Recommendation – Education – Networking
Task Groups
Important topics concerning the HDD industry are dealt with in the association in task groups set up especially for this purpose. The members of the task groups are primarily from the European DCA member companies. Depending on the task, external people are also invited to the meetings.
Past topics have included:
- HDD and subsoil
- Bending radii in HDD
- Shaping Recommendation of Technical and Legal Contract Conditions
- Modal bill of quantities for HDD measures (< 40 t and > 40 t)
- VOB – DIN 18324
- Safety on construction sites
- Tolerances for the execution of horizontal drilling works
The results of the above-mentioned work have primarily been incorporated into the 5th edition “DCA Technical Guidelines – Information and Recommendations for Planning, Construction and Documentation of HDD Projects”.
Since 2019, the DCA has also published the results of the task groups in German and English under the series “DCA Technical Information”. These are available to external parties via an order form. For members, the receipt of the Technical Information is included in the membership fee.
The task groups established by resolution of the members’ meeting rely primarily on the cooperation and expertise of DCA member companies.
Are you interested in joining a task group?
Current task groups
! Status: completed Note: The following descriptions in the task group refer to the national German legal area. The task group has not yet worked on international transferability, but this is planned.
Summary of results:
In its decree of 14 July 2015 (supplemented on 29th August 2016),the Lower Saxony Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Protection (NMU) expressly clarified with regard to the topic of “disposal of drill cuttings and drilling fluid from horizontal boreholes” that drill cuttings and drilling mud are wastes subject to the „Kreislaufwirtschaftsgesetz“.
Other federal states, for instance, Baden-Württemberg, have meanwhile followed this initiative. Drill cuttings and drilling mud are hence to be recovered and disposed properly and safely as mineral waste. According to the current legal opinion, cuttings or drilling mud from horizontal directional drillings may only be disposed on agricultural land, as was common practice on many locations and projects in the past, if certain exceptional preconditions are fulfilled (the decree by Baden-Württemberg goes as far as to categorically ban it). It should be noted that the Lower-Saxon decree does not produce any new legislation, but repeats and clarifies legislation already in force.
Based on this background, the DCA installed the “Task Group 1: Recovery and disposal of drilling cuttings and fluids from HDD operations” in spring 2016 in order to channel the problems arising for the industry as a result of the decree with regard to the disposal of cuttings and drilling fluid and to develop corresponding recommendations for action or a generally applicable guideline/minimum standard.
In the situation report, the basic facts on waste legislation that need to be observed are presented. It includes comments on the responsibilities of the project partners, information on sampling and transportation, indications on possible and legally compliant recovery and disposal routes as well as recommendations on organisational and contractual waste treatment provisions both contractors and clients.
The situation report was subsequently published as Technical Information No. 4 ” Recovery and disposal of drilling cuttings and fluids from HDD operations”.
The Board would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the task group who contributed to the preparation of the technical information.
The final report was published in November 2019 as Technical Information No. 4
Aachen, March 2019
Downloads
! Status: completed Note: The following descriptions in the task group refer to the national German legal area. The task group has not yet worked on international transferability, but this is planned.
Technical Info No. 6 – ready in the german
Titel: Coating quality in HDD
The first objective of the “Coating Quality” task group was to analyse the current situation with regard to the coating materials used, test methods and the relevant regulations. Furthermore, measures and recommendations for action were to be worked out which, on the one hand, ensure the quality of the coatings in the sense of the client and, on the other hand, help the horizontal drilling companies to identify and point out sources of error and risks before taking over the pipe string (often provided by the client or third parties).
The now completed DCA Technical Information No. 6 ” Coating Quality ” bundles the results of the task group and provides information on all parameters, processes and interactions that have an influence on pipe protection systems. In addition, the Technical Information provides guidance on the selection of the most suitable protection system for the specific drilling and ground conditions.
All information and recommendations in this Technical Information apply to standard HDD drilling, but can be similarly applied to related other trenchless applications such as pipe jacking, direct pipe, HDD installation of pipes in microtunnels and protective pipes, etc., provided their individual characteristics are taken into account.
The statements in the DCA’s Technical Information No. 6 ” Coating Quality ” now supplement the information in the DVGW worksheet GW 340 “FZM coating for the mechanical protection of steel pipes and fittings with polyolefin coating” and/or the specifications in DIN 30340-1 “Coatings for the mechanical protection of steel pipes and fittings with anti-corrosion coating – Quality assurance for factory coatings” and in DIN 30340-2 “Coatings for the mechanical protection of steel pipes and fittings with anti-corrosion coating – Repair and subsequent coating on the construction site”.
The DCA board would like to take this opportunity to express its sincere thanks to all members of the task group who played a major role in the preparation of Technical Information No. 6 ” Coating Quality “.
