How to Prevent Failure After a Horizontal Directional Drill Rig Gets Stuck
Jul 03, 2026| 1. Immediately Stop Drilling According to Regulations
Immediately stop forced drilling, loosen the torque, and strictly prohibit blindly increasing thrust or torque to avoid drill rod breakage or overload damage to the drill motor in a short time. Simultaneously, maintain uninterrupted mud circulation to prevent rock cuttings accumulation and borehole collapse that could bury the drill bit.
2. Quickly Identify the Cause and Implement Precise Rescue
Take targeted measures based on the stuck drill scenario: For small bricks/tree roots stuck, slowly ream to free them; for large obstacles stuck, promptly remove the drill string, reposition, and re-drill to avoid prolonged jamming and increased stress damage to the drill string.
3. Coordinated Rescue to Reduce Failure Risk
In cases of severe stuck drill, connect a pipe-laying machine to the excavation side and pull back the drill rig synchronously. For long-distance projects, use a backup drill rig at the excavation point to assist in hole washing and retrieval, quickly releasing the stuck drill and preventing prolonged jamming and eventual failure.
