Environmental Remediation Using Horizontal Directional Drilling: Applications and Modeling

Abstract

The use of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) technology in environmental remediation operations is an emerging field. An overview of horizontal environmental well technology, and its use in North America is presented. The advantages and disadvantages of this technology are discussed and three case studies are described. The case studies demonstrate the use of horizontal wells to effectively remediate contaminated soil and ground water. In the future, greater utilization of this technology will likely occur as both the direct installation costs and the risks borne by the contractor decline. This can be partially achieved by the utilization of numerical tools such as modeling and simulation software, which can contribute to reducing uncertainty and increasing productivity. One such application named SEHDDO (simulation environment for horizontal directional drilling operations) is described. When fully developed this computational framework will include a three-dimensional (3D) simulation of well performance, a specialized information system, and an estimating package.