January 2019 Vol. 74 No. 1
New Products
First Look: Hunting Introduces Mud Motor for Mid-Range HDD Rigs
Hunting Energy Services has introduced a 4-inch mud motor for use with mid-range horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment.
“We have developed a mud motor that can be use with directional drills ranging from 24,000 to 40,000 pounds of pullback,” said Klane Kirby, general manager of Hunting’s trenchless division. “The 400 M-Series mud motor allows drillers using smaller rigs to drill rock when necessary.”
Kirby said a key feature of the new mud motor is the location of the downhole sonde within 26 inches of the bit, making it easier to know the bit’s position. Conventional motors, he added, position the sound 13 to 15 feet away from the bit.
“The challenge was to find an electronics company to work with us to design a small sonde with excellent depth capabilities,” Kirby said. “Underground Magnetics is manufacturing a small-diameter sonde exclusively for Hunting that can reach depths to 90 feet.”
The new mud motor and tracing equipment is available now from Hunting distributors for sale and rental.
“At this time,” said Kirby, “the motor can only be used with Underground Magnetics systems due to the small diameter sonde. We do provide a package price for everything and we do send the electronics at no extra charge on a rental. This motor can also be used with wireline systems.”
The Hunting mud motor accepts bits ranging from 4 7/8 to 5 7/8 inches.
On the job
The overall length is 13 feet; the bit with a two-degree bend is 52 inches. Flow range is 35 to 150 gpm with speed range from 78 to 225 rpm. Operating differential pressure is 530 psi and the torque at operating differential pressure is 720-foot pounds.
Kirby said the motor uses about two to three times more fluid than conventional dirt housings. Therefore, a small reclaimer may be needed depending upon distance to a water source.
Mechanical, dual-pipe drive systems are available for rock drilling with the same size equipment that the new Hunting motor is designed for.
“Hunting’s approach.” Kirby said, “is to offer the owner of a small conventional dirt machines an option to drill rock on occasions when encountering it – another tool in their tool box, so to speak. This approach is much more economical than the dual-pipe systems ordered on a drill which can increase the overall cost of the drill 20 to 25 percent. Our mud motor enables the small drill owner the capability to drill sections of rock and still maintain a small footprint in residential areas with limited space.”
A good example of the Hunting motor’s use was a bore in McDavid, Fla., said Kirby.
“Our customer had attempted a 325-foot creek crossing five different times with a dirt housing on his Toro machine,” he continued. “Each time. they hit a layer of rock between 10 and 15 feet deep. This layer would not let them go up or down, depending on which side of the creek they were on . We took the Hunting motor and made the bore the first time. Our deepest depth was around 24 feet with a length of bore between 325 and 350 feet. The bore was completed in less than two days.”
Hunting Energy Services is a leading provider of HDD drill pipe and downhole tool products that include saver subs, drive chucks, starter rods, transition subs and quick connecters.
Underground Magnetics manufactures HDD tracking equipment, including transmitters, receivers and displays.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Hunting Energy Services Inc., Trenchless, 337-367-9296, hunting-intl.com/trenchless
Underground Magnetics,
(913) 626-7654, undergroundmagnetics.com
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