Directional Drilling: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know

Drilling is a bit more nuanced than you might imagine. It is more than just drilling a hole into the earth and hoping for the best. For the best and safest results, directional drilling is necessary to ensure that all goes well, the significant structures and obstacles are missed in drilling, and that the hole created does not create problems as well.

What Is Directional Drilling?

Directional drilling is just that — it is drilling that has a specific direction other than straight down. This is to help the driller avoid things like rock formations that might disturb the path of the drill, deposits, reservoir areas and more. Directional drilling is any drilling that has direction and purpose and that is guided rather than just being straight down.

This type of drilling can be used for nearly anything, from putting in gas lines to adding other utilities underground. Directional drilling often has a series of directives that influence the way that the drilling is done. The driller may drill down a certain distance then turn to the left or right; they may move the drill at a certain angle or degree, making distinct choices as to what direction the drill goes.

What Are the Benefits of Directional Drilling?

There are plenty of benefits to directional drilling starting with the ability to control where the drilling takes place and the exact location of any line that is being placed therein. Drillers can minimize the disturbance on the surface and the environment around them by avoiding geological formations and pockets. Their moves can be shallow, meaning that the drilling can be distributed and more resources can be tapped.

If you are drilling in an oil field, for example, drilling with direction can allow more of the field to be searched and explored and more resources to be discovered. It can also help you avoid things like very hard rock that can make drilling difficult and damage drilling equipment, keeping you from accessing crucial deposits and resources.

Overall, directional drilling allows you to control the drilling process and, therefore, be more in control of the results. With utility installation, for example, you have far more control with directional drilling and can avoid things like other utilities that might be buried nearby. You can install utilities in a manner that provides the least resistance, and you can be certain that the process will be quick and safe.

Directional drilling is more accurate, precise, and less invasive than drilling and hoping for the best. With the proper directional drilling, you can avoid issues and get the job done quickly and more efficiently.

Categorised in: Directional Drilling

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