EP2013438B1 - Method and devices for trenchless pipeline laying - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for trenchless pipe laying, a pipeline is constructed form a starting point to a goal point undercrossing an obstacle wherein the constructing of a bore hole and laying the prefabricated pipeline, which is constructed in one piece on the surface, are done in one work step, wherein at the front end of the pipeline a steerable drilling device is arranged, wherein a pipe thrusting device is arranged at the starting point applying forces from the outside to the pipeline via traction preferably friction by pushing the pipeline from a starting point to a goal point, wherein at the same time the necessary contact forces for drilling are transferred, wherein the cuttings produced during the drilling by the drilling device are removed and transported hydraulically out of the bore hole via a transport line inside the pipeline, and wherein the annular space between pipeline and bore hole wall created during drilling is continuously filled with a drilling suspension.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to a method and thereby usable devices for trenchless laying of pipes in the ground.

State of the art

In the past, numerous methods and devices have been developed for laying trenchless pipelines in the ground and thus traversing sensitive areas on the terrain surface for which laying in an open trench was not possible or advisable for technical, environmental, legal or economic reasons. This can e.g. be there the case where the surface in the laying area with heavy construction machinery can not be driven (eg bogs, waters) or where from an ecological point of view, no planning permission can be granted (eg in nature reserves) or where the use of conventional laying techniques would be too expensive (eg with large laying depths and high groundwater level).

The literature contains extensive works on the already used and proven installation methods (eg Stein, D., trenchless line construction, 2003 Emst & Sohn publishing house for architecture and technical sciences GmbH & CO. KG, Berlin, ISBN 3-433-01778-6 ). Here, a classification of the methods on the basis of controllability (controlled / uncontrolled procedure), the soil treatment (soil displacement / soil removal), the cuttings transport (mechanical, hydraulic) and the number of steps (pilot hole, expansion bore, retraction or insertion process) has proven , Other distinguishing features are, for example, the basic geometric design of the drilling axis (rectilinear, curved) and the pipe materials to be laid by means of the respective method (eg concrete, PE, cast iron, steel, etc.). In addition, the achievable bore dimensions (length, diameter, volume) are sometimes already suitable to assign certain procedures of the same or another group of procedures.

One known from the prior art method is the controlled horizontal drilling technique (Spülbohrverfahren, Horizontal Directional Drilling, HDD). EP-A-1 126 130 discloses such a method for trenchless laying of pipes along a predetermined drilling line. This will be a pilot hole and a pipeline is connected to a boring device and the drill string of the pilot bore and the pipeline is introduced by means of a feed device and the pulling of the drill string of the pilot bore. The direction is specified by the drill string. This three-phase process (pilot drilling, expansion bore, retraction process) can only be used to lay tensile-resistant pipes (eg made of steel, PE or cast iron). The geometric laying services are over 2,000 m and the achievable pipe diameters at a maximum of about 1,400 mm.

Although controllable horizontal well technology has proven to be a reliable method of laying in suitable soil formations around the world, there are still some environmental, technical and economic disadvantages.

For example, large work surfaces (a few thousand square meters) are required on both sides of the obstacle to be traversed (so-called rigsite and pipesite). These areas are not always present especially in ecologically sensitive areas or imply a correspondingly negative impact on the environment when used.

Another known method is microtunneling (MT). In this case, a controlled, sometimes curved bore is usually created from a launch shaft or a starting pit to a target shaft or a target pit. Characteristic of this method is that pilot drilling, Aufweitbohrung and insertion process of the tubes are realized in a single step. This combined operation is basically carried out pushing or pushing out of the starting shaft or the starting excavation pit and the non-zugfest interconnected jacking pipes generally correspond at the same time to be laid product tubes. With the MT method, bore lengths over 500 m and drill hole diameters of more than 2,000 mm can be achieved. Such a procedure is over US 4 121 673 A in that the closest prior art is considered known. There, an undercrossing of a river by means of microtunneling is made with a controllable drilling device. The drilling force is applied via curved concrete sections by means of a press frame from the drilling device and the concrete sections are thereby individually pressed. It is laid by the introduction of concrete sections a protective tunnel, in which then later a pipe is introduced.

