An Overview of Directional Drilling History

Did you know that water and oil wells are not always vertical? There tends to be a natural assumption for people outside of the industry that water and oil wells go straight down into the earth, when in fact they are often curved—or completely horizontal!

Fortunately, this is where directional drilling—the practice of drilling horizontally or at an angle, rather than completely vertically—comes in.

But directional drilling didn’t always exist; it had to be invented, and it continues to be perfected today. To that end, here is an overview of directional drilling, from your directional drilling contractors in Roseville, CA.

The birth of directional drilling

As far as we know, directional drilling was first developed by H. John Eastman and Roman W. Hines of Long Beach, CA, in 1934. The two men owned a portable drilling truck company, and they banded together with a third partner, George Failing of Enid, OK, to save an oil field in Conroe, TX. The trio developed a steel drill pipe that could drill at an angle, rather than directly down into the ground.

“Only a handful of men in the world have the strange power to make a bit, rotating a mile below ground at the end of a steel drill pipe, snake its way in a curve or around a dog-leg angle, to reach a desired objective,” read a 1934 article in Popular Science Monthly.

Eastman Whipstock, Inc. would go on to become the world’s biggest directional drilling company in the 1970s.

Technological advancements

The machine that Eastman, Hines and Failing developed was revolutionary for its time, but relatively arcane by today’s standards. In the 1970s, the widespread use of downhole drilling motors made it easier to change the direction of a directional drill, without needing to remove the device from the ground completely and reposition it.

Directional drilling continues to be improved with new technological breakthroughs. As directional drilling contractors in Roseville, CA, it is our job to stay up to date with these advancements.

Modern day uses

Today, directional drilling is used for the same purposes it was invented for: water and oil well drilling. But it is also used for a few other purposes.

Directional drilling in Roseville, CA allows our team to install an underground pipe or cable while causing minimal damage above ground. We are able to use advanced technology to pinpoint where our drill needs to go, meaning a quicker and cleaner job.

Experienced and effective

Are you in need of fast, effective, affordable and experienced directional drilling in Roseville, CA? If so, you need look no further than the team at Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc.

Locally owned and operated since 2000, we strive to provide fast, friendly and efficient service to the residents of Roseville and its surrounding areas. We are proud to carry an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau as a fully licensed general contractor. Please feel free to get in touch with us today for more information about our services.

Categorised in: Directional Drilling, Directional Drilling Contractors

This post was written by Writer