Innovation and Safety in HDD Exit Side · PDF fileTraditional Exit Side Risk Factors Workers...

Innovation and Safety in HDD Exit Side Operations

Horizontal Directional Drilling Process

Traditional Exit Side Tools

Chain or “Tong” Wrench

Power “Tong” Wrench

Wrenches can weigh up to 200 lbs. each.

Wrenches are typically rated for less than

50,000 ft/lbs. of torque.

When wrenches break under load, they

often release shrapnel like metal fragments.

Traditional Exit Side Process

Pushing down on chain

wrenches

Workers at tool joint

“Choking” the pipe

string

Traditional Exit Side Risk Factors

Workers placed in danger zone at joint connection.

Pipe is rotated from drill rig often a mile away.

Communication via radio.

Gear wrenches are not designed to handle torque to

which they are often subjected. This often can result

in catastrophic failure.

High risk of over-torqueing or under-torqueing the

connection as torque is either not measured or

measured at drill rig NOT at joint.

Damage to drill rod and tooling from over-torqueing or

risk of unscrewing downhole due to under-torqueing.

Moving pipe and tooling around worksite with straps

and chains causes additional injury risk to workers.

TONGHAND®

Vise Action

Gull Wing Arms raise out

of way to work with all

tooling up to 60” in

diameter

TongVise™ torques

and un-torques joints

up to 120,000 ft -lb.

with precision

No workers at tool joint

TONGHAND®

Pipe Rotation

Roller Arms spin drill rod Can be used as a pipe

handler

Roller Arms can

operate independently

TONGHAND®

In-Cab Controls

TONGHAND® TongVise™

controls activate all vise

actions

In-cab touch display

sets all TONGHAND®

operating parameters

Proportional control

handles activate all

TONGHAND® motions

Tool joint being torqued

to 80,000 ft-lb.

TONGHAND® Risk Factor Reduction

All TONGHAND® function controlled by operator in

cab. Workers removed from danger zones.

Pipe rotated by operator of TONGHAND® at joint

connection with visual verification.

TongVise engineered to torque/un-torque connections

to 120,000 ft-lb.

Connection is torqued with precision at joint connection

eliminating over-torqueing and under-torqueing issues.

TONGHAND® positive grip and total control allows it to

be used as a pipe handler to safely move drill rod

around the jobsite with a 3:1 safety factor.

TONGHAND® can be used to validate drill rig torque

calibration

TONGHAND® At Work

Thank You!

1876 23rd Street SE

Bemidji, MN 56601-2699

218-444-3030

www.lavalleyindustries.com

jasonl@lavalleyindustries.com

jorgep@lavalleyindustries.com