Underground Construction - March 2022 - 26

Muddy Waters
Th e costs associated with containing and disposing of used
drilling fl uid can be signifi cant. Th ey include the need to buy
or rent containment equipment, transportation and disposal
fees, and the cost of fuel. Th e hassle does not end with disposal
costs. Since used drilling fl uid is being removed from
the job site, HDD contractors must prepare more fl uid with
additional water and additives, resulting in further expenses
and downtime.
However, many of these costs can be reduced by incorporating
a fl uid cleaning system. Such a system helps operators
remove solids out of the drilling fl uid, cleaning the water and
allowing it to be reused. As a result, HDD contractors can cut
disposal costs and reduce the environmental impact because
less waste is created. In addition, by reusing the fl uid instead
of disposing it, contractors can spend less time preparing a
new drilling fl uid for a cleaner, more cost-eff ective operation.
Promote HDD uptime
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link and HDD contractors
are only as productive as the machines they rely on. In
the context of a fl uid cleaning system, there are a few aspects
of the system that determine a machine's dependability.
One of the most integral aspects, however, is the shaker
screen. As the fi rst line of defense, shaker screens remove solids
on the fi rst cut and can dispose of them before going into
the fl uid cleaning system. When working together, shaker
screens and fl uid cleaning systems can promote HDD uptime
and boost job site effi ciency.
In one example, a local Buenos Aires HDD company
needed to replace 5,800 feet of pipe beneath a large body of
water that was known for its abundant fi sheries and public
park areas. Th is meant stringent environmental precautions
were mandatory.
To be successful, effi cient management of the drilling
Shaker screen.
fl uid's component was paramount to complete the crossing
on-time and with minimal environmental impacts. Th e
equipment included a 440,000-pound maxi rig and a fl uid
cleaning system outfi tt ed with two shaker screens. One motion
shaker made the fi rst cut on the raw mud with underfl ow
fl uid reporting to a 2,000-gallon primary tank below. Mud
returns with high solids content were pumped from the bore
hole into a fl uid cleaning system. With the correct pumping
rate during construction and fl ow rate during reaming, the
operation was on a path to success.
However, as the new drill path paralleled the existing live
pipe, great precision was required to minimize the risk of an
inadvertent return. Th e continuous fl ow of clean drilling fl uids
contributed to a 25-percent reduction in the anticipated
overall job completion time. In addition, the combination of
a fl uid cleaning system with a shaker screen helped minimize
haul-off costs and diminished all detrimental risks to the
parks and lakes.
Winning combination
Drilling fl uids are a necessity to the HDD job site, but fl uid
cleaning systems are imperative to job site success. With the
increase in environmental regulations and worker demand,
fl uid cleaning systems are not only helping solve contractors'
top fl uid management pain points, but also increasing overall
job-site ROI. Adding a fl uid cleaning system with a shaker
screen can help contractors cut costs, minimize downtime
caused by inadvertent return or haul-off trips, and help improve
overall job-site productivity. *
ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Richard Levings is the product manager
for American Augers, and Ben Clark is the global manger - civil for Derrick
Corporation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Fluid cleaning system
26 MARCH 2022 | UCONonline.com
American Augers, 800-324-4930, americanaugers.com
Derrick Corporation, (281) 590-3003, derrick.com
http://www.americanaugers.com http://www.derrick.com http://www.UCONonline.com
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