Afrika Design Centre Ltd.

Memo
To: From: Date: Re:

Enyo Matrevi, MGhIE Nii K. Allotey, PhD, PENG, MGhIE, Brenden Atarigiya 13/09/2013 Geotechnical Considerations for Horizontal Directional Drilling Across Ankobra River

1.
1.1

Introduction
Purpose of Memo

This memo is in response to the request by EM Geotech Ltd. to ADC Ltd., for comments on proposed Horizontal Directional Drilling across the Ankobra River in the Western Region of Ghana to be undertaken by Sinopec International of China. 1.2 Information Provided by EM Geotech Excel files with borehole loggings for eight boreholes Print out of cross-section of bore path with associated SPT values

The following information was provided by EM Geotech Ltd.:

1.3 Required Tasks Provide Comments on Geotechnical concerns

2.

Geotechnical Concerns

The feasibility and operating parameters for Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) are determined in large part by subsurface conditions along the pipeline alignment. Conditions that mainly affect a successful HDD are: Soil type: Soil identification to locate rock, rock inclusions, gravelly soils, loose deposits, discontinuities and hardpan. Gravel constituency: this is inversely proportional to the ability to ream fluid conditions Soil/Rock strength and stability characteristics: impacting cost and installation timing of open hole structures. Table 1 taken from Ref. [1] indicates the suitability of HDD as a function of the general characteristics of the soil conditions in the area. The indications of applicability assume that the contractor and crew is trained and experienced in the use of the HDD equipment. The Ankobra River area is generally composed of silts and phyllite with cobbles and gravels occasionally encountered. From the bore path in the cross-section, the earth materials to be encountered are; completely to highly weathered phyllite, dense gravel with cobbles, sandy silt/clayey silt, weak phyllite rock, silts with gravel and cobbles.

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The SPT values of the formations in the drill path show dense to very dense material which is very good to excellent respectively for HDD operations. HDD in this kind of formation, if well executed will be successful, with reference to Table 1. However, much concern should be given in the silt with gravel and cobbles formation. This formation could result in unintentional bore path deviations and could hamper the success of the drilling process.

Table 1: HDD Applicability for Various Soil/Rock Conditions

Earth Material Type Gravel Range, % by Weight Directional Drilling Applicability Good to Excellent. Plugging of the annulus surrounding the stem during pilot hole drilling may allow downhole drilling fluid pressurization sufficient to produce mud seeps through slickensides. Also, at depth penetration of strong clay surrounded by considerably weaker and/or looser soils-if not conducted at a sufficient steep angle and/or into a preformed slot-may result in the pilot stem bit skipping along the weak/strong interface. Pilot stem steering difficulties are likely to result during passage through very soft layers. Good to Excellent. Gravel constituency may cause slight pilot stem steering problems. Some steering imprecision may also result during passage through very loose material. Drilling mud -with viscosity, pressure, and volume matched b conditions - necessary for hole maintenance during reaming, especially in the looser strata" Marginally Acceptable. Drilling mud characteristics and handling critical for successful horizontal penetration and/or conduct of horizontal/vertical curves. Stratum penetration at an angle normally presents few problems with proper drilling mud. Additional surging will probably be required to clean the reamed hole prior to carrier pipe pull-back. Questionable. Horizontal penetration for any appreciable distance, plus conduct of curves, will be extremely difficult regardless of drilling mud quality. Angled penetration to/from a horizontally drillable layer is possible but pilot hole steering may be imprecise Unacceptable. With present technology and experience, horizontal penetration, especially in the denser strata, is almost impossible. Such materials must be avoided or transited at a steep angle. Excellent to Unacceptable. Softer and/or partially weathered lithified materials offer HDD performance akin to that of hard strength clay. If in a solid state, boring technology although time consuming and expensive- is available to drill through more competent rock, especially in weaker horizontal plane. However, penetrating solid rock after passing through non-lithified soil may be difficult due to |the pilot bits tendency to skip along the lower hard surface. If in rounded cobble form, competent rock is virtually impossible to drill.

Very soft to hard strength, possibly slickensided clay (prefractured via desiccation).

N/A

Very loose to very dense sand with or without gravel traces.

0 to 30

Very loose to very dense gravely sand

30 to 50

Very loose to very dense sandy gravel

50 to 85

Very loose to very dense gravel.

85 to 100

Rock

N/A

3.
[1]

References
Hair, WC, Capazolli, LJ. Site investigation requirements for large diameter HDD projects, New Advances in Trenchless Technology: An Advanced Technical Seminar, St. Joseph, Missouri, US, December 1994.

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