The growth in construction and telecommunications throughout America has led to an increased need to bury fiber optics, electrical lines, water pipes, sewer lines, etc. Moreover, the use of a backhoe loader isn't always practical, feasible or economical, due to existing hazards or terrain. That leaves directional drilling as the best option and the fastest-growing industrial talent among utilities, municipalities, contractors and the communications industry. Designed as a course delivered over a four-to-five-day format, the Horizontal Directional Drilling Level I Training Course is the first of its kind in the nation. Through a combination of classroom and field training sessions, participants will acquire the useful knowledge and skills required for operating a directional drill according to the standards included in the manufacturer's Operator's Manual and the Best Practices Guide developed by the AEM and HDD Consortium.
The overall objective of this training is to provide participants with useful information and the opportunity to develop skills for operating equipment.
The course includes instruction, in-field exercises, and professional coaching for the following skill areas:
- HDD Safety
- Pre-Planning
- Tracking Electronics
- Maintenance
- Downhole Tools
- General Maintenance of Equipment
- Field Operation
- Drilling Fluids
Participant will...
- Identify equipment and components and describe key functions.
- Explain proper procedures required in the event of an electric strike and gas strike.
- State the proper method of verifying a specific "locate" that will be crossed along the planned bore path.
- Demonstrate the ability to mix fluid additives for a prescribed job.
- Demonstrate the proper procedure for calibrating the Tracker to the beacon.
- Demonstrate the ability to set up the directional unit according to the instructions in the Operator's Manual.
- Identify bits and back-reamers used with applicable soil conditions and job specifications.
- Demonstrate the ability to locate and take a depth estimate of the beacon.
- Demonstrate the ability to operate the directional drill unit according to instructions in the Operator's Manual.
