Drilling fluids returns on horizontal directional drilling projects can be difficult to deal with. If not recycled, drilling fluids returns can be a muddy mess that must be either solidified or sucked up with vacuum equipment and hauled off constantly throughout the duration of a bore. Drilling fluid returns can run off into ditches or bodies of water where additional clean-up can be costly, and contractors constantly get complaints about the unsightly mess. The only thing worse than having to deal with drilling fluid returns is not having returns while drilling, and this article will focus on the importance of return flow along with ways to maintain return flow.
A lack of drilling fluid returns on a horizontal directional drilling project is most often a sign that something bad is getting ready to happen. Unless loss-circulation problems such as voids have been encountered, a lack of drilling fluid returns usually means that drill cuttings are not exiting the borehole, and the product line and/or the drill stem and tooling is at risk of getting stuck or breaking. A lack of drilling fluid returns is also a good indication that annular pressure is building, which can cause severe damage to surrounding pavement and/or structures.