Horizontal directional drilling system and method of operating

1. A horizontal directional drilling system comprising: a first tank for containing fluid used for drilling; a second tank for containing fluid used for drilling; a manifold comprising at least one inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port; a feed line extending from the manifold; and a valve system configured to control fluid flow to and from the manifold, wherein the valve system is configured to provide selective flow communication to the manifold from one of the first tank or the second tank through the at least one inlet port, is configured to provide selective flow communication from the manifold to the feed line through the first outlet port, and is configured to provide selective flow communication from the first tank to the second tank, or from the second tank to the first tank, through the second outlet port.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a pump coupled between the first tank and the manifold, and between the second tank and the at least one inlet port of the manifold, the valve system comprising a first three-way valve configured to selectively channel the fluid from one of the first tank or the second tank to the pump.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a drilling platform, wherein the feed line is fluidly coupled between the first outlet port and the drilling platform.

4. The system in accordance with claim 3 further comprising:

a first recirculation line coupled between a third outlet port of the manifold and the first tank; and

a second recirculation line coupled between a fourth outlet port of the manifold and the second tank, wherein the valve system comprises a first valve at the first outlet port, a second valve at the second outlet port, and a third valve at the third outlet port.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

a third recirculation line extending from the second outlet port, the third recirculation line configured to receive fluid channeled from the manifold; and

a mixing hopper for containing a drilling additive therein, the mixing hopper in flow communication with the third recirculation line for mixing the drilling additive with the fluid to form a drilling fluid.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the valve system comprises a second three-way valve coupled along the third recirculation line to selectively channel the drilling fluid to one of the first tank or the second tank.

7. The system in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the valve system comprises a fourth valve at the fourth outlet port.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet port comprises an air inlet port configured to receive a flow of purge air.

9. A horizontal directional drilling system comprising:

a drilling platform;

a fluid delivery system comprising:

first tank for containing fluid therein;

a second tank for containing fluid therein;

a manifold comprising at least one inlet port, a first outlet port, and a second outlet port; and

a valve system configured to control fluid flow to and from the manifold, wherein the valve system is configured to provide selective flow communication to the manifold from one of the first tank or the second tank through the at least one inlet port, is configured to provide selective flow communication from the manifold to the drilling platform through the first outlet port, and is configured to provide selective flow communication from the first tank to the second tank, or from the second tank to the first tank, through the second outlet port.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a pump coupled between the first tank and the manifold, and between the second tank and the at least one inlet port of the manifold, the valve system comprising a first three-way valve configured to selectively channel the fluid from one of the first tank or the second tank to the pump.

11. The system in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a mixing hopper coupled in flow communication between of the manifold and the first and second tanks, the mixing hopper configured to mix a drilling additive contained therein with the fluid channeled from the manifold to form a drilling fluid to be provided to one of the first tank or the second tank.

12. The system in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the valve system comprises a second three-way valve coupled between the mixing hopper and the first and second tanks to selectively channel the drilling fluid to one of the first tank or the second tank.

13. The system in accordance with claim 9 further comprising a hose reel assembly fluidly coupled between the fluid delivery system and the drilling platform, the hose reel assembly coupled to the first outlet port.

14. The system in accordance with claim 13 further comprising:

a first recirculation line coupled between a third outlet port of the manifold and the first tank; and

a second recirculation line coupled between a fourth outlet port of the manifold and the second tank, wherein the valve system comprises a first valve at the first outlet port, a second valve at the second outlet port, and a third valve at the third outlet port.

15. A method of operating a horizontal drilling system, the method comprising:

channeling fluid from one of a first tank or a second tank to a manifold;

providing, by a valve system, selective flow communication from the manifold through one of a plurality of outlet ports defined in the manifold;

selectively discharging the fluid from the manifold through a first outlet port, of the plurality of outlet ports, wherein the first outlet port is in flow communication with a drilling platform of the horizontal directional drilling system,

selectively discharging the fluid from the manifold through a second outlet port, of the plurality of outlet ports, wherein the second outlet port is in flow communication with at least one of the first tank or the second tank; and

selectively channeling the fluid from the first tank to the second tank, or from the second tank to the first tank, through the manifold.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein discharging the fluid comprises:

discharging the fluid from the manifold through the second outlet port for mixing with a drilling additive to form a drilling fluid; and

channeling the drilling fluid to one of the first tank or the second tank.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16 , wherein channeling the drilling fluid comprises channeling the drilling fluid towards a three-way valve that provides selective flow communication to one of the first tank or the second tank from the manifold.

18. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising mixing the fluid discharged from the manifold with the drilling additive discharged from a mixing hopper.

19. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein channeling fluid from one of a first tank or a second tank comprises channeling the fluid from the first tank and the second tank to a single pump.