A disadvantage of this method is, for example, to be seen in that the jacking pipes, which are usually made of concrete, remain in the bore, which is expensive causes the production of the bore. Although the use of steel or PE pipes is possible in principle for MT, it is unusual due to the associated technical difficulties. For example, PE pipes have a very low compressive strength and therefore limit the possible laying range directly. Although steel pipes are to be loaded axially high, but must also be installed in the starting area tube by tube and while being welded together. A use for high-pressure pipelines as oil or gas pipeline is not possible in this way.

Furthermore, it is off WO-A-2006/014417 a drilling method for drilling a horizontal, shallow bore as a directional bore to a target pit known. A double-shell, flexible drill string is used. The drill string is drummed and is drilled according to the coil tubing method during the drilling progress. The inner portion of the drill string serves to transmit torque to the downhole drilling tool. The outer part of the drill string serves to guide the bore. At the downhole side of the drill string a drilling tool is flanged. The drive is via the inner part of the drill string. To advance a feed device is provided above ground. Drilling fluid is provided between the drill string parts. The outer part may be made of polyethylene. The inner part is designed as a steel spring construction around a flexible core.

US-A-2002/195255 discloses a drilling apparatus for creating deflected deep wells in which the drill string is flexible and drilled. The drill string is also trimmed according to the coil tubing method during the drilling progress. At the end of the drill string a drilling device is provided. The drilling device is provided in the borehole with a hydraulic drive. The drill string is advanced during drilling until the target position or deposit is reached. Although coil tubing processes have a drill string that is prepared in one piece, it is not suitable as a product piping. Furthermore, the diameter of the drill string is limited

Presentation of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device with which trenchless laying of penstocks can be achieved particularly ecological and economic conditions is possible, and thus the above-mentioned disadvantages are substantially overcome.

The object is achieved with regard to the method by a method for laying pipes with the features of claim 1. With regard to the device, the object is achieved by the features of claim 4. Advantageous embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims.

The one-piece laying of the pipeline, which is the later production line, allows a quality check to be carried out in advance, as the pipeline is completed in its entirety before laying. It may be a pressure test and in particular an examination of the shocks such as the envelope as well as a sealing of the shocks are made. The inventive method, it is now possible to bring a certified and tested product line cost and quickly.

The fact that the outer diameter of the drilling device according to claim 2 is greater than the pipeline is additionally ensured that the envelope of the pipeline is charged as little as possible.

The method according to claim 3 allows a quick and therefore cost-effective installation, since set-up times, as they can make up 50% of the operating time of a drilling and laying plant, for example, when Microtunneling, are almost completely avoided.

The advantage of the drilling apparatus according to claim 4 is that it is possible by the cutting ring to avoid damage to the piping in case of necessitating retraction of the tubing string during drilling due to, for example, rock difficulty, lag or diameter subsidence of the wellbore. Furthermore, the preferably separately provided on-site drives of the cutting tool and the cutting ring allow optimal adaptation of the respective propulsion parameters in each direction.

An embodiment according to claim 5 allows an optimal arrangement of the cutting ring on the drilling device and an optimal use of the cutting ring for use in an insert for carrying out the inventive Process. Claim 6 shows an advantageous embodiment for achieving the controllability of the drill head. The advantageously integrated crusher according to claim allows a better removal of the cuttings, since the cuttings size homogenized after breaking present for removal. The use of high pressure nozzles according to claim 8 allows a particularly efficient and cost of material and wear costs rock erosion during drilling. The filling of the annulus between the borehole wall and piping causes in addition to the function of keeping open the borehole and a lubrication between the borehole and casing of the pipeline, which can be laid with less effort and thus more cost in the progressive bore the pipeline.

