![]() In many ways, this opened the door for more projects and advancements. It took some time, but the project was a success. Knowing he'd developed a new type of rig and was using some methods that were unconventional at the time, PG&E wanted him to try drilling underwater. In 1971, a huge breakthrough happened while Martin Cherrington was installing gas lines for the Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) - and they had to cross the Pajaro River in central California. The technology used for sewer line tracking and cable locating systems provided these building blocks, which would be strengthened years later through the addition of transistors and microprocessors. Formative Locating TechnologyĪdditionally, there were several developments from the mid-1950s through the late-1960s that would form the basis for transmitter location systems. Eventually, this led to Cherrington custom building an early version of a directional drilling rig in 1964 to complete road boring jobs. When Martin Cherrington watched a gas line installed using a handheld air drill, he got an idea for guided drilling. In the 1960s, another figure emerged who would be crucial to the birth of HDD. Ultimately, this saved the industry millions of dollars. Years later, because he had this claim as part of the patent, Dick was able to successfully stop a company from being able to charge a licensing fee to all contractors who used horizontal directional drilling. Part of that patent was the method of pulling a utility in behind a backreamer during horizontal drilling. In 1969, Dick and Ted obtained a patent on the DynaMole. Together, they developed the DynaMole self-propelled hydraulic boring machine, which made longer bores possible. With much of the same spirit, Fred's sons, Ted and Dick Melsheimer, started working at the company in 1955, joining full-time in 1961. In particular, he pioneered the slurry, or "wet," boring process - the foundation of all modern-day HDD. In addition to being a machinist and welder, Melsheimer designed and invented many tools and techniques that would form the basis for horizontal directional drilling. In 1946, Fred Melsheimer started Melfred Welding & Manufacturing. Before that first job could occur, a number of technological advancements had to be made. While HDD proper didn't emerge as a viable technology in construction until the 1970s, the seeds of innovation were sown well before that. The true history of horizontal directional drilling began long before HDD itself. The Early Days of Horizontal Directional Drilling: The 1940s to 1960s So, to understand where we're going, it's vital to know how far our industry has come. ![]() A lot of the HDD tools, methods and transmitter location systems we take for granted were based on technology created for different purposes, such as oil well drilling and general construction. It took many years, and incremental developments in directional technologies, to get to where we are today. The main functions of the fluid are to blend with the soil cuts produced during the drilling process and transport them to the entry pit, to mantain the tunnel stabilized and to lubricate the drilling tip.Like most good ideas, horizontal directional drilling did not spring forth fully formed. Typically this system contains a storage tank with fluid reserves to guarantee a constant supply of fluids to the drilling process. Drilling fluids system: Consists on a bentonite, polymer and wáter mixing pump, which injects the fluid trough the drilling pipes all the way to the drilling tip.The operator of the tracker can visualize the information emitted by the probe in real time so it can help the dirlling rig’s operator to make decisions on the directional alingment of the drilling and continue with the correct route, previously planned. Guidance system: It consists of an emitter probe and a walkover tracker, which function is to receibe information on surface and retrasnmit it to a screen located at the drilling rig.In addition, the sonde housing is preceded by the drill tip, which function is to cut the terrain and advance with the directional drilling thanks to its asimetrical shape. The drill pipes are preceded by a sonde housing wich contains an electrical probe that transmits in real time the depth, inclination and orientation of the drilling head, as well as other important parameters. Drill Rig: Refers to the equipment in charge of generating two main movements thrust and rotation of the drill pipes.Horizontal directional drilling system consists on 3 main subsystems:
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