Horizontal Drilling System (HDS) Operations Theory Report
1993
Wilson, J. V.
The Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory (NCEL) has developed a prototype horizontal drilling system (HDS) that is designed to reach distances of 10,000 to 15,000 feet and should be capable of reaching 25,000 feet in favorable conditions. This system uses high pressure water (15,000 psi) to 'drill' at rates of 10 to 30 in./min. Steering is accomplished by instructing the drillhead (nozzle) to cut in an eccentric pattern. As part of a complete cable protection system, NCEL has also developed a technique for divers to adapt the seaward end of the drill pipe to a section of flexible pipe and a procedure for pigging multiple cables through the installed pipe assembly from shore or from sea. This allows easy interface between the installed shore cable section and the large cable ships that are used for deep water cable installation and deployment. Laboratory and limited field tests of the HDS system have been conducted and results agree with theory for the distance tested (500 feet). Negotiations are in progress to transfer the technology to private industry and continue the development. Cable survivability, Cable protection, Cable shore landings, Ice scour, Horizontal drilling, Waterjet cutting, Well logging, Pipe joints
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