Innovative Pipeline Crossings - Driect

[C4stle]

My company is requiring horizontal direction drilling (in the order of less than 500 m total station, with minimal elevation changes) and we have retained a contracting company to accomplish this for us. Until several days ago the methodologies for this drill were conventional HDDs. The contracting company has suggested a new and innovative type of drilling that will reduce cost and schedule. It seems the trade-off comes into play when considering how rare the equipment is that is required for this innovative yet seemingly desirable drilling method (due to savings in cost and schedule). The innovative method is called Direct Pipe (proprietary) and appears to be in use in Europe quite steadily.

I am wondering if anyone on these forums has experience with this horizontal drilling method, and if anyone has technical information on this. I am attempting to review this method for approval; however, the lack of Albertan history with this method/product is limited.

I have general documents from the company doing this work for me so far; however they are non-technical in nature and are very sales-pitchy. I would like to see some unbiased, yet experienced information about this technology, especially considering how many advantages they are piling into their documents. It is difficult to get a good idea of what this methodology can and cannot do, and where it should and should not be used.

Thanks for your time

 

[BigInch]

I'd like to have a look at it. Got a link?

Independent events are seldomly independent.