WorldWide Drilling Resource

17 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JUNE 2014 Company Celebrates Record-Setting HDD Installation by Boyd C. Simon, P.E. with Ranger Field Services Ranger Field Services, a Quanta Company, located in Broussard, Louisiana, specializes in horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installations beneath waterways, congested areas, highways, and envi- ronmentally-sensitive areas. The company recently announced the successful completion of a record-set- ting HDD installation of a total measured distance of 11,065 feet under the Sabine River. The company pulled a 12-inch steel gas pipeline through the bore, which was drilled from Starks, Louisiana, to Deweyville, Texas. This installation under the Sabine River is known to be the longest HDD pull ever made. The crossing was a segment of a new natural gas transmission line running 139 miles from Liberty, Texas, to Eunice, Louisiana. The project used the Intersect Method with two HDD drilling rigs, one on the entry side and another at the exit side. After installing casing on both sides, each rig drilled the pilot bore simultaneously until both drill bits were in the same hole. The in- tersect was completed on the first a t t e m p t ; while the en- try dri l l rig con t i nued f o r w a r d , the exit rig tripped out. A 20- inch reamer was installed and reamed the entire distance followed by a swab pass. The 12.75-inch O.D. (outside diameter) steel pipe was pulled in as one continu- ous pullback. Pullback operations lasted 25 hours. The pipeline is owned by Crosstex Energy and the pipeline contractor is WHC, Inc. The Ranger Field Services Team successfully completed this record-setting project on schedule. The company ex- pressed a special thank-you to all of the individuals involved on the project for their dedication, attention to safety, and hard work throughout the project. “...we do not hire a man’s history, we hire the man.” h Henry Ford This project was led by key supervi- sors including Barry Nailing, James “Tiny” Matlock, Cory Baker, Steve Martin, and Colt Benson; the survey team including Chad Gonzales, John Etheridge, and Chase Hurst; as well as drill operators Jody Utz, Heath Robertson, Bo Baxtor, and Jesus Perez.