Case Studies

Project Type
PARALLEL PETROLEUM PIPELINE
Location
OHIO, USA (12 SITES)
Length / Hole Diameter
366 – 732 M (1200 – 2,400 FT)/ 1.5 M (58 IN)
Divisions
The HDD Company

ROVER PIPELINE

IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICES

Project Summary

The HDD Company was one of several drilling contractors on this complex 713 mile side-by-side pipeline installation. As the result of our capacity and fleet size, the HDD Company was responsible for the majority of crossings on this project.

Crews worked in shifts around the clock to complete 12 crossings along the route (a project valued at close to $35M). Crossings included rail lines, rivers and roadways. In total, four heavy rigs were employed – including two from the Crossing Group’s Canadian operations.

Key Challenges

The 1067 mm (42 in) pipe approaches the maximum size for horizontal directional drilling, and the heavy wall thickness (over an inch) made the pipe heavy to work with. The majority of sites required us to drill through heavy rock. All of these factors required us to open a large diameter hole: between 1372 mm and 1473 mm (54 in and 58 in). The parallel lines were drilled approximately 18 m (60 ft) apart. Our crews overcame these challenges and consistently came out in the target zone. The HDD Company completed all 12 of its assigned crossings with inadvertent releases (IRs).

Services Provided

HORIZONTAL DIRECTIONAL DRILLING (HDD)

TUNNEL BORING / PIPE JACKING

Tunnel Boring and Pipe Jacking Systems are used to hydraulically install underground pipelines up to 4.2 m (168 in) in OD range within strict alignment and grade tolerances. The likelihood of settling or sloughing is very low. Wheel machines are equipped with various cutter heads and sand shelves. A closed-face attachment is available for boring in unstable ground conditions. This versatile system can be easily adapted to work with any jacking pipe, in any pipe joint length. It can accommodate a wide range of pipe diameters.

Tunnel Boring Machines are used to excavate tunnels with a circular cross section through a variety of soil and rock strata. They can bore through hard rock, sand, and almost anything in between. Tunnel diameters can range from 1 m and exceed 15 m (3 ft to 49 ft).

The Crossing Group - The Tunneling Company - Tunnel Boring - Pipe Jacking - Trenchless Construction - Tunneling - Augering, Boring & Pipe Ramming

SLIP BORING

A boring technique commonly used for installing oil & gas pipelines ranging from 51 mm to 1067 mm (2 in to 42 in) in diameter without leaving casing in the ground. Product pipe is welded to steel casings and either pushed or pulled through the ground in sections. The casing is cut off and removed, leaving just the product pipe. Maximum installation length is 150 m (492 ft).

The Crossing Group - The Tunneling Company - Slip Boring - Trenchless Construction - Tunneling - Augering, Boring & Pipe Ramming

DOWN THE HOLE HAMMER

A pneumatic hammer is attached to the inside edge of the casing. The front of the DTH breaks cobles, boulders and even solid rock into small pebbles or dust. The spoil makes its way through the hammer and into the casing, where it is removed by airway augers.

The Crossing Group - The Tunneling Company - Down The Hole Hammer - DTH - Trenchless Construction - Tunneling - Augering, Boring & Pipe Ramming

GUIDED BORING

A Guided Boring Machine (GBM) is used to install 305 mm to 3.6 m diameter pipe (12 in to 144 in) with grade and alignment precision. It is commonly used for installations 50 m to 150 m in length (164 ft to 492 ft) or when line and grade accuracy is critical in displaceable soil. Our GBM is extremely versatile and our customers continually approach us with new applications.

The pipe installation involves a two-step process where launch and reception shafts are strategically located to minimize surface disruption. A pilot tube with a theodolite guidance system is then pushed through the ground at the precise grade and alignment specified in the design into the reception shaft. A reaming head is welded to the pilot tube and the casing and the pilot tube is used as a guide to install casing. The GBM can be used in conjunction with auger boring or pipe ramming methodologies.

The Crossing Group - The Tunneling Company - Guided Boring - Trenchless Construction - Tunneling - Augering, Boring & Pipe Ramming

PNEUMATIC PIPE RAMMING

Pipe Ramming is used in a wide variety of soil types including gravel, cobble or sand. A pneumatic hammer is attached to the back of the casing pipe and driven through the material at any angle: from horizontal to vertical. The material is cleaned out of the pipe using an auger boring machine. Pipe Ramming methods are used for pipe diameters of 305 mm to 3.6 m (12 in to 144 in).

The Crossing Group - The Tunneling Company - Pneumatic Pipe Ramming - Tunneling - Augering, Boring & Pipe Ramming