Fluids are the lifeblood of any drilling operation. Horizontal directional drilling is no exception. To find out more about the methods used by HDD contractors, and some of the challenges they face with disposal and recycling, we spoke with Seth Matthesen, senior product manager for HDD with Ditch Witch. Our conversation here has been edited for clarity and space.
Q. We all hear stories of drillers who swear by water as an all-purpose drilling fluid. Is this kind of thinking going away?