Drill String Operations Support Skills Training

Learning Outcomes

• Demonstrate the ability to identify and select appropriate drill string components for specific operations.
• Apply correct procedures for handling, inspecting, and storing drill string equipment.
• Implement safety protocols and risk controls during drill string operations.
• Evaluate the condition of drill string components and report defects according to standard procedures.
• Communicate effectively with the drilling team to ensure smooth operational support.
• Perform routine maintenance and cleaning of drill string equipment to prolong service life.

Target Audience

This course is designed for entry-level and experienced drilling assistants, roustabouts, and other support personnel involved in drill string operations. It is also suitable for supervisors seeking to enhance their understanding of drill string support tasks.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment.

Course Outline

Practicals

Overview

Hands-on practical sessions reinforce theoretical knowledge through direct experience with drill string components, inspection tools, and make-up/break-out equipment. Learners gain competence in handling, inspecting, and maintaining drill strings under supervision.

Practical Activities

• Practical 1: Component Identification and Handling — Learners identify