When undertaking projects that require underground directional boring to install underground utilities and conduit systems, Texas directional boring contractors have your back. Here in North America, it’s estimated that about 2.5 million miles of pipelines are utilized to transport fuel products from the source to the market. For commercial boring, directional drilling contractors are your best option. Here’s how Texas directional boring contractors go about trenchless drilling.
1. Surveying the Drilling Site
Directional drilling contractors will start by visiting your site after you request for underground drilling services. The contractors will need to assess various factors before undertaking your project. They’ll look out for external factors such as the type and condition of the soil, the geometry of the landscape, and the buildings and utilities near the drilling site. These are the factors that will help them determine the type of horizontal directional drills to employ for your project and the best time to start the project.
2. Planning the Bore Path
After surveying the drilling site, Texas directional boring contractors begin to prepare the boring path. They utilize the hydro-excavating technique that allows them to drill paths without damaging the existing utilities. It is extremely important to prepare boring paths in advance so that they’re no complications when the drilling begins. The boring contractors will then dig the entrance pits and the receiving pits. The two pits allow the contractors to collect and reuse the drilling mud that is produced in the boring process. This helps them reduce the waste produced in the drilling process.
3. Drilling the Kickoff Point
A pilot hole is drilled horizontally along the bore path. The stem of the horizontal drilling machine is carefully guided into the prepared bore path through the pilot hole. An electronic transmitter is safely attached to the drill stem just behind the drilling cutting head. As the driller makes its way underground along the bore path, the transmitter sends signals to an above-ground receiver that then relays the signal to the drill rig operator. The operator manning the drill will then use the signals to guide the drill stem to the other end of the drill path. Resultantly, the drill stem breaks ground on both ends of the drill path.
3. Pre-reaming
After establishing the pilot hole successfully, Texas directional boring contractors will then shape the hole in the desired size. They’ll replace the cutting head tools with a reamer attached to the drill stem. The reamer allows the HDD contractors to shape the hole into a suitable diameter that will accommodate the size of the pipes or the conduit systems being installed.
4. Pull-back
After shaping the directional drilling hole into the right size, the drilling contractors then proceed to install the pipes. The pipes are attached to the reamer using a drill string. To allow the reamer to pull the pipeline through the directional drilling hole without dislodging it, a pulling head and swivel are used. The directional rig then pulls and rotates the pipeline and also circulates the drilling mud to allow the pipeline system to settle along the reamed drill hole.
5. Conduit System Installation
The pipeline is then fitted with the appropriate cables. This may be water and sewerage lines, power lines, or fiber optic cables. After the installation of all the required cables is done, the directional rig machine then adjusts the pipeline into the final position. Lastly, HDD contractors test the strength of the installed pipeline system through pressure testing.
6. Cleanup and Marking
The entrance pits and receiving pits are then expertly sealed using some of the drilling mud that may have spilled over to the top. Where required, the boring contractors will proceed and mark the pipeline by placing signs along the line. This is done for safety reasons and also helps during repairs and maintenance.
For all your commercial drilling needs, you can trust Texas directional boring contractors. This includes installation of gas pipelines, water lines, oil lines, drainage lines, underground inner duct, PVC piping, and other utilities that require underground directional boring.
