Online Training Programs
We believe that there are four main roles in a drilling operation that have a huge impact on the safety and success of the operation - the Supervisor, the Geologist, the Driller and the Safety Officer. Each of these roles have specific knowledge and skill requirements which we have built our certificate programs around.
We have developed a suite of 14 comprehensive online courses and each certificate program is made up of varying combinations of these. The courses are designed to provide candidates with the necessary technical and legal knowledge as well as the skills required to enable them to more effectively contribute to the success of a drilling operation. Details of the individual programs are found below.
There are a number of self-assessments throughout the courses. These assessments require the candidate to apply the principles learned, to a drilling operation and therefore the candidate must have a good level of experience of drilling operations and must currently have access to an active drilling operation. Candidates who are successful in passing all of the required course assessments will receive a Certificate of Completion.
All certificate programs are structured so that candidates must work through the courses in a defined order. Candidates can move through the course work at their own pace and revisit content however often they need to. The online programs require that the candidate has access to a suitable electronic device and a stable internet connection
Candidates will not be able to print the course work, however, certain “Additional References” are included in a number of the courses and these resources are downloadable by candidates.
Geologist
Geologists rely on the samples produced from a drilling program for their information and so the quality and the representivity of the samples produced are of critical importance. It is essential therefore that the geologist has a good understanding of the many factors that can affect sample quality and representivity.
Geologists also have a responsibility for safety aspects of a drilling operation and so the objective of this certificate program is to provide candidates with the knowledge and skills to allow them to better assist in effectively managing quality and safety aspects of an exploration drilling operation.
Courses cover technical aspects, some economic aspects and some fundamental safety aspects andthrough this combination of courses, the candidate will develop a good understanding of the principles of and the processes involved in an exploration drilling operation.
While the program is primarily designed to address the drilling competencies required by geologists, theprogram is also suitable for experienced geological technicians, project engineers and exploration consultants.
This program consists of 7 courses.
Course 1: Drilling fundamentals
Course 2: Introduction to drilling methods
Course 3: Common drilling calculations
Course 4: The use of drilling fluids and foams in exploration drilling
Course 5: Fundamentals of borehole surveying
Course 6: Economic aspects of exploration drilling
Course 7: Fundamentals of hazard identification and risk assessment
Although this course deals with fundamental aspects of a drilling operation, it is essential that the candidate has had some exposure to a drilling operation before attempting this program.
AUD530
Exploration Supervisor
The supervisor is undoubtedly the most important person in the chain of command of a drilling operation and the actions of the supervisor will have a significant impact on every aspect of the operation - most importantly health and safety performance. To be effective, the supervisor must therefore have a detailed understanding of a wide range of aspects of a drilling operation.
The objective of this program is to provide candidates with the necessary knowledge and skills to enable him/her to manage quality, safety and production aspects of an exploration drilling operation.
This program is aimed at both experienced and less experienced candidates. The program is also considered essential for contract managers and project managers.
Senior drillers who have been identified as potential supervisors will also benefit from this program as will geologists who wish to improve their technical knowledge.
This program consists of 11 courses:
Course 1: Drilling fundamentals
Course 2: Introduction to drilling methods
Course 3: Common drilling calculations
Course 4: The use of drilling fluids and foams in exploration drilling
Course 5: Fundamentals of borehole surveying
Course 6: Economic aspects of exploration drilling
Course 7: The fundamentals of hazard identification and risk assessment
Course 10: Drilling engineering
Course 11: Dual-tube reverse circulation drilling
Course 12: Diamond core drilling techniques
Course 14: Practical hazard identification
The Drilling engineering course requires that delegates have a good level of mathematical ability and are able to apply and manipulate fairly complex formulae.
AUD 1060
Exploration Safety Officer
Exploration drilling operations are extremely complex, involving high powered machinery operated by people in often difficult environments. Effective safety management therefore requires that the safety officer has a good understanding of the complexity of a drilling operation and of the many activities that are a part of the operation. Primarily, it is necessary that the safety officer has the ability to identify hazards on a drill site.
