Planning and preparing for horizontal directional drilling
- Accessing, interpreting and applying horizontal directional drilling documentation and ensuring the work activity is compliant
- Obtaining, reading, interpreting, clarifying and confirming work requirements
- Identifying and addressing potential risks, hazards and environmental issues and implementing control measures
- Selecting and wearing personal protective equipment appropriate for work activities
- Communicating and coordinating activities with others throughout the work activity
- Obtaining and interpreting emergency procedures, and be preparing for fire/accident/emergency
Boring pilot hole
- Carrying out pre-start and start up procedures
- Identifying, selecting and applying rig operational controls
- Selecting appropriate cutting tool and drilling rig/components
- Fitting locating device to drill head and attaching drill head to drill stem
- Aligning drilling head with survey tool and surveying control system
- Drilling pilot hole according to design alignment
- Monitoring drill path ensuring pilot hole meets conformance envelope and dogleg severity is within limits
- Adding drill stem sections as required
- Steering drill head to achieve required pitch and direction
- Monitoring and interpreting all gauge/dial readings, drill fluid return and drill spoil, drill head position and pitch
- Continually monitoring hazards and risk, and ensure safety of self, other personnel, plant and equipment
- Maintaining drill log and reports as required
Boring pilot hole
- Carrying out shutdown and securing equipment
- Monitoring wear on drill stem, particularly threads
- Carrying out procedures to maintain down hole equipment
- Dressing damaged threads or replacing drill stem as required
- Checking all equipment and hoses
- Monitoring wear on drill heads and taking required action
- Cleaning all equipment on completion of bore, ensuring environmental controls are followed
- Ensuring drill fluid is appropriately contained/disposed of
- Ensuring housekeeping activities are completed and processing records
Responding to problems
- Identifying possible problems in equipment or process
- Determining problems needing action
- Determining possible fault causes
- Rectifying problem using appropriate solution within area of responsibility
- Following through items initiated until final resolution has occurred
- Reporting problems outside area of responsibility to designated person
