Pipe Thruster:

different applications for the installation of pipelines

Author: Dipl. Ing. Diana Pfeff, Herrenknecht AG, Germany
1. Abstract
The Herrenknecht Pipe Thruster series with thrust and pulling forces of 300, 500 and
750 tonnes plays a powerful key role in the installation of pipelines worldwide,
ranging from 8 to 60 diameter. Originally developed as a push/pull unit to assist the
HDD process, the multifunctional Pipe Thruster is now an established assistance tool
in the trenchless pipeline laying industry.
As part of the system equipment for the Direct Pipe and Pipe Express method it is
used to install the pipeline in one step directly into the ground. Furthermore, the Pipe
Thruster increases the versatility of the HDD method towards even longer pipeline
crossings with larger diameters or under more difficult ground conditions by having
more capacity & safety installed. On challenging HDD projects one or more Pipe
Thruster(s) can be installed at the pipe side and support the HDD rig during pipeline
installation with variably adjustable loads. Other applications include the recovery of
stuck or defective pipelines, the installation of pipelines into existing tunnels or HDD
landfall projects where the pipeline can be pushed from onshore to offshore in order
to save costly offshore equipment. More than 50 successful projects have proven
that the coatings made of PP, PE, GRP, FBE or of concrete are not damaged during
operation.
This paper points out the different application fields of the Pipe Thruster and its
benefits proven in some selected case studies.
2. Pipe Thruster: Overview of application fields
The Pipe Thruster was originally designed as an auxiliary tool for the pipe pull-in with
the HDD method. After its presentation to the public in 2006 on the Hannover Fair the
first project was realized in The Netherlands.
Figure 1: The Pipe Thruster HK500PT exhibited at the Hannover Fair in 2006 clamping a 48" steel pipe

The fields of application where the Pipe Thruster can be used are described below.
1. Auxiliary tool for Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
2. Installation of pipelines into existing boreholes or tunnels
3. Recovery of pipelines from the ground
4. The Direct Pipe Method (DP)
5. The Pipe Express Method (PEX)
2.1. Auxiliary tool for HDD (Horizontal Directional Drilling)
The Pipe Thruster is installed on the pipe-site and can be used during pipe pull-in to
help to push the pipeline into the borehole (in case of too high pull forces). The Pipe
Thruster provides additional installation forces, the applied push force is added to the
pull force of the HDD-Rig. A HK500PT Pipe Thruster and a 400-ton HDD-Rig for
example can apply 900 tons of installation force. In most of the cases the Pipe
Thruster is installed as a reserve, but not always needed.
Figure 2: Pipe Thruster as auxiliary tool for HDD on a project in Saudi Arabia
Rig-site with HDD-Rig

Pipe-site with Pipe Thruster

2.2. Installation of pipelines into tunnels or existing boreholes or

Pushing pipelines into excavated open bore holes (e.g. created by means of HDD) or
into existing tunnels (e.g. created by means of Microtunnelling) is another application
field of the Pipe Thruster which is becoming more an more common in the pipeline
industry. This method has already been implemented in several projects worldwide.
The maximum length of a pipe pushed in like this is currently 14,270ft (4,350 m).
Pipeline pull-in in tunnels
Saipem Australia, the principal contractor on the large Santos GLNG Gas
Transmission Pipeline Project in Queensland, Australia has used a 750to. Pipe
Thruster to install the 4,35km long pipeline in a segmentally lined tunnel. The
Narrows crossing was necessary to link the mainland to the Santos GLNG LNG
facility on Curtis Island. After the tunnel works had been finished in early February
2014, the pipeline pull-in was able to start. As the tunnel was completely flooded to
host the pipeline there were no installations in the tunnel necessary and the pipeline
was pushed in by the Pipe Thruster within 14 working days in early April 2014.

Figure 3: Pipe Thruster installing a concrete coated pipeline into an existing tunnel in Australia with a length of
14,270ft (4,35 km)

Figure 4: Pipe Thruster installing a pipeline into an existing tunnel in India with a length of 8,200ft (2,5 km)

Pipeline pull-in in existing boreholes, e.g. for landfalls

To match strict environmental requirements in the sensitive area of Barrow Island,
Australia, AJ Lucas Group provided two Herrenknecht HDD-Rigs (HK400M &
HK250T) to execute the directional drilling of nine 450-520 metre long HDD holes,
including the stringing, welding and NDT testing of the pipelines. Besides three 34
landfalls for high pressure LNG flowlines, the rigs installed 6 landfalls (6 to 10) for
utility lines supplying water, electricity etc. to the plant. Due to the drilling through
fractured sandstone and calcarenite with up to 70MPa compression strength. A 500to
Pipe-Thruster (HK500PT) has been used to install the pipes from land to the sea.
Offshore diving vessels were used to guide the pipelines beyond the exit of each
HDD hole to the target lay down area.
Figure 5: Pipe Thruster installing a 10/34 landfall pipeline into an existing borehole in Australia