The objective of this certificate program is therefore to provide candidates with the knowledge and skills to allow the candidate to more effectively identify hazards and so be more effective in managing safety on a drill site.
The program is specifically designed so that the principles learned can be applied to any drilling method or drilling operation - diamond core drilling, rotary percussion drilling, dual-tube reverse circulation drilling and sonic drilling whether for exploration or production purposes.
While the program is primarily designed to address the competencies required by safety officers, it is also suitable for engineers, safety managers, senior safety representatives and other safety professionals.
This program consists of 3 courses.
Course 1: Drilling fundamentals
Course 2: Introduction to drilling methods
Course 7: Fundamentals of hazard identification and risk assessment
In order for a candidate to successfully complete this certificate it is essential that he / she is currently working on and has access to a drilling operation. It is recommended also that candidates have a good understanding of mechanical principles and the operation of common types of equipment used on drill sites.
AUD 330
Directional Driller
Directional drilling is beginning to play an increasingly important role in the exploration drilling industry and so this certificate program has been designed to provide candidates with the necessary knowledge of available directional drilling equipment and understanding of directional drilling concepts to allow them to correctly plan a directional borehole and select the most appropriate equipment to drill the borehole. The program focusses on theoretical aspects of directional drilling only, it is not intended as a qualification as a directional driller.
This certificate program is designed for geologists, supervisors, engineers and senior drillers who need toimprove their level of understanding of directional drilling concepts so that they can accurately plan and execute a directional drilling operation.
This program consists of 11 courses:
Course 1: Drilling fundamentals
Course 2: Introduction to drilling methods
Course 3: Common drilling calculations
Course 4: The use of drilling fluids and foams in exploration drilling
Course 5: Fundamentals of borehole surveying
Course 6: Economic aspects of exploration drilling
Course 7: The fundamentals of hazard identification and risk assessment
Course 10: Drilling Engineering
Course 15: Fundamentals of directional drilling
Course 16: Directional drilling equipment
Course 17: Planning a directional borehole
Course assessments require that candidates have a good level of experience and have access to a production or exploration drilling operation. Candidates who do not have access to an active drilling operation should not register for this program. This certificate program involves some relatively complex trigonometry and geometry and so it is essential that candidates have a good grasp of these concepts and an above average mathematical ability.
AUD 1000
Exploration Driller
The Driller plays a critically important role in every exploration drilling project and the actions of the Driller will have a significant impact on every aspect of the operation. In many cases Driller training is limited to drill rig specific skills required to allow the Driller to operate at a particular mine or in a particular exploration jurisdiction. The focus is on practical skills to ensure that productivity is maximised. While a high level of practical expertise is essential, it is helpful that the Driller also has a good understanding of some theoretical aspects of drilling operations, particularly if the Driller wishes, in the future, to fill a supervisory role.
This certificate program has been specifically designed to provide candidates with a range of skills and fundamental knowledge that are considered essential to enable him / her to be more effective in managing productivity and troubleshooting aspects of an exploration drilling operation.
This program is aimed at experienced candidates who wish to deepen their understanding of the broader drilling industry but with particular emphasis on the exploration drilling industry.
This program consists of 6 courses:
1. Drilling fundamentals for Drillers
2. Drilling methods for Drillers
3. Common drilling calculations for Drillers
4. The use of drilling fluids and foams for Drillers
5. Dual-tube reverse circulation drilling techniques for Drillers
6. Diamond core drilling techniques for Drillers
The program includes some mathematics and discussions of a number of physical concepts and so to get maximum benefit from the program, delegates should have a good level of mathematical ability. However, while the program approaches mathematical concepts from a “first principles” basis, candidates are taught several techniques that will assist candidates with lesser mathematical ability.
AUD 530.00