1. Drilling Technology

2. AECOM hires drilling contractors for:
Purpose
AECOM hires drilling contractors for:
Geotechnical sampling
Environmental remediation
Other projects
Drilling Contractors use various drilling technologies
Auger
Direct Push
Sonic
Rotary
Cable Tool
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

3. After completing this course you should be able to:
Objective
After completing this course you should be able to:
Explain the function of different drill rigs
Identify and define drill rig parts
Describe drill rig hazards
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

4. Drill Rigs Mobilization: Size range Track-based Truck vehicles
Large (100 ton)
Medium (used in buildings)
Small (hand-moved)
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

5. Connects the drill rig power source to the drill stem
Drill Rig – Key Parts
Connects the drill rig power source to the drill stem
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

6. Extends the drill stem for deeper drilling
Drill Rig – Key Parts
Extends the drill stem for deeper drilling
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

7. Levels the rig so the drill stem advances perpendicular to the ground
Drill Rig – Key Parts
Levels the rig so the drill stem advances perpendicular to the ground
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

8. Powers drilling equipment (not found on all rig types)
Drill Rig – Key Parts
Powers drilling equipment (not found on all rig types)
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

9. Drill Rig – Key Parts
Moves the drilling unit (motors, pulleys, masts, etc.) backwards or forwards
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

10. Secondary switches may be located elsewhere on the rig
Drill Rig – Key Parts
Control panel
Contains the switches and gauges used to monitor or control the drilling process
Emergency kill switch
Located on the control panel and used to cut power to the drilling mechanism
Secondary switches may be located elsewhere on the rig
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

11. Raises and lowers the drill rods, auger flights, sampling tools, etc.
Drill Rig – Key Parts
Raises and lowers the drill rods, auger flights, sampling tools, etc.
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

12. A cylinder shaped drum that uses friction on a rope to lift items
Drill Rig – Key Parts
A cylinder shaped drum that uses friction on a rope to lift items
Not all drill rigs have catheads.
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

13. Outriggers/leveling jacks Crushing hazard Cable hoist system
Drill Rig – Hazards
Outriggers/leveling jacks
Crushing hazard
Cable hoist system
Rotational hazard
Cut scrape hazard
Drill rods
Deck engine
Fire/burn hazard
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

14. Auger drilling uses a helical screw to lift earth out of the borehole
Two types of auger drilling
Solid Stem (SSA)
Hollow Stem (HSA)
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

15. Solid Stem Augers – Key Parts
Metal strip welded onto the solid stem that lifts the soil out of the borehole
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

16. Solid Stem Augers – Key Parts
Breaks up soil or rock
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

17. Solid Stem Augers – Key Parts
Enables drilling and sampling while continually casing the borehole as augers are advanced
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

18. Solid Stem Augers – Key Parts
Prevents soil from entering the hollow stem auger
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

19. Solid Stem Augers – Key Parts
Rod inside hollow stem that connects to the removable plug
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

20. Auger Drilling – Key Parts
A standard penetration test (SPT) hammer is used to drive a split-spoon sampler into the soil
The hammer can be an automatic hammer or hammer operated off the cathead
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

21. Auger Drilling – Key Parts
Uses hydraulic power to break and turn the drilling rod
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

22. Auger Drilling – Hazards
Standard penetration test hammer
Pinching/crushing hazard
Cathead
Rotational/pinching hazard
Spinning augers/drill rod
Rotational hazard
Breakout wrenches
Pinching hazard
Leveling jacks
Crushing hazard
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

23. Advances the drill string by hydraulically pushing or hammering
Direct Push
Advances the drill string by hydraulically pushing or hammering
Direct push uses two methods
Percussion hammer
Cone penetration testing (CPT)
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

24. Direct Push Percussion Hammer – Key Parts
Rod sections used to push sampling tools
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

25. Direct Push Percussion Hammer – Key Parts
Raise / lower push rods or sampling tools
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

26. Direct Push Percussion Hammer – Key Parts
Raise / lower push rods or sampling tools
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

27. Direct Push Percussion Hammer – Key Parts
Advances push rod into the ground
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