Members of the task group:
- Stephan Birtner, Westnetz GmbH
- Francois Gandard, OPTIMUM
- Hans-Jürgen Kocks, Mannesmann Line Pipe GmbH
- Dr. Thomas Löffler, DENSO GmbH
- Wolf Schrader, TDC International AG
- Jorn Stoelinga, LMR Drilling GmbH
- Stefan Wittke, TDC International AG
- Marco Warkotz-Gruber, BKP Berolina Polyester GmbH & Co. KG
- Klaus-Dieter Buhr, STEFFEL KKS GmbH
Downloads
DCA_Technische Information_Nr. 6_Rohrumhüllungen und -ummantelung
DCA_Technische Information_Nr. 6_Rohrumhüllungen und -ummantelung_Matrix
The English version of Technical Information No. 6 is still being prepared.
In 2015, the Association published the 4th edition of the DCA Technical Guidelines entitled “Information and Recommendations for Planning, Construction and Documentation of HDD Projects”. In the course of the regular review of the contents by the Board, there is a need for adaptation in various areas. This will be implemented within the framework of Task Group 3 “Revision of the Technical Guidelines”.
Technical management
Jorn Stoelinga, LMR Drilling GmbH
Contact: jorn.stoelinga@lmr-drilling.de
Objectives:
Revision of the current edition of the Technical Guidelines and publication of the 5th edition. Incorporation of the updates into the English and French versions.
Members of the task group:
- Marc Schnau, x-plan schnau engineering
- Jörg Himmerich, Dr.-Ing. Veenker Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
- Phillip Dick, Moll prd
- Marco Reinhard, Leonhard Weiss GmbH & Co. KG
- Scott Stone, Michels Trenchless GmbH
- Roland Stutzki, Hamburger Stadtentwässerung
- Ernst Fengler, LMR Drilling GmbH
- Edgar Mrotzek, Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH
Current status of the task group?
The “yellow print” of Technical Guideline No. 5 (German version) was sent to members for review at the end of 2023. Numerous comments have been received and are now being processed. The aim is to complete processing by mid of 2024.
Parallel to the processing of the new version of the Technical Guidelines, a cooperation agreement was concluded with the French Society for Trenchless Technology (FSTT) in November 2023 for the creation of the DCA Technical Guidelines in French. The aim of the cooperation agreement with the FSST is, among other things, to publish a joint Technical Guideline for the French market.
The DCA Board has decided to relaunch task group 4 “Digitalisation” under the title “Data Acquisition & Logging”. The focus of the work is on creating more clarity about which drilling data should be recorded and how, including specifications on frequency and parameters.
Technical management
Florian Gies, TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG
Contact: florian.gies@tracto.com
Objectives:
Aim of the TG will be to come to an agreed set of data that provides the information relevant to the drilling process, to all parties involved, in a structured overview. The members of the previous working group will be contacted shortly to agree on how to proceed.
Members of the task group:
- Jörg Himmerich, Dr.-Ing. Veenker Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH
- Simon Herrenknecht, Herrenknecht AG
- Jordi Camps Querol, Catalana de Perforacions
- Scott Stone, Michels Trenchless GmbH
- Norbert Landesberger, Sachverständigenbüro Landesberger
- Brian Jorgensen, Ditch Witch-EMEA
- Renzo Chirulli, Vermeer
- Ian Acheilas, Visser & Smit Hanab
- Simon Kench, Prime Horizontal
- Raymond Petiet, Vermeer
Status
Unfortunately contrary to expectations, there has been no meeting of the task group since the Members’ Meeting at the end of March 2023. The Board has therefore decided, in consultation with the previous head Mr. Stone, to transfer the management of the task group to Mr. Florian Gies, TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG. The task group will then resume its work at the beginning of 2024.
At the beginning of 2022, initial talks took place between the DCA and the German Society for Trenchless Technology e.V. (GSTT) on the establishment of a joint task group “Subsoil”. The aim of the working group is to develop a “guidebook for the use of trenchless construction methods in different foundation soils”. The very special and complex topic in the HDD area has already been discussed several times in the past by the DCA in its Technical Guidelines, in workshops or e.g. in the course of the Members’ Forum and is now to be discussed in greater depth once again in cooperation with the GSTT.
Technical management
Dipl. -Ing.(FH) Philipp Dick, MOLL-prd GmbH & Co. KG
Contact: pdick@moll-prd.com
The focus should be on the following points:
- Description and classification of the subsoil into soil and rock classes for trenchless methods or determination of classification criteria for homogeneous areas.
- Allocation of all trenchless construction methods (new installation and renewal) to the different soil and rock classes
- Orientation and linkage with national and international regulations / standards
- Subsoil investigation and subsoil expertise: What are the options?
