Construction of Long Large Diameter Gas Pipeline under the River Padma and its Failure and Success

Abstract

Meandering river with scouring activity information as well as subsoil explorations are needed to conduct a successful operation. The successful development and implementation of directionally-controlled horizontal drilling process is quite noticeable in developed countries, but it is not successfully implemented in developing countries still now. Nonetheless, a primitive step was undertaken by state owned company under the river Padma to install a gas transmission line from one end of the river to the other end. The construction process was halted by failure in couple of attempts due to complications during the implementation phase; however, being guided by the belated desk study (that could have been done before earlier attempts) and the experience of first two failed attempts, seven-year later the subsequent attempt was successful (under a different contract). The authors would present here the two failed attempts of the mentioned project, its design rationale and drawbacks. In doing so, the parametric studies were carried out to observe the influence of cover depth, pipe entry angle on the drilling rig capacity that might fit to the said project. It was apparent that absence of meticulous investigation combined with field study before the starting of the project and insufficient drilling rig capacity could lead to the project failure.