In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, a pipeline is laid from a starting point under an obstacle to a destination point, wherein the preparation of the well and the laying of the pre-fabricated on the ground surface in one piece pipeline are carried out in one step, at the front end of the pipeline a controllable boring device, a pusher mounted near the launching point exerts on the pipeline thrust forces, thereby pushing the tubing from the start point to the target point, simultaneously applying the pressure forces required for the boring process, the soil released by the boring device during the drilling operation taken and conveyed via a delivery line in the interior of the pipeline hydraulically from the well and the resulting during the installation process annulus between the pipe and the borehole wall continuously with a suitable Bo is filled.

The combination of these features is not met by any of the existing methods.

When using the method according to the invention can thus be laid in one piece prefabricated (pressure) piping to optimized ecological and economic conditions in the ground.

Brief description of the drawings

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Darstellung von prinzipiellen Einsatzmöglichkeiten des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens, und zwar in Teil
  1. a) eine Bohrlinie von einer Baugrube unter einem Hindernis zu einer Baugrube
  2. b) eine Bohrlinie von einer Baugrube unter einem Hindernis zu einem Schacht
  3. c) eine Bohrlinie von einer Baugrube unter einer Uferlinie zu einem Zielpunkt am Gewässerboden
• Fig. 2 eine prinzipielle Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens bei einer Bohrlinie von einer Baugrube unter einem Hindernis zu einer Baugrube, und zwar in Teil
  1. a) prinzipielle Darstellung der Montage der Bohrvorrichtung an die vorbereitete Rohrleitung
  2. b) prinzipielle Darstellung der Verlegung der Rohrleitung
  3. c) prinzipielle Darstellung der Erreichung des Zielpunkts mit der Bohrvorrichtung
  4. d) prinzipielle Darstellung des Rückzugs der Demontage der Bohrvorrichtung sowie ggf. Einkürzung der Rohrleitung am Startpunkt
• Fig. 3 eine prinzipielle Darstellung des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens bei einer Bohrlinie von einer Baugrube unter einer Uferlinie zu einem Zielpunkt am Gewässerboden, und zwar in Teil
  1. a) prinzipielle Darstellung der Montage der Bohrvorrichtung an die vorbereitete Rohrleitung
  2. b) prinzipielle Darstellung der Verlegung der Rohrleitung
  3. c) prinzipielle Darstellung der Erreichung des Zielpunkts mit der Bohrvorrichtung
  4. d) prinzipielle Darstellung des Rückzugs der Demontage der Bohrvorrichtung sowie ggf. Einkürzung der Rohrleitung am Startpunkt
• Fig.4 eine prinzipielle Darstellung der wesentlichen maschinentechnischen Komponenten des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens

In the following the invention will be described in more detail by means of exemplary embodiments. The drawings show in

• Fig. 1 a schematic representation of basic applications of the method according to the invention, in part
  1. a) a drill line from an excavation under an obstacle to a pit
  2. b) a drilling line from an excavation under an obstacle to a shaft
  3. c) a drill line from an excavation under a shoreline to a target point at the bottom of the water
• Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the method according to the invention in a drilling line from a pit under an obstacle to a pit, in part
  1. a) basic representation of the assembly of the drilling device to the prepared pipeline
  2. b) schematic representation of the installation of the pipeline
  3. c) principle representation of the achievement of the target point with the drilling device
  4. d) basic representation of the withdrawal of the dismantling of the drilling device and possibly shortening of the pipeline at the starting point
• Fig. 3 a schematic representation of the method according to the invention in a drilling line from a pit under a shoreline to a target point on the water bottom, in part
  1. a) basic representation of the assembly of the drilling device to the prepared pipeline
  2. b) schematic representation of the installation of the pipeline
  3. c) principle representation of the achievement of the target point with the drilling device
  4. d) basic representation of the withdrawal of the dismantling of the drilling device and possibly shortening of the pipeline at the starting point
• Figure 4 a schematic representation of the essential mechanical components of the method according to the invention

Best way to carry out the invention

The method according to the invention and the devices which can be used in this case for typical applications will be described below by way of example and in detail.

example 1

In the first example (see Fig. 2a - 2d ) is the starting point 1 in a starting pit 2 and the target point 3 in a target pit 4.

