West Texas Boring installs pipeline in unforgiving ground that would send many contractors home. Ground conditions in the Permian Basin oil fields range from dirt, sand, gravel and rock to extremely hard rock — all in the same bore. It is common for West Texas Boring to install 16-in (41-cm) and 24-in (61-cm) casings in this demanding environment.
After building a unique boring machine in his spare time at the age of 60, Bill Harrington started the company in 1975. The rest is history. Built on innovation, reliable equipment helps West Texas Boring thrive in the most extreme conditions. The company is no stranger to directional drilling in hard rock for oil and gas, municipal and telecom customers. That’s why the company relies on Vermeer horizontal directional drills (HDDs) and reclaimers.
Built to withstand hard rock
“Eighty percent of West Texas is rock. We need dependable equipment to complete these difficult rock bores,” said West Texas Boring General Manager Derrick Pursley.
Directional drilling in hard rock exposes machines to excessive vibration, which can lead to increased wear and tear on the equipment. However, this is not the only challenge.
“The area we work in has no vegetation. With any type of wind, we have sand blowing all over the place,” said West Texas Boring Field Superintendent Michael Contreras.
The company runs three size classes of machines, including the Vermeer D40x55 S3, D100x140 S3 and D220x500 S3 HDDs.
“When it comes to equipment, we buy the best out there. That is why we buy Vermeer. Our Vermeer equipment has proven very dependable,” said Pursley.
With 100,000 lb (444.8 kN) thrust, Vermeer D100x140 S3 HDDs are the backbone of their hard rock directional drilling operations.
“It is the most versatile machine there is. It can fit into some tight places. It will do anything from 3,000-ft (914.4-m) shots to short 80-ft (24.4-m) shots. The D100x140 S3 HDDs are typically on rock jobs and are subject to a lot of vibration,” said Contreras.
These machines thrive in rocky terrain, often running eight to 10 hours a day on longer bores and larger diameter pipes.
“The dependability and the power that you can take to the jobsite has proven itself and gives our crews the confidence they need to get the job done. The D100x140 S3 is a true workhorse for the company,” says Pursley.
Power is always a concern when performing hard-rock directional drilling. However, the Vermeer D100x140 S3 is up for the challenge.
“It is a monster of a machine. It will do anything you ask it to do,” said Contreras.
High-hour machines maximize productivity
Typically, demanding applications and high-hour machinery do not mix. The rugged and easy-to-maintain design of the Vermeer D100x140 S3 is an exception.
“We have an aging fleet at West Texas Boring,” says Pursley. “The D100x140 S3 HDDs have an average of over 3,000 hours. One unit has almost 5,000 hours. However, they do very well over time. It is a proven platform.”
The D100x140 S3 HDDs show no signs of slowing down.
“We definitely put it through its paces. Reliability is at the top of our list. Without that, you don’t have anything,” said Contreras. “It has never let us down.”
In fact, West Texas Boring has yet to replace a Vermeer directional drill.
“We still have our original Series II machine. It was the first one that we bought. It has 8,000 plus hours on it,” said Pursley.
Reliable support
“The D100x140 S3 holds up really well for West Texas Boring,” said Vermeer Texas-Louisiana Sales Representative Hayden McCalib. “It is easy to work on. We have talked about new machines, but these drills keep holding up.”
A maintenance-friendly design, coupled with a strong preventive maintenance focus, helps West Texas Boring keep directional drilling projects of all kinds on schedule.
“Service is a big part of our company. We maintain these machines well so they can withstand those tough conditions,” said Pursely. “Vermeer of Texas-Louisiana provides us with the needed parts at critical times. I am on the phone with them almost daily to order parts or request service. We are on a first-name basis. I see Vermeer Texas-Louisiana as a partner.”
Mud management keeps projects on schedule
Pairing the D100x140 S3 with an R250C reclaimer provides West Texas Boring a much-needed solution to manage water on arid jobsites.
“Fluid management is a key aspect of the D100x140 S3 so you can limit how much water you are hauling out or in. We reclaim fluid from both sides, entry and exit,” said Pursley.
The reclaimer also removes contaminants before they can shorten pump life.
“A Vermeer R250C cleans the fluid so it is easy on the pump and you have less pump rebuilds,” noted Pursely.
Ease of transport increases productivity
The Vermeer D100x140 S3 weighs less than 120,000 lb (54,431 kg). This provides a significant advantage when it comes time to move between jobs.
“You stay under the 120,000-lb (54,431 kg) class and you can use your annual permit to haul that machine around. It definitely helps with your productivity to be able to move that machine between jobs without having to wait for a permit,” said Pursely.
The D100x140 S3 is the perfect machine because of its reliability, power and ease of use.
“The D100x140 brings the power we need to the jobsite. It gives our crews the confidence they need to get the job done,” said Pursley.
For more information about pipeline directional drills or reclaimers, contact your local Vermeer dealer.
This article contains third-party observations, advice or experiences that do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Vermeer Corporation, its affiliates or its dealers. Testimonials and/or endorsements by customers in specific circumstances may not be representative of normal circumstances experienced by all customers.
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