- Creation of a generally valid simplified possibility of a subsoil opinion with reduced effort compared to a complete expert opinion (definition of boundary conditions, application limits, …)
- Creation of the guidebook also as an online / APP feature (selection option for client and planner)
It is planned to provide the “Guidebook” also as an online/APP feature (selection option for clients and planners). It is to be published initially in German and later in English.
Members of the task group:
- Günter Kruse, ehemals LMR Drilling GmbH
- Christoph Donié, Dr. Donié Geo-Consult GmbH
- Sebastian Schwarzer, Perforator
- Dan Lingenauber, TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG
- Frederik Müller, Ingsoft
- Jonas Schmidt, Open Grid Europe GmbH
Status
Since the task group was founded, a total of six meetings have taken place, two of which were held in person. The focus is on the HDD method. This will be followed by a transfer from the pipe jacking method. The results to date are currently being compared with the DCA guideline currently being prepared. Furthermore, the new GSTT information 28-2 “Soil investigation and soil description for pipe jacking – homogeneous areas for soils and rock” is being incorporated.
During the panel discussion at the annual congress in Leipzig last October, the topic of “skills shortage” in the HDD industry was discussed in detail and how the DCA as a trade association can provide support here. One approach is the creation of an image film for HDD technology. Once completed, the image film will be available to all member companies and help to get young people interested in the technology.
Technical management
Brian Jorgensen, Ditch Witch EMEA
Contact: bjorgensen@ditchwitch-bcn.com
The focus should be on the following points:
- Advertising for specialists in all sectors for HDD technology
- Creation of an approx. 1-2 minute professional image film on HDD technology
- Photos and video clips of HDD construction sites
- Clips of employees of different ages, backgrounds and genders etc.
- Tenor: Those who work in HDD technology support the energy transition!
- Creation of a so-called “Landingpage
Members of the task group:
- Jorn Stoelinga, LMR Drilling GmbH
- Renzo Chirulli, Vermeer
- Elsedien Zevalkink, SiteTec B.V.
Status
You are a DCA member and have a project that should be part of the video? Then send us the following information about your project to b.jorgensen@dca-europe.org:
- Location
- Country, area, nearest city, if possible with Google landmark
- Length of crossing(s)
- Diameter
- Rig size (we need to have projects using large rigs as well as small and everything in between)
- Purpose of the crossing i.e. for a gas, water, fibre optic, electricity
- Transport cable/pipe, of home connection
- Material
- Special features that will look good in a video like Windmills/turbines, solar parks, landfall, crossing of a railway, nice lake etc
We welcome project submissions that use modern equipment that gives a professional impression. The time of execution should be between the end of March and mid-June.
Thank you for your cooperation!
External task groups
Important topics relating to the HDD industry are dealt with within the association as described in specially established task groups. In addition, the DCA is also active in external task groups such as those of the DVGW or the Rohrleitungsbauverband.
DCA responsible: Jörg Himmerich
Contact: Joerg.Himmerich@veenkergmbh.de
Status
The yellow print phase for DIN 30340-1 „Ummantelungen zum mechanischen Schutz von Stahlrohren und -formstücken mit Korrosionsschutzumhüllung – Teil 1: Gütesicherung Werksummantelungen“ has been successfully completed. The objections were processed accordingly, the committee has had a completely revised and coordinated draft for adoption as a white paper. It is therefore only a matter of time until the “new” DIN 30340-1 is published and available to us as the HDD industry.
In the meantime Part 2 of DIN 30340, entitled „Ummantelungen zum mechanischen Schutz von Stahlrohren und -formstücken mit Korrosionsschutzumhüllung – Teil 2: Gütesicherung Nachummantelung und Reparaturmaterialien“ has been edited. Here the drafts are being worked on further so that a yellow print can also be published soon. Part 3 will follow shortly.
DCA responsible: Julian Hirsch, Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH
Contact: j.hirsch@bohlen-doyen.com
Status
In mid-2023 the DCA was asked by Günter Konrad, Senior Site Manager and Chief Engineer at Ed. Zueblin AG, Chairman of the Construction Equipment List Revision (BGL 2025) task group, to participate in the revision. Following a vote by the board, Julian Hirsch from Bohlen & Doyen Bau GmbH was recruited as the DCA representative for this task group.
The revision will primarily focus on Chapter L, “Equipment for horizontal pipe jacking and pipeline construction”. The first step will be to check whether additional or larger equipment that is not included in other chapters of the BGL could be added. It may also be possible to specify reamers in more detail in a table. Technical and commercial data will then be determined.
According to current information, the processing for the BGL should be completed by autumn 2024.