28. Direct Push Percussion Hammer – Key Parts
Provides a counter balance when pulling push rods out of the borehole
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

29. Direct Push with Cone Penetration Testing
A CPT device is a cylindrical probe with a cone-shaped tip with sensors
CPT probes measure the stress on the tip, the sleeve friction, and the pore water pressure
The data is read by a field computer that displays it in real-time and stores it at regular depth intervals
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

30. Direct Push with Cone Penetration Testing - Key Parts
Onboard Computer
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

31. Direct Push with Cone Penetration Testing - Key Parts
Advances the tool string by applying a hydraulic ram against the weight or mass of the vehicle
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

32. Direct Push with Cone Penetration Testing - Key Parts
Pipe sections used to push sampling tool into the ground
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

33. Direct Push – Hazards Winch lines Cuts/scrapes hazard
Hydraulic hammer and ram
Noise hazard
Drop hammer (if equipped)
Pinching/crushing hazard
Mast foot
Crushing hazard
Leveling jacks
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

34. Sonic Drilling
Sends high frequency resonant vibrations down the drill string to the drill bit
Resonance magnifies the amplitude of the drill bit, which fluidizes the soil at the bit face
The weight of the drill head pushes the drill stem into the ground
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

35. Sonic – Key Parts
Contains oscillators that produce high frequency sinusoidal force along the axis of drill pipe
Rotates drill pipe
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

36. Sonic – Key Parts Pipe is used as both drill pipe and casing
Typically use 6” outer casing and 4” inner sampling barrel
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

37. Sonic – Key Parts
Uses opposing hydraulic controlled wrenches to break joints
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

38. Sonic Drilling – Hazards
Drill pipe
Rotational hazard
Breakout wrench
Pinching hazard
Leveling jacks
Crushing hazard
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

39. Rotary (Water, Mud, or Air)
A rotating drill bit penetrates the formation to loosen earth
Cuttings are removed by circulating drilling fluid or air past the bit and pumping it out of the borehole
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

40. Rotary – Key Parts Connection for the drill rod and fluid/air pipe
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

41. Rotary – Key Parts Turns drill bit and delivers fluid or air
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

42. Rotary – Key Parts
Delivers fluid or air past bit and up into settling pit
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

43. Rotary – Key Parts Allows particles to settle out
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

44. Rotary – Key Parts
Can be a roller bit, button, bit, or down-hole hammer
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

45. Rotary - Hazards Deck engine Fire/burns hazard Drilling rod
Rotational hazard
Wrenches
Pinching hazard
Leveling jacks
Crushing hazard
Settling pit
Slips/trips/falls hazard
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

46. Cable Tool
The drill bit is lifted and dropped to loosen the material in the borehole
Cuttings are produced by repeated lifting and dropping of the drill bit
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

47. Cable Tool – Key Parts Raises, lowers, and spins the drill bit
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

48. Cable Tool – Key Parts Includes swivel socket, drill stem, and bit
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

49. Cable Tool – Key Parts
Provides up / down motion of drilling cable and tool string
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

50. Cable Tool – Key Parts Powers the rig
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

51. Cable Tool – Key Parts Drilling cable runs over this
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

52. Cable Tool – Key Parts Assists upward lifting of tool string
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

53. Cable Tool - Hazards Crown sheave Pinching hazard Cut/scrape hazard
Tool string
Crushing hazard
Engine
Fire/burn hazard
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

54. Drilling Accessories Concrete saw
Used to cut concrete or asphalt prior to drilling
Shovel
Used to clear soil cuttings
Drum dolly
Used to move 55 gallon drums filled with soil or water
Steam cleaner
Used to decontaminate drilling equipment
Pipe wrench
Used to connect (disconnect) sections of drill rod
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

55. Common Drilling Problems
Drilling refusal
The drill rig or sampling tool cannot penetrate to the desired depth
Heaving sands
The drill bit penetrates a well-graded saturated sand layer
Layer has sufficient hydraulic head
Causes pressurized wet sands to "heave" up inside the auger/drill stem
Prevents the well from being set at the right depth
Ivy Station, Culver City, California

56. Drilling Selection Method
Ivy Station, Culver City, California