Conductor pipe

Conductor pipe’s purpose is to protect shallow sands from being contaminated by drilling fluids, and to help prevent washouts (which occur near the surface due to loose and unconsolidated top soils, gravel beds, etc.).

[2] In the offshore drilling industry, the conductor pipe is set in the seabed, and is a key structural foundation for the subsea wellhead.

The forces can be large and also cyclical which can potentially cause fatigue damage to the conductor, especially in harsh environmental conditions.

A Conductor tensioner unit (CTU) can be used in shallow water on jackup rig to withstand such damaging forces.

Sometimes, they are jetted into position and at other times, a separate cheaper rig (even truck mounted) may be used to drill the hole for the conductor.