Fluidic Drag Estimation in Horizontal Directional Drilling Based on Flow Equations
Publication: Journal of Pipeline Systems Engineering and Practice
Volume 6, Issue 4
Abstract
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is a trenchless technology used to install underground utilities. The force required to pull a pipe through the borehole during installation is crucial to design engineers. Various methods have been proposed to estimate the pullback load, each dealing with fluidic drag in a different way. Limitations in fluidic drag estimation by current design procedures have revealed the significance of having a reliable method for calculation. This paper proposes a new method to calculate fluidic drag based on annular flow equations. This method is used to calculate viscous drag for two HDD case studies, and the results are compared to the estimations by current methods, such as PRCI and ASTM F1962. Pullback load estimation based on the new method agrees well with the actual installation loads. This paper also investigates the impact of design factors on fluidic drag by presenting a sensitivity analysis over a practical range of related parameters. The ratio of pipe radius to borehole radius is observed to have the most influence on fluidic drag.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the Crossing Company’s technical and financial contributions, as well as the Consortium for Engineered Trenchless Technologies and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for providing financial support. The authors also would like to thank Lauren Wozny for her editorial assistance with this paper.
References
API (American Petroleum Institute). (1995). “Recommended practice on the rheology and hydraulics of oil-well drilling fluids.”, Washington, DC.
Ariaratnam, S. T., Harbin, B. C., and Stauber, R. L. (2007). “Modeling of annular fluid pressures in horizontal boring.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol., 22(5), 610–619.
ASTM. (2011). “Standard guide for use of maxi-horizontal directional drilling for placement of polyethylene pipe or conduit under obstacles, including rivers.”, West Conshohocken, PA.
Baumert, M. E., and Allouche, E. N. (2002). “Methods for estimating pipe pullback loads for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) crossings.” J. Infrastruct. Syst., 12–19.
Baumert, M. E., Allouche, E. N., and Moore, I. D. (2005). “Drilling fluid considerations in design of engineered horizontal directional drilling installations.” Int. J. Geomech., 339–349.
Chehab, A. G., and Moore, I. D. (2008). “Polymer pipes in trenchless applications: HDPE pipe response during pulled-in-place installation.” Proc., Geoamericas: The First Pan American Geosynthetics Conf. and Exhibition, Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), Roseville, MN.
Chhabra, R. P., and Richardson, J. F. (1999). Non-Newtonian flow in the process industries, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.
Drillpath. (1996). Theory and user’s manual, Infrasoft LLC, Houston.
Driscopipe. (1993). “Technical expertise application of Driscopipe in directional-drilling and river-crossings.”, Phillips Driscopipe, Wellford, SC, 1–40.
Duyvestyn, G. (2009). “Comparison of predicted and observed HDD installation loads for various calculation methods.” Proc., Int. No-Dig Show, North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), Cleveland, OH.
Fredrickson, A., and Bird, R. B. (1958). “Non-Newtonian flow in annuli.” Ind. Eng. Chem., 50(3), 347–352.
Haciislamoglu, M., and Langlinais, J. (1990). “Non-Newtonian flow in eccentric annuli.” J. Energy Resour. Technol., 112(3), 163–169.
Haciislamoglu, M., and Langlinais, J. (1991). “Effect of pipe eccentricity on surge pressures.” J. Energy Resour. Technol., 113(3), 157–160.
Halliburton. (1997). “Fluids handbook.” Baroid fluid services, Chapter 9, Rheology and Hydraulics, Houston.
Hanks, R. W., and Larsen, K. M. (1979). “The flow of Power law non- Newtonian fluids in concentric annuli.” Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam., 18(1), 33–35.
Huey, D. P., Hair, J. D., and McLeod, K. B. (1996). “Installation loading and stress analysis involved with pipelines installed in horizontal directional drilling.” Proc., Int. No-Dig Show, North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), Cleveland, OH.
J.D. Hair & Associates. (2008). Installation of pipelines by horizontal directional drilling, an engineering design guide, Pipeline Research Council International, Technical Toolboxes Inc., Houston.
MathWorks. (2014). “Global optimization toolbox: User’s guide (r2014b).” 〈http://www.mathworks.com/help/optim/ug/fsolve.html〉 (Nov. 4, 2014).
Mitchell, R. F., Miska, S., and Aadnoy, B. S. (2011). Fundamentals of drilling engineering, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson, TX.
Najafi, M. (2014). Trenchless technology: Pipeline and utility design, construction, and renewal, McGraw-Hill, New York.
NEN. (1992). “Requirements for steel pipeline transportation systems.”, Delft, Netherlands.
Osbak, M. (2011). “Theory and application of annular pressure management.” Proc., Int. the No-Dig Conf., North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), Cleveland, OH.
Ostwald, W. (1925). “Ueber die geschwindigkeitsfunktion der viskosität disperser systeme. I.” Colloid Polym. Sci., 36(2), 99–117.
Polak, M. A., and Lasheen, A. (2002). “Mechanical modelling for pipes in horizontal directional drilling.” Tunnelling Underground Space Technol., 16(1), 47–55.
PPI (Plastics Pipe Institute). (2009). “Horizontal directional drilling.” Chapter 12, Handbook of polyethylene pipe, Irving, TX.
Puckett, S. (2003). “Analysis of theoretical versus actual HDD pulling loads.” Proc., ASCE Pipeline Conf., ASCE, Reston, VA.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
© 2015 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jul 30, 2014
Accepted: Dec 31, 2014
Published online: Feb 9, 2015
Discussion open until: Jul 9, 2015
Published in print: Nov 1, 2015
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.