Background Information and Challenge
Layfield was asked to provide a solution for year-round access for equipment to service and maintain a conventional well site pad. Several new wells were to be drilled on this same pad, and since this location is not tied into a pipeline, this requires continual heavy tanker truck traffic to access the site. Due to very weak soil conditions, large ruts are continually created when driving across locations. The challenge was to provide a more cost-effective solution than typical “Rig or Swamp Matting” that can be installed during winter construction season and left in place for the life of the lease. Low maintenance and low acquisition cost for the owner, using local labor to install. This initial project consisted of a reinforced drilling platform approximately 70m x 120m (8400m2)
Solution
Presto Geoweb GW30V6 cellular confinement and Mirafi HP270 high-strength geotextile were chosen for this reinforced drilling platform project, as they provided the most cost-effective solution given our given parameters. The installation was completed in less than one day with a small crew of six to assemble and deploy this project. After our initial toolbox meeting and installation training, we started the first section at the edge of the pad at 9:00 am and finished before 2:00 pm. The bearing capacity of the thin 200 mm lift of gravel was substantially improved using the Geoweb material and the Mirafi HP270 high-strength textile for separation and reinforcement.
Result
Through the effects of confinement, the reinforced drilling platform created an additional 150 Kpa of cohesion to the supplied granular material, allowing us to create a stable platform that will withstand heavy truck traffic without rutting.