First, a drilling device 6 is prepared in the starting pit 1 and connected to the pipe 8. At the same time, the pusher 5 is positioned and anchored. The drilling device 6 is essentially a conventional microtunnelling or pipe-driving device ( Fig. 2a ).

Piping throughout this application is understood to mean a conduit made of pipes that conducts a whole line, such as gas or oil, even under high pressure conditions, unlike a well supporting conduit such as microtunnelling or jacking pipes or drill pipes.

With the help of the drilling device 6 a hole along a predetermined drilling line 7 is driven under an obstacle 9, wherein the drilling device 6 is acted upon by the pusher 5 via the pipe 8 with the force required for the drilling pressure. The measurement of the position of the drilling device 6 and the control of the same along the predetermined drilling line 7 are also carried out according to the common techniques of controlled pipe jacking ( Fig. 2b ).

The drilling process along the drilling line 7 is continued until the drilling device 6 has reached the target point 3 in the target excavation 4 ( Fig. 2c ).

Now in a final step, the drilling device 6 are removed from the pipe 8 and dismantled and removed the pusher 5. If necessary, the pipeline 8 is shortened in the area of the starting excavation 2 ( Fig. 2d ).

Example 2

In the second example (see Fig. 3a - 3d ) is the starting point 1 in a starting pit 2 and the target point 3 in a target pit 4.

First, a drilling device 6 is prepared in the starting pit 1 and connected to the pipe 8. At the same time, the pusher 5 is positioned and anchored. The drilling device 6 is essentially a conventional microtunnelling or pipe-driving device ( Fig. 3a ).

With the help of the drilling device 6 a hole along a predetermined drilling line 7 is driven under an obstacle 9, wherein the drilling device 6 is acted upon by the pusher 5 via the pipe 8 with the force required for the drilling pressure. The measurement of the position of the drilling device 6 and the control of the same along the predetermined drilling line 7 are also carried out according to the common techniques of controlled pipe jacking ( Fig. 3b ).

The drilling process along the drilling line 7 is continued until the drilling device 6 has reached the target point 3 at the water bottom 10 ( Fig. 3c ).

Now in a final step, the drilling device 6 are removed from the pipe 8 and dismantled and removed the pusher 5. If necessary, the pipeline 8 is shortened in the area of the starting excavation 2 ( Fig. 3d ).

Example 3

In the third example (see Fig. 4 ), the essential mechanical components of the method according to the invention are shown, where in a starting excavation 2 initially consisting of individual modules 13 drilling device 6 is mounted on a guide frame 22. At the front module there is a cutting wheel 14 as a cutting tool with high-pressure nozzles and at the rear module a cutting ring 16, which is arranged centrally around a connecting module 15.

At the free end of the connecting module 15, the prefabricated and mounted on roller blocks 21 pipe 8 is then attached tensile and pressure resistant. Near the starting pit 2 is the pusher 5, which receives the forces required for the drilling and laying process and dissipates into the soil.

The supply and control of the drilling device via the power and control cable 19, the feed line 18 (for the supply of fresh drilling fluid to the cutting wheel) and the delivery line 17 (to transport the loaded with cuttings drilling fluid out of the borehole). All these control and supply lines or cables run within the pipe 8 and are removed from the pipe 8 after reaching the target point 3.

