Horizontal Directional Drilling PowerTool
Introduction
The New Horizontal Directional Drilling PowerTool (HDDPT) enables safe and efficient drilling, reaming, and installation of pipelines at road crossings, water bodies, and railroad right of ways.
Using HDDPT will lower construction risks and costs by providing:
- Advanced HDD design insight and planning for successful execution of all operations.
- A solution that minimizes excavation complexity and lowers the cost of pipeline installation.
- Advanced borehole stability to prevent borehole collapse or washout.
- Ad Hoc operational calculations to monitor drilling/pulling operations.

Address all HDD Applications with the latest HDDPT Technology
HDDPT is specifically developed for professionals involved in designing, engineering, and installation of pipelines and utilities by horizontal directional drilling. HDDPT can be used for the design and installation of pipelines and conduits for the following applications:
- Natural Gas
- Petroleum
- Water & Sewer Lines
- Other Fluids
- Telecommunications
- Electric Power Lines
HDDPT has all the engineering calculations needed to solve HDD project challenges quickly. The underlying mathematical models and technical procedures are based on the latest HDD technology, following current regulations, standards, and recommended practices. HDDPT addresses standard stress and pull-force analysis for steel and polyethylene pipe, drilling fluid hydraulic and pressure analysis, and addresses the installation of cables in conduits.
Module/Applications
- HDDPT – Drilling Fluids/Mud Management
- HDDPT – Miscellaneous
- HDDPT – Plastic Pipes
- HDDPT – Steel Pipes
- HDDPT – Cables in Conduits
- HDDPT – Hydraulic Fracture Analysis
References
- Willoughby, David (2005). Horizontal Directional Drilling, McGraw-Hill, New York, ISBN 0-87814-395-5. v.
- Willoughby, David, Training – Horizontal Directional Drilling, TTI, November 2016
- HDD Consortium. (2001). Horizontal directional drilling, good practices guidelines, HDD Consortium.
- Horizontal Directional Drilling Training Manual, Horizontal Drilling International, February 1999
- Skonberg, Eric R. II. Muindi, Tennyson M. (2014). Pipeline Design for Installation by Horizontal Directional Drilling, American Society of Civil Engineers. Horizontal Directional Drilling Design Guideline Task Committee.
- “Installation of Pipelines by Horizontal Directional Drilling”, PRCI Report PR-227-9424
- Nayyar, Mohinder L. (1992). Piping Handbook, 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, NY.
- AWWA (2006), PE Pipe Design and Installation, M55, American Water Works Association, Denver, CO
- ASTM (1962), PPI Handbook
Appendix – Definitions
ANNULUS – the open space between the wall of the borehole and drill string.
BACK REAMER – is a drilling designed to enlarge and clean out a pilot hole.
BORING PROJECT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM:
(XS) Extra Small Bore = less than 2”
(S) Small Bore = more than 2” – less than 4”
(M) Medium Bore = more than 4” less than 8”(L) Large Bore = more than 8” less than 24″
(XL) Bore = more than 24” less than 48”
(XXL) Bore = more than 48”
BENTONITE – is a clay material for making drilling mud and sealing the annulus.
Presents loss of drilling fluids
Supports borehole wall
Removes cuttings from the borehole
Reduces friction during drilling and insertion of materials
BOREHOLE – is a cavity created by the drilling process to pull a casing or pipe to complete the well.
CASING – is a pipe that comprises of the entrance and exit of a horizontal well.
CIC – Cables in Conduits
CSV file – Comma-separated-variable file (MS Excel compatible)
EICEbox – Suite of engineering application (EICEcube) modules developed by EICE
DRILLING MUD – is a slurry used to carry drill cuttings from the borehole, prevent collapse, and provide lubrication to facilitate the drill string.
HDD – Horizontal Directional Drilling
HOOP STRESS – is determined by Barlow’s formula: SH = Internal Pressure x Outside Pipe Diameter/2 x Pipe Wall Thickness
HYDRAULIC FRACTURE OR FRAC OUT – is when the pressure increases and fractures the formation, thus creating a pathway to the ground surface for the drilling fluids.
ICD – Interface Control Document
INSTALLATION STRESSES – Combined tensile, bending, and external hoop stresses that occur simultaneously.
LOCATOR – is a navigation system to determine the location of the drillhead depth and horizontal placement.
LONGITUDINAL STRESS – is determined by Barlow’s formula: SL = Internal Pressure x Outside Pipe Diameter/4 x Pipe Wall
OLE – On-Line Edition
OPERATIONAL STRESSES – Longitudinal and hoop stresses will result from internal pressure and thermal expansion/contraction like trenched pipelines. These stresses are used to evaluate the risk of failure.
PILOT HOLE – is the first borehole made in the HDD installation.
PowerTool – Standalone engineering application from skyBox
REAMER – is a cutting tool to enlarge the borehole.
RADIUS – The distance of a straight line from the center of a circle to its edge.
STRESS – The load per unit of area. Ordinarily, stress-strain curves do not show the true stress (load divided by area at that moment) but a fictitious value obtained by always using the original area.
TENSILE STRENGTH – The value obtained by dividing the maximum load observed during tensile straining until breakage occurs by the specimen cross-sectional area before straining. Also called ultimate strength.
TTL – Technical Toolboxes
UCD – User Control Document
YIELD STRENGTH – The stress at which a material exhibits a specified limiting deviation from proportionality of stress to strain. An offset of 0.2 percent is used for many metals such as steel, aluminum base, and magnesium base alloys. In comparison, a 0.5 percent total elongation under load is frequently used for copper alloys.
Related Links
Horizontal Directional Drilling PowerTool (HDDPT) Software Overview
Steel vs. Plastic Pipe HDD Design Consideration
Table of Contents
Table of Pages
- Pipeline HUB User Resources
- AC Mitigation PowerTool
- API Inspectors Toolbox
- Horizontal Directional Drilling PowerTool
- Crossings Workflow
- Pipeline Toolbox
- Encroachment Manager
- PRCI AC Mitigation Toolbox
- PRCI Thermal Analysis for Hot-Tap Welding
- PRCI River-X
- PRCI RSTRENG
- RSTRENG+
- Ad-hoc Analysis
- Database Import
- Data Availability Dashboard
- ESRI Map
- Report Builder
- Hydrotest PowerTool
- Investigative Dig PowerTool
- Hydraulics PowerTool
- External Corrosion Direct Assessment Procedure - RSTRENG
- Canvas
- Definitions
- Pipe Schedule and Specifications Tables