WorldWide Drilling Resource

World’s First Hybrid Electric HDD Rig Adapted from a Press Release by Visedo Finnish company Visedo manufactures hybrid and electric drivetrains for commercial and heavy-duty machinery. The most recent development could bring the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) industry into the hybrid market. The company codevel- oped the rig in conjunction with Dutch industrial drilling equip- ment manufacturer Normag. The new steerable drill system, which uses up to half the fuel of conventional machines, also reduces emissions and noise. Capable of drilling lateral shafts of up to nearly 4 feet in diameter and nearly 10,000 feet in depth, it is used in drilling projects for water, drainage, and sewage, as well as ducting for pipework and cabling for power and other services. Standard HDD rigs use hydraulic motors and pumps, the Visedo-Normag rig uses 12 inverters to supply AC power to three main electric motors and six ancillary ones which drive and control rig operations. Operation of the system is controlled digitally and has been made to withstand the harsh environments typically encountered on HDD jobsites. Although the electrified system is estimated to add approximately 10% to the overall capital cost of the rig, signif- icant fuel savings, and operational flex- ibility will mitigate these costs. Manag i ng Di r ec t o r o f Vi sedo Netherlands, Pieter Dijkstra said, “In the world of horizontal drilling, this system is a real game-changer. Unlike conven- tional systems with hydraulic drivelines, it removes the need for dedicated gen- erators as part of the mobile drilling apparatus.” For operators, fuel savings can be considerable. The first Visedo-Normag rig was delivered to a client in Poland, who reported fuel consumption as low as 4 gallons per hour. Previously with a diesel-hydraulic rig, consumption was 15 gallons per hour. Normag Technical Director and Cofounder Raymond Petiet said, “Our first client was looking for a very versa- tile rig that had the capacity to do [large] jobs, but also would not be overkill for smaller tasks . . . The fuel savings for the client are in the order of 50% . . . With rigs running 12-14 hours per day, seven days per week, and 18-26 weeks per year, this amounts to a lot of fuel. While fuel savings are important, that’s not the only consideration. Contractors who buy these rigs are under pressure from clients to reduce emissions and noise. On top of that, productivity is increased by up to 30% if drilling and reaming can be done in one step - a key design capability of the Normag-Visedo rig.” Mention this ad at the Groundwater Week event and receive 20% off this RC Swivel. 6” RC SWIVEL Elevators SkyRex We Support Our Troops! Stock Sizes: 1” thru 24” for casing, column pipe, tubing, and drill pipe. *Load test certificates available *Offered with or without base UsedWorldwide 15 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2017 One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks. ~ Jack Penn