2.3. Recovery of pipelines from the ground

Old pipelines which shall be removed from the grid can be pulled out with the
Herrenknecht Pipe Thruster whereas directly a new pipeline can be pulled in, in the
same hole. Also in case of a coating damage after trenchless installation of a
pipeline, the pipe can be pulled out again and the coating can be reworked for using
the pipeline again.
Figure 6: The Pipe Thruster pulling out a pipeline of the ground in the USA

2.4. The Direct Pipe method (DP)

The Direct Pipe method was developed for the trenchless installation of pipelines
under obstacles (like rivers or streets). Thus far, worldwide 38 projects have been
successfully completed with a maximum drilling length of 4,590ft (1,400m).
Figure 7: The Pipe Thruster used to push the pipeline into the borehole created from the Direct Pipe machine

separation plant

Control container

Pipe Thruster
Direct Pipe machine

Comparable with the jacking frame used for standard pipe jacking (Microtunnelling)
with short concrete pipes, the Pipe Thruster acts as the thrust unit in Direct Pipe. It
4

hydraulically grips the pre-fabricated and outlaid pipeline and pushes it into the
ground in strokes of five meters. Coated product pipes (with a diameter range
between 28 and 60) can be pushed directly. The required bore hole is excavated by
the Direct Pipe machine (AVN slurry machine). The machine is deployed at the front
end of the pipeline and pushed into the ground together with the pipeline. The
excavated material removed by the slowly rotating cutterhead at the tunnel face is
mixed inside the machine with the drilling fluid (bentonite suspension) and then fed
through a discharge line through the entire pipeline to the separation plant on the
surface (through a separate discharge line). After treatment, the material is pumped
back into the circuit via a feed line. The drilling fluid thus not only discharges the
excavated material but also supports the tunnel face.
2.5. The Pipe Express method (PEX)
In contrast to Direct Pipe the Pipe Express method was developed for the half-open
installation of pipelines where larger diameter pipelines (36 - 60) with lengths of up
to 6,500ft (2,000m) can be installed. During the installation process, the soil is
excavated by the Pipe Express machine and transported directly to the surface by a
chain trencher and conveyor belt. The tunnelling machine is accompanied on the
surface by a buggy and the operators control vehicle. The pipe thruster installed in
the launch pit pushes the machine and the pipeline through the ground. The
simultaneous excavation of the soil and insertion of the product pipe creates an
optimum pipe bedding situation.
Figure 8: The Pipe Thruster used to push the pipeline into the borehole created from the Pipe Express machine

Operator control vehicle

Chain trencher
Pipe Express machine
Pipe Thruster

The PEX system is used on projects where the open-cut installation of pipelines
would cause high investment due to special requirements. The system has many
advantages in unstable soil or where the open-cut installation of pipelines would
require measures such as groundwater lowering.

3. Characteristics of the different Pipe Thruster Models

Herrenknecht provides 3 different Pipe Thruster Models for different requirements
(e.g. desired maximum clamping diameter).
Figure 9: Components of the Pipe Thruster [here: in operation as push unit of Direct Pipe]

Table 1: Characteristics of the three different Pipe Thruster models

Pipe Thruster Models

Max. push and pull force (kN / tons)
Max. clamping diameter (inches)

HK300PT

HK500PT

HK750PT

3,000 / 300

5,000 / 500

7,500 / 750

36

48

60

Attack angle ()
Weight (tons)
Dimensions (m)

0 to 15
40

53

78

Length / Width/ Height

Length / Width/ Height

Length / Width/ Height

7,90 / 3,80 / 3,30

8,90 / 4,10 / 3,56

10,3 / 4,98 / 4,05

3.1. Design of the clamping unit

To match the specific pipeline diameter the clamping unit of the Pipe Thruster is
mainly adapted by changing the clamping inserts. The clamping unit was designed to
avoid damaging the coating of product pipes, such as gas or oil pipelines. The
contact surface between the pipe and the clamping inserts is covered with hotvulcanized rubber. The surface area of the clamping inserts is dimensioned to
minimize the contact pressure (3.5 N/mm) and shear forces (1.2 N/mm) on the
coating. Table 2 shows typical values for factory-coated coatings in comparison to
the effects of the Pipe Thruster HK500PT (under full clamping and thrust force).
In order to assure the lowest possible degree of damaging contact of the clamping
unit with the coating of the steel pipe and to compensate unevennesses of the
coating or the pipe, the clamping inserts are coated with hot vulcanized contact
rubber. The rubber applied on the clamping plates comes with a shore hardness of
65 +/- 5 Shore A. Rubber according to ISO 868-2003 (DIN 53505).

