Prime Horizontal - Service leader in the HDD industry
ParaTrack was initially developed for close approach drilling in oil and gas fields by Vector Magnetics, the owner of the technology, and it was adapted for use in the HDD market by Vector Magnetics and Prime Horizontal. Following the original adaptation, Prime Horizontal and Vector Magnetics have continued to develop and add more capabilities to the ParaTrack system, embodied now as ParaTrack-2. As a result, Prime Horizontal is considered the foremost authority on the use of this system in all horizontal directional drilling applications.



ParaTrack
ParaTrack is an underground magnetic tracking system with unique capabilities. Rather than using a conventional surface coil, ParaTrack’s surface deployment will often be a guidewire along centerline with a return cable placed offline so its magnetic signal is negligible. In specific circumstances, the centerline cable may be grounded on each side of the crossing, negating the need for a return path with its significant deployment time.

Today, ParaTrack is the only tracking system able to utilize many different magnetic sources. Not only do we use guide wires on the surface or underground, we also use the Rotating Magnet Sub, the AC Beacon and the MGT Sub, all requiring no guidewires. One of these choices will fit the exacting requirements of most horizontal drilling projects.

ParaTrack-1
ParaTrack 1 is the original development of the ParaTrack underground tracking system. It uses a surface or underground cable, installed on centerline or inside an offset pipe or duct and can be earthed or can use a return path, off line. ParaTrack 1 uses a DC welding machine to generate a known magnetic field which is measured by conventional steering tools already available in the market. Measurements of the magnetic field generates an elevation of the probe and its position left and right of the planned centerline.


ParaTrack-2
The evolution of ParaTrack from its use downhole for oil and gas field applications to the HDD applications of ParaTrack-1 and finally to ParaTrack-2 has produced today's most advanced HDD guidance system.



The ParaTrack-2 Advantage


ParaTrack-2 CAN:

• Use a single guidewire or a single guidewire and return from entry to exit.
  
  
• Range against other pipelines.
  
  
• Use alternative magnetic sources in order for technical guidance solutions to be tailored to each job:
  
  
  • Rotating Magnet Sub
    
  • AC Beacon
    
  • MGT Sub
    
  • Micro-Carrier Magnetic Source - NEW
    
    
• Measure Annulus and Internal Pipe Pressure.
  

• Positively guided pilot holes in magnetic environments not possible for other systems.
  
  
• Positively guided parallel crossings where center to center spacing was of paramount importance.
  
  
• Positively guided parallel tunnel bores with a precision measured in centimeters.
  
  
• Positively guided underground intersects from each side.