Well, that may be how it used to be, but our boys at Advanced Line Systems are having a lot more fun than that! Vertical drilling is how we used to have to do everything, but the scene changed entirely with the development of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and directional boring. Where we used to need a trench, we simply hydrovac and then get started on drilling. So many more resources are available now that we have the reach to get to them. Additionally, placing your line is so much more precise and efficient than previous methods, with less damage and clean up. It’s ideal because we can handle the job from a relatively remote location. We don’t have to dig up a road, we can just drill underneath it.
In the gas field industry, HDD is used to compliment the efforts of oil and gas well projects. Horizontal drilling can increase production of shale wells by targeting the main fractures and grabbing the smaller fractures along the way. HDD is also used to tap a pay zone from a tremendously more advantageous angle, gaining access to miles of untapped reservoirs. In comparison, vertical drilling alone would only expose a very small fraction of the well’s resource. HDD is also used to rectify rogue wells. Intersecting with the rogue well’s line can relieve pressure and serve as an avenue to depth seal the problem. One of the best benefits of horizontal drilling is the ability to run multiple lines from a single drilling pad. This drastically cuts down on the destruction, construction, and permanent damage to a work area. HDD is also better for our air. An HDD operation produces significantly less emissions. The availability of natural gas is making it possible for old coal-powered plants to convert to something cleaner-burning. The CO2 emissions from the electric power sector peaked in 2007, and has decreased by roughly 25% over the last ten years. This is a strong trend that will continue.
With the increase of well drilling in Colorado, it is important to understand and appreciate how a once archaic system has evolved for the better. Contact us about how we can help you with your drilling and boring projects.
