5300' Shore Approach w/ 53-degree horizontal curve

D&S was hired to steer a directional shore approach for a petroleum pipeline across Galveston Bay, choosing the Fusion-Gyro due to the long water crossing and inability to lay traditional wire water grids. Environmentally sensitive oyster beds in the bore path prevented coil placement, making the bore particularly challenging with a 53-degree horizontal curve.

The decision was made, due to hole conditions, to turn the bore into an intersect, bringing in a second rig on a barge on the exit side. A water grid was placed on the bottom of the bay, and a second Fusion-Gyro was used with Tru-Track and gyro for redundancy. The shore approach side used only the gyro and a small grid on entry. The Fusion-Gyro was used to complete the 53-degree horizontal curve in the environmentally sensitive area, determining the point of intersection where a traditional coil could be made. D&S made the intersect using the gyro and traditional Tru-Track methods. Although a second Fusion-Gyro was used, a traditional Tensor or APS tool could have been used for the intersect, saving money by using the Fusion-Gyro underwater or in environmentally sensitive areas and a traditional APS or Tensor tool for the second rig. Two Fusion-Gyro tools are not required for intersects with our system.