically. TT Technologies
has introduced several pipe ramming techniques that are
helping drill operators solve drilling problems and tackle
tough conditions. The techniques have helped SEDD complete
some very difficult bores in difficult conditions.
The concept behind using a pipe rammer to remove a stuck
product pipe (bore salvage) or remove stuck drill stems
(drill stem recovery) is simple yet highly effective.
During a bore salvage the pipe rammer is attached to
the end of the partially installed product pipe. The
pipe rammer needs to be attached to the pipe so that
it pulls the pipe from the ground. This can be accomplished
through a fabricated sleeve. A winch or some type of
pulling device is used to assist the rammer during operation.
In many cases, the percussive power of the pipe rammer
is enough to free the stuck pipe and allow it to be removed
from the ground.
During a drill stem recovery the principal is the same,
however, there are two possible tool configurations. Depending
on the situation, contractors may opt to remove the drill
stem from the ground or, if the stem is still attached
to the drill rig, they may choose to push on the stem while
the drill rig pulls back.
Melvin
said, “In these
situations typically the contractor has run out of options
and is looking to salvage the project. Drill stems are
expensive. Product pipe is expensive as well. The last
thing anyone wants to do is leave either in the ground.
Plus, by removing drill stems or product pipe, the contractor
has the opportunity to correct the problem and bore again.”
The pullback assist method works directly
on getting the product pipe installed. Drilling underwater
or in loose flowing soil a condition known as hydrolock
can occur. Melvin said, “Hydrolock is a situation
were the external pressure being put on the product pipe
from ground water pressure, drilling fluid pressure and/or
soil conditions exceeds the drill rig’s pullback
capability or the product pipe’s tensile strength.
The percussive action of a pipe rammer in this situation
can help free the immobilized pipe.”
The pullback
assist technique has been successfully used on steel
pipe, as well as high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The
technique can be used as a safety measure in anticipation
of hydrolock problems or after the pipe has become immobilized.
According to Melvin, time is a key factor with any of
these methods. He said, “Reaction time is always
important. Not hesitating to mobilize needed equipment
and expertise in these situations can really make the
difference between success and failure. Success rates
improve dramatically depending upon how quickly problems
are responded to. In fact, a number of drilling contractors
are bringing ramming equipment to directional drilling
sites as a form of insurance in case problems develop.”
The directional drilling project in Riffle, CO., was completed
for EnCana Gas, Calgary, AB, Canada. According to Ugrich,
SEDD was sub contracted to install a 24-inch diameter
steel gas main under a set of railroad tracks, under
Interstate 70, under the Colorado River and then up a
500-foot bluff. The elevation difference between the
entry side and pipe side was about 550 feet at a total
length of 4,500 feet. This drill also had a 13-degree
point of intersect (P.I.) at about 2,000 feet out from
entry.
Ugrich
said, “As we came up through the bluff it
was solid cobbles and boulder and the rest of the drill
was sandstone and limestone. We completed the pilot with
a 6 ¾-inch Black Max motor with a 9 7/8-inch tri
cone bit, once the pilot was complete, we reamed it out
with SEDD manufactured reamers in sequence of a 24-inch
and 30-inch, followed by a 36-inch reamer for the final
pass.
One of
the many problems with this crossing was the dry hole
in the higher elevations. With this complication we wore
out a lot of tooling due to no lubrication with drilling
mud. After the mud pass we hooked up and started pulling
from the high elevation down to the rig side. We only
made it in about 300 feet and we lost our rotary due
to the cobbles and boulders.”
According to Ugrich, the SEDD crews then attached the
24-inch diameter Grundoram Taurus pipe rammer to the end
of the pipe string and started the assist. The minute they
started tapping, they gained rotary back and started pulling
again. Crews used the rammer intermittently throughout
the rest of the pull until it was installed successfully.
The North Fork Nooksack River project was completed for
Snelson Companies, Inc, Sedro Wooley, WA, contracted
through Williams Northwest, Tulsa, OK. The length of
the installation was approximately 4,000 feet of 36-inch
steel pipe through gravel, cobble and boulders.
Ugrich
said, “We shot
the pilot with an 8-inch mud motor with a 10 5/8-inch
rock bit. Once the pilot was out we started reaming with
a 24-inch rock reamer then a 30-inch, 36-inch, 42-inch
and a 50-inch for our final ream pass.
Once the
swab pass was complete we attempted to pull the pipe
three times before we were successful. On the first attempt
we twisted off in front of the reamer, but were able
to pull the pipe out with winches. The second time we
broke off, however, we had to fabricate a extractor barrel
and perform a bore salvage with the hammer.”
Before attempting the third pipe pullback, the SEDD crew
dug back from the exit pit about 180 feet until they reached
approximately 40 feet deep in order to large boulders and
debris from the bore path. About half way into the pullback,
at the 2,000-foot mark, pulling tensions spiked and crews
mobilized to attach the pipe rammer to the back of the
pipe string. Operating the pipe rammer at half its power,
the percussive action was able to reduce the friction at
the lead end of the pipe and keep the pullback moving and
successfully complete the installation.
Ugrich
said, “The TT hammer gives us a big sense
of security when we’re pulling these large diameters.
We own a 24-inch hammer and if we’re pulling large
diameter pipe, that hammer is on site. It’s nice
to know that if you get into a high pull-range, the hammer
is there to help reduce the friction.”
Jim Schill
Technical Writer
Mankato, MN
Pipeline & Gas Journal, May
2007
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