WORK METHOD STATEMENT

FOR DIRECTIONAL DRILLING

Project Name: Supply & Installation of Fiber Optic Cable

AADC Contract No: A/11916

Client: Al Ain Distribution Company

Contractor: Intelligent Telecommunication Systems

Purpose : Install utilities ( Pipes or Cables ) underground non disturbing ground surface

This statement provides details of the equipment and procedure to carryout directional drilling works.

1. As per the drawing provided for the location where directional drilling works to be carried out,
detailed information of the existing utilities, proposed route drawings and references marks.
2. Carry out survey to locate all existing utilities by making trail pit and by using Electronic detectors if
necessary to trace underground utilities and then to make soil test to understand the ground
condition. A surface level is taken prior to all Drilling works.
3. Make a bore plan (profile) clearly mentioning all existing utilities, exact location of entry and exit pits
and the different levels in which the directional drilling (Pilot bore) is to be carried out.
4. Prepare the drilling location with all necessary safety materials, machine and required length and dia
meter of HDPE pipes joined together using butt fusion welding machine.
5. The machine (drill unit) is anchored to the ground, location supposed to be the entry pit with anchor
stakes for proper fixing the machine.
6. The pilot : a sonde contained metal body with angled bit is drilled into the ground in the desired
angle as to start the pilot bore as per the bore plan or profile made.
7. Fluid mixing system (bentonite mixer): the Ditch Witch FM 13 mixing system comes with a 1000 gal
mixing capacity and can attain a maximum flow rate of 300 gal per minute. Normal flow rate used is
10 gal per minute during pilot bore and 30 gal per minute during back reaming/pipe pulling.
8. The fluid: a mixture of bentonite (pure clay oil) and water mixed in a proper proportion to obtain
good slurry is sprayed with pressure through the pilot head (angle bit) at 10 gal per minute to
lubricate the drill procedure and to cool the electronic tracking device sonde inside the pilot.

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 WORK METHOD STATEMENT
FOR DIRECTIONAL DRILLING

9. The locater: an electronic signal receiver is used to track the pilot from the ground surface. This helps
the head to deviate to desired angle and depth as the pilot is pushed by the drilling unit without
rotating and later drilled by pushing and rotating the pilot.
10. When the drill head reaches the planned destination it is steered to the ground surface and obtained
in the receiving place on exit pit made.
11. The reamer : the back reamer is designed and made in different shapes and sizes so as to reach the
user requirement according to the soil condition and size of the pipe to be installed as the size differs
from diameter 110mm, 200mm, 225mm, 300mm, 350mm, 380mm, 415mm, 450mm and 480mm so
as to be used for installation pipes diameter differing from 100mm, 110mm, 160mm, 180mm,
200mm, 315mm,400mm and also installing number of pipes together like 3 way, 4 way and 6 way of
100mm and 110mm, 3 way and 4 way of 160mm, 180mm pipes and also 3 way of 200mm pipes.
12. The back reaming: when the drill head is received in the exit pit it is then de-attached from the drill
pipes and a back reamer is attached to it which is then pulled back to the entry side using slurry with
a pressure depending on the soil condition (30 gal per minute for normal soil). The back reaming
process is made a number of times in different sizes to reach the required size of drill whole for the
pipe to freely run through it.
13. Pipe installing: a swivel is attached to the back reamer, connected to the pipes to be installed, towing
to the machine (entry pit ) side. Back reaming and pulling the pipes at the same times will allow the
pipes to be installed underground without excavation, during this process the drill fluid will assist the
lubrication factor and creating a slurried area around the drill hole for the pipe to be installed
without any void.
14. The back reaming and pull back will continue until reamer and pipes reach the launch side of the
directional drilling, then disconnect swivel and towing head from the pipes will complete the drilling
work.
15. A surface level is again repeated later six months and one year after the directional drilling job is
finished as for the surface settlement limit is not more than 2mm at a period of six months and not
more than 5mm at a period of one year. The formula for maximum surface settlement is :

S max = 0.313 VLD2 / i

D excavated diameter of bore/tunnel

I distance from bore/ tunnel
S max maximum settlement with a settlement trough
VL volume loss as ratio of notional excavated volume of tunnel
As per O’Reilly and New proposal the relation between i and Z0 for normal soil is :
I = 0.28 Z0 – 0.12

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 WORK METHOD STATEMENT
FOR DIRECTIONAL DRILLING

PREWORK NOTES:
1. Safety margin: directional drilling centre will be 2.00 meters away from any crossing or parallel
utilities.
2. Upon drilling the central line will be represented by steel sticks each of them is tagged by depth
required at every single point.

3. Entry pit is designed according to soil properties, ground water level & required depth at the start
point.

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