Emergency Handling of Drill Bit Jamming During Horizontal Directional Drilling
Jun 22, 2026| 1. Targeted Classification and Treatment
Drill bit jamming due to contact with underground pipelines: Immediately withdraw the drill bit, pull back the drill rod, and relocate the drilling rig to redo the pilot hole.
Drill bit jamming due to bricks/small stones in fill: Release the torque and slowly enlarge the hole at low speed to free the drill bit.
Drill bit jamming due to large rocks/concrete blocks: Try to withdraw the drill bit, relocate the drilling rig to redo the pilot hole, or excavate and remove the rocks before continuing work.
Drill bit jamming frequently in hard clay layers: Significantly slow down the enlargement speed, increase the amount of drilling mud, and extend the pullback time for each drill rod.
Drill bit jamming due to tree roots: Release the torque and slowly enlarge the hole. After passing through the tree root, continue enlarging to break up the root and remove the obstacle.
2. General Emergency Rescue Plan If the drill string gets stuck, immediately stop forced drilling. Connect the drill rod, wire rope, and pipe-laying rig to the side where the soil has emerged. The drilling rig should apply appropriate thrust synchronously and pull back the reamer to free the drill string. Control the torque throughout the process to avoid damaging the drill rod threads and the drilling rig motor.
In cases of long-distance, complex geological formations where the drill string gets stuck, a backup drilling rig at the soil emergence point can be activated to assist in cleaning the borehole and retrieving the drill string from the opposite side, quickly resolving the stuck drill string problem.
