Title: Annular fluid pressure estimation during pilot boring in horizontal directional drilling using the Bingham plastic flow model

Authors: Ali Rostami; Yaolin Yi; Alireza Bayat; Manley Osbak

Addresses: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211 116th Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211 116th Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada ' Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, 9211 116th Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1H9, Canada ' The Crossing Company Inc., 1807 8th Street, Nisku, Alberta, T9E 7S8, Canada

Abstract: The Bingham plastic flow model is predominantly used to predict the annular pressure in horizontal directional drilling (HDD); however, it estimates conservatively when using a two-speed viscometer with a high shear rate range of 300-600 RPM to determine the Bingham rheological parameters of the fluid. In this study, instead of the two-speed viscometer, a six-speed viscometer (shear rates of 3, 6, 100, 200, 300, and 600 RPM) was used in two HDD cases, and the annular pressure during pilot boring was predicted using the Bingham model with rheological parameters determined based on different shear rate ranges. The predicted pressures were compared to field measurements, and the comparison indicated favourable results for the Bingham model at the low shear rate range of 100-200 RPM. However, at high shear rate ranges of 200-300 and 300-600 RPM, the model overestimated the measurement up to 30% along the drill path and approximately 110% near the exit pit.

Keywords: horizontal directional drilling; HDD; pilot boring; annular pressure; Bingham plastic model; shear rate; plastic flow modelling; rheology; pipelines; underground utilities.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPE.2016.078814

International Journal of Petroleum Engineering, 2016 Vol.2 No.2, pp.79 - 90

Received: 16 Sep 2015
Accepted: 10 Jun 2016
Published online: 02 Sep 2016 *

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