Outside the pipe 8, the power and control cables are led to the control station with power supply 23. The feed line 18 connects the drilling fluid mixing plant with pump 24 with the drilling device 6 and supplies fresh drilling fluid, while the delivery line in the drilling fluid treatment plant 26 ends. There, the drilling fluid is cleaned from the cuttings and via a connecting line 25, the now fresh drilling fluid in turn the Bohrspülungsmischanlage be supplied with pump 24 (drilling fluid circuit). Via openings provided on the connection module 15, fresh drilling fluid is filled into the annulus between the pipeline and the borehole. Alternatively, drilling mud with cuttings in the annulus can be fed back to the drilling mud processing.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

starting point

2

starting excavation

3

Endpoint

4

target pit

5

pusher

6

drilling

7

drilling line

8th

pipeline

9

obstacle

10

sea bed

11

borehole wall

12

well

13

module

14

cutting wheel

15

connecting module

16

cutting ring

17

delivery line

18

feeder

19

Power and control cables

20

abutment

21

rollerstands

22

guide frame

23

Control station with power supply

24

Drilling mud mixing plant with pump

25

connecting line

26

Bohrspülungsaufbereitungsanlage

Claims (15)

1. Method for the trenchless laying of pipes comprising the following steps:

   carrying out work to produce a borehole along a predetermined boring line (7) and laying a pipeline (8) prepared in one piece in one work step, wherein the forces required for the boring and laying are transmitted to the boring device (6) via the pipeline (8),

   connecting the front end of the pipeline (8) to a steerable boring device (6),

   exerting forces from outside onto the pipeline (8) by force engagement and/or friction by means of a pushing device (5), whereby the pipeline (8) is pushed from the starting point (1) to the target point (3),

   removing the cuttings released by the boring device (6) during the boring operation and conveying them hydraulically out of the borehole,

   filling the annular space between the pipeline (8) and borehole wall (11) produced during the laying operation continuously with a liquid.
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the pipeline has an outside diameter of at least 400 mm.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the boring and the laying operation of the pipeline (8) are carried out simultaneously and substantially continuously.
4. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pipeline (8) is a product pipeline.
5. Method according to Claim 4, characterized in that the pipeline (8) is quality-tested and/or pressure-tested prior to insertion.
6. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the outside diameter of the boring device (6) is larger than that of the pipeline (8).
7. Method according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pipeline (8) is withdrawn in the event of difficulties during the boring and laying operation.
8. Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that a cutting ring (16) arranged on the boring device (6) is activated with the withdrawal of the pipeline (8).
9. Boring device for a trenchless laying of pipes for use for a method according to one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the boring device (6) is steerable, the boring device (6) is provided at its front end face with a boring head with a cutting tool (14), the boring device (6) has at its rear end face a connecting module (15) for connecting to a pipeline (8), and the rear end face of the boring device (6) is provided with a cutting ring (16), wherein the cutting tool (14) and/or the cutting ring (16) are driven by at least one in situ drive.
10. Boring device according to Claim 9, characterized in that the outside diameter of the cutting ring (16) is slightly smaller than that of the boring head and its inside diameter is slightly larger than that of the connecting module (15).
11. Boring device according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the steerable boring device is composed of at least two modules (13) which are connected in an articulated manner to one another via at least three respective steering cylinders.
12. Boring device according to one of Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that a crusher is integrated in the first module (13) of the boring device (6).
13. Boring device according to one of Claims 9 to 12, characterized in that high-pressure nozzles from which the boring fluid is pumped out under high pressure are mounted on the cutting tool (14) of the boring device (6), and/or in that the cutting tool (14) and the cutting ring (16) can be driven separately.
14. Boring device according to one of Claims 9 to 13, characterized in that openings are made on the connecting module (15), from which openings the annular space produced during the boring operation between the borehole (11) and pipeline (8) is filled with boring fluid.
15. Boring device according to one of Claims 9 to 14, characterized in that high-pressure nozzles from which the boring fluid is pumped out under high pressure, preferably during withdrawal, are mounted on the cutting ring (16) of the boring device (6).

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