在煤层中应用水平钻机钻进长孔相对来说是一种新工艺,早在1958年美国煤炭联合公司在Humphrey矿井就曾试验过,Spindler和Poundstone用竖直和水平钻机试验了几年,1960年他们在井下完成的水平孔钻进显示了最有希望的前景,但这一工艺有效而实际的应用,还有赖于钻进长孔的能力,钻进方向的精确控制和矿进成本的高低。美国大陆石油公司采矿研究部、煤炭联合总公司在1970年开始研究,1975年在采煤工作面超前钻进了300米的长孔,并做了瓦斯抽放试验,获得了成功。相继在匹茨堡地区钻进了十几公里的水平长孔,钻深达600米,其研究资料和成果已得到公认。 The application of horizontal drilling rigs to drilling long holes in coal seams is a relatively new process as early as 1958 when Coal United tested it at the Humphrey Mine and Spindler and Poundstone experimented with vertical and horizontal drilling rigs for several years, 1960 The most promising prospect for their horizontal hole drilling completed in the well in the year of year, but the effective and practical application of this process depends on the ability to drill into long holes, the precise control of drilling direction, and the level of cost of mining . The research department of coal mining company of the Continental Company of the United States started its research in 1970. In 1975, it piloted a long hole of 300 meters ahead of coal mining face and made gas drainage test successfully. Successively in the Pittsburgh area has drilled a dozen kilometers of horizontal long holes, drilling depth of 600 meters, the research data and results have been recognized.