Figure 10: Clamping unit of the Pipe Thruster with clamping inserts with vulcanized contact rubber

Table 2: Comparison of characteristics of different pipeline coatings with the impact of the Thruster
SPECIFIC VALUES OF FACTORY-COATED STEEL PIPELINES
(STANDARD CHARACTERISTICS)

Coating Material
Shear Strength /
Shear Force [N/mm]
Compression Strength /
Contact Pressure [N/mm]

IMPACT OF PIPE
THRUSTER

Polypropylen (PP)

Polyethylene (PE)

HK500PT / HK750PT

10

> 10

< 1,2

1)

17,5 - 20

> 10

< 3,5

2)

Figure 11 and 12 show exemplary the specific clamping plates for a 48-pipeline
(OD=1290 mm) for the pipe Thruster HK500PT and HK750PT. Also marked are the
loads given onto the clamping plates (and therewith to the coating and/or pipeline)
under full clamping pressure of the hydraulic system (in the clamping cylinders
pressing the clamping plates onto the pipe).
Figure 11: Clamping plates of Pipe Thruster HK500PT for a 48-pipe (clamping area = 5.240.000 mm) and loads
of hydraulically driven clamping plates (4 x 4181 kN)

1)

shear force with an advance force of 5000 kN (500 to) / 7.000 kN (700 to) from Pipe Thruster (steel pipe DN1200 = 48).

2)

contact pressure on the coating caused by the clamp of the Pipe Thruster HK500PT / HK750PT (steel pipe DN1200 = 48).

Figure 12: Clamping plates of Pipe Thruster HK750PT for a 48-pipe (clamping area = 7.264.000 mm) and the
loads of hydraulically driven clamping plates (4 x 6272 kN)

3.2. Tests with different coatings executed in the workshop of Herrenknecht AG

Since 2008 Herrenknecht AG demonstrated in cooperation with various gas suppliers
and construction companies by means of several coating tests in their workshop in
Germany that no damage is caused to the coating. Pipes with PE (Polyethylene), PP
(Polypropylene), Glasfibre Reinforced Plastic (GRP on PE) and Fusion Bonded
Epoxy (FBE) coating were tested at full clamping force of the clamping unit and at full
thrust force of the two large hydraulic cylinders.
Together with the German Gas Supplier E.ON Ruhrgas (today called Open Grid
Europe) it was shown that under full impact of push force (500 to) neither the PEcoating nor the GRP-coating was damaged by the clamping unit. No compensation of
the wall thickness or debonding was observed.
Figure 13: PE-coated 48-pipe (left picture) and GRP on PE-coated 48-pipe (right picture)
Thrust direction

Within the framework of these tests, two field joint coating materials were tested. At
clamping a PE-shrink slieve as well as a wrapping tape and additional onecomponent GRP mat - in opposition to the factory-made coating - clear damages on
the field joint coating were generated. The resulting consequence is that the field join
coating must not be clamped with the Pipe Thruster. It is recommended that the
operator has to recess this area with an additional safety zone. The clamp can only
be attached were no irregularity on the coating is recognized.
Together with the Dutch
(Polypropylen) was tested.

Gas

supplier

Nederlandse

Gasunie

PP-coating

Figure 14: Test with a PP-coated 48-pipe with a Pipe Thruster HK500PT
Thrust direction

4. Advantages / Field of application of the Pipe Thruster

-

Reserve force for the pipeline pull-in in difficult HDD projects (large diameter,
long distance)
Central component for the Direct Pipe and Pipe Express method
Installation of pipelines into existing tunnels / boreholes
Maximum push and pull force of up to 7.500 kN (750 tons)
Installation of 2 or 3 Pipe Thrusters behind each other possible (push or pull
forces are added
Clamping unit highly flexible in case of moving pipeline due to mounting of the
hydraulic thrust cylinders onto the cardan joint
Minimum 22 Pipe Thruster successfully operating in the market since 2006
More than 60 successful projects without any damages neither on the coating nor
the pipeline
Several coating tests executed with several pipeline coatings where is shown
that the coating is not damaged by the Pipe Thruster: Polyethylene (PE),
Polypropylene (PP), Glasfibre Reinforced Plastic (GRP), Fusion Bonded Epoxy
(FBE), Concrete Coating
Maximum shear stress on the pipeline coating (between clamping unit and
coating)
is 1,2 N/mm
Maximum surface pressure on the pipeline coating (between clamping unit and
coating)
is 3,5 N/mm
Power transmission via two big hydraulic cylinders
Cardan joint as connection for the hydraulic cylinders to the steel base frame with
0-15 vertical deviation and minimum 1,5 deviation to each side in the horizontal
Ability to fully open the clamping unit to fit it over the pipeline and thus no need to
guide the clamping unit over the product pipe
Infinitely adjustable clamping pressure
Infinitely adjustable push-/pull force
Easy centralizing of the pipeline in the clamping unit by a top-carriage
Integrated and height adjustable pipe-support
Measuring of the twist of the pipeline, for safe handling of the pipe