Directional boring or drilling is the term used for any boring that does not go in a straight line vertically down. Even in a vertical well, it necessarily deviates to avoid a geological formation or a previous stuck pipe then return to the original path. The practice of drilling has been here for over 100 years and in the early years, directional drilling involved using the basic equipment as vertical wells except the drilling itself was done at a non-vertical angle. In other words,  technological improvements have meant that angles, turns and the underground distances covered are amazing feats of engineering.

The use of directional drilling nowadays has been improved as directional boring contractors use drill bits, a tool that can bend better to accommodate non-vertical angles. The use of hydraulic jets has a strong good impact on drilling technologies which brought efficiency and reliability. With the rise of technology, directional boring contractors use computers and GPS to pinpoint the exact location of an oil and gas field. With the help of software programs, engineers can create models to determine optimal location for the well as well as the best possible entry point for directional drilling.

However, given these advances directional drilling can be costly but useful in situations where the underground reservoir has a complicated shape and verticale entry is not practical. 

Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of horizontal drilling: 

Advantages:

  1. Horizontal drilling reduces soil disturbance: By limiting the number of surface wells used, it makes the extraction process less disruptive to nearby residents and other stakeholders in the vicinity.

  2. Reduces the fracture of existing rock formations

  3. Reduces contamination of groundwater pollution

  4. Protects the ecosystem

  5. Contributes to safety by reducing the risk of gas ruptures while developing a new well.

Horizontal directional drilling contractors install underground pipelines, cables and service conduit through trenchless methods. With the use of directional drilling machines and associated attachments, they accurately drill along the chosen bore path and back ream the required pipe.

On the other hand, most likely there are only 2 disadvantages of directional drilling:

  1. It can make operating wells more complex: Since the process of drilling is complicated in the sense it uses high technologies, it might also have  complex operations.

  2. With all these construction equipment, directional drilling damages the existing ground, although the impact can be minimized.

Now, you might want to ask how far can directional drilling go and is there some belief or tradition you need to do to get rid of bad omens and how much do directional drilling cost? Well, horizontal directional drilling contractors determine depending on the site. But in general, horizontal drilling rigs have an outside range of up to 9000 plus feet. As for the second question, you can ask your directional boring contractors. Lastly for the cost of directional drilling, it varies on the project. Some projects are priced based on a lump sum or they may be priced per foot. There are also other factors that might contribute like the soil, the depth and the location of the drilling site.