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Elements and Performance Criteria

  1. Plan and prepare for conducting of mud rotary drilling
  2. Operate mud rotary drill
  3. Operate fluid system
  4. Maintain equipment
  5. Respond to problems

Required Skills

Required skills

Specific skills are required to achieve the performance criteria in this unit particularly for the application in the various circumstances in which this unit may be applied This includes the ability to carry out the following as required to conduct mud rotary drilling

apply legislative organisation and site requirements and procedures for conducting of mud rotary drilling

perform routine checks and basic maintenance of mud and water delivery pumps

apply mechanical hand skills

apply mud mixing and conditioning skills

apply plant operational skills

respond to changes in ground conditions

apply sample identification and sampling skills

apply hazardous substances handling requirements and procedures

apply people skills for dealing with clients coworkers and management

apply recording and reporting skills

interpret materials safety data sheets MSDS

apply heavy vehicle driving skills in all conditions

Required knowledge

Specific knowledge is required to achieve the Performance Criteria of this unit particularly its application in a variety of circumstances in which the unit may be used This includes knowledge of the following as required to conduct mud rotary drilling

rotary drilling safety requirements and procedures

personal protection requirements

First Aid requirements and procedures

good housekeeping requirements and procedures

types of mud and water delivery pumps and their applications

methods for the calculation of lag time for discrete formation samples

basic geology

safe work procedures for pump unit repairs maintenance and servicing

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria required skills and knowledge range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package

Overview of assessment

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit

The evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit must be relevant to worksite operations and satisfy all of the requirements of the performance criteria required skills and knowledge and the range statement of this unit and include evidence of the following

knowledge of the requirements procedures and instructions for the conducting of mud rotary drilling

implementation of requirements procedures and techniques for the safe effective and efficient completion of mud rotary drilling tasks

working with others to undertake and complete mud rotary drilling tasks that meet all of the required outcomes

consistent timely completion of the conducting of mud rotary drilling that safely effectively and efficiently meets the required outcomes

Context of and specific resources for assessment

This unit must be assessed in the context of the work environment Where personal safety or environmental damage are limiting factors assessment may occur in a simulated environment provided it is realistic and sufficiently rigorous to cover all aspects of workplace performance including task skills task management skills contingency management skills and job role environment skills

The assessment environment should not disadvantage the participant For example language literacy and numeracy demands of assessment should not be greater than those required on the job

Customisation of assessment and delivery environment to sensitively accommodate cultural diversity

Aboriginal people and other people from a non English speaking background may have second language issues

Assessment of this competency requires typical resources normally used in the work environment Selection and use of resources for particular worksites may differ due to site circumstances

Where applicable physical resources should include equipment modified for people with disabilities

Access must be provided to appropriate learning andor assessment support when required

Method of assessment

This unit may be assessed in a holistic way with other units of competency The assessment strategy for this unit must verify required knowledge and skill and practical application using more than one of the following assessment methods

written andor oral assessment of the candidates required knowledge

observed documented andor first hand testimonial evidence of the candidates

implementation of appropriate requirement procedures and techniques for the safe effective and efficient achievement of required outcomes

consistently achieving the required outcomes

first hand testimonial evidence of the candidates

working with others to undertake and complete mud rotary drilling tasks

Guidance information for assessment

Consult the SkillsDMC User Guide for further information on assessment including access and equity issues


Range Statement

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Relevant compliance documentation

may include:

legislative, organisational and site requirements and procedures

manufacturer's guidelines and specifications

Australian standards

code of practice

Employment and workplace relations legislation

Equal Employment Opportunity and Disability Discrimination legislation

Work instructions may come from:

briefings, handovers, plans and work orders and may be written or verbal, formal or informal and may include:

nature and scope of tasks

specifications

quality of finished works

achievement targets

operational conditions

obtaining of permits required

site layout

out of bounds areas

worksite inspection requirements

lighting conditions

plant or equipment defects

hazards and potential hazards

coordination requirements or issues

contamination control requirements

environmental control requirements

barricade and signage requirements

Hazards may include:

release of gases from formation or samples obtained

spread of contaminants as a result of drilling or cleaning processes

change in the chemistry of contaminants as a result of drilling and recovery of the samples

working in proximity to drilling rig

use of high pressure air for drilling operations

entanglement in rotating pipes

string makeup and breakout hazards

drilling equipment and down-hole tools will depend on the air drilling method being used

Coordination requirements may include

drill team members

other equipment operators

maintenance personnel

supervisors

worksite personnel

Chemical includes:

fluid loss control agents

dispersants

surfactants

weighing agents (barium sulphate or salts)

pH control agents

gypsum based setting agents

other cement grout additives for quick setting

agents for treating cement contamination

flocculation products

potassium chloride

lost circulation materials (granular polymers, cottonseed hulls, mica flakes, shredded organic fibre, micro-cells and short polysynthetic rope fibres)

A&B foam (for sealing collars)

chlorination products

Drill fluids may include:

water

viscosifying polymer muds with or without use of sodium bentonite

blended polymer muds

API bentonite muds

high yielding bentonites muds

organic polymer muds

polyanionic cellulosic polymer muds

modified natural polymer muds

liquid anionic polymer muds

Equipment includes:

rig, water trucks, service trucks, air compressor

hand tools such as breakout tongs and stillsons

collars

stabilisers

drill pipe

casing

drill bits such as drag, tricone, tungsten carbide, hammers, strata, diamond, reamers

Operational problems may include:

circulation loss zones

machine breakdowns

equipment failure

drill bit failure/breakage

deterioration in the mud condition