Machine tools have been a part of human civilization for longer than you might think. The first machine tools ever recorded in existence were the bow lathe and the bow drill. Today, machine tools can be used to create just about anything, including wells. Wells were first constructed more than 8,000 years ago, and their construction has become more complex over time. There are, generally speaking, two types of drilling. There’s vertical drilling, and horizontal directional drilling. The latter uses HDD bits to, as the name implies, horizontally drill whatever is needed for the project. These HDD bits are assisted by mud motors and fixed cutter bits. If you haven’t heard about horizontal directional drilling before, here are three things you should know about it.
- HDD Can Create Wells Larger Than Vertical Drilling: One thing to know about horizontal directional drilling is that it can create wells larger than those created by vertical drilling. In fact, evidence shows that horizontal drilling can result in a well that’s 3 to 5 times larger than a vertically drilled hole. In other words, if someone needs to drill a particularly large well, then horizontal drilling is the way to go.
- The Drilling Process Uses Different HDD Bits: Another thing to know about horizontal directional drilling is that it uses a variety of HDD bits to get the drilling completed properly. Different HDD bits are needed to get through different materials, as well as change direction when required. It makes sense that a variety of drill bits would be needed, because it’s not possible for one type of drill bit to get through all materials. Sooner or later, something would catastrophically break, and using different drill bits as needed prevents that from happening.
- HDD Can Be Used For Laying Pipes and Cables: And finally, a third thing to know about horizontal directional drilling is that it can be used for other drilling needs like laying pipes and cables. While horizontal directional drilling is often used to drill wells, it is also an ideal process for drilling horizontal tunnels needed to lay pipes or cables, or even a combination of both.
In conclusion, there are a few things you should know about horizontal directional drilling. These things include, but are not limited to: the process can create larger wells than vertical drilling, the process requires different HDD bits, and the process can also be used to drill holes needed to lay pipes and cables. These are just a few of the things you should know about horizontal directional drilling.