In the summer of 2021, Brownline USA was involved in a gas pipeline installation project in Louisville, KY. It proved to be a challenging bore, but the success of this project meant a much safer distribution of natural gas for Louisville’s current and future residents.
Over the last two and a half decades, Louisville Gas & Electric has been replacing their pipelines, and in 2021, Hard Rock Directional Drilling was contracted in order to install a new pipeline in eastern Louisville. This pipeline was needed to supply a newly developing residential area. The existing pipeline network simply couldn’t handle the capacity that the developing neighborhoods demanded.
The drill path was a challenging one. It curved a total of 30 degrees horizontally and a small lake had to be crossed. Close to the exit point, it passed under Floyds Fork, an environmentally sensitive creek. The soil was also characterized by hard rock formations. For a job this demanding, Brownline’s Gyro Steering Tool was the ideal solution.
Using a 3-degree bend mud motor to penetrate rock formations and our highly accurate steering tool, the drill was kept on track along the nearly 3500 ft drill path. About 100 ft before punch-out, we used our GPS Track add-on to verify the drill’s position and to guarantee the accuracy of the exit point.
The accuracy of our tools resulted in a safe and efficient installation of this pipeline. With this project, Brownline USA has once again contributed to the safe distribution of natural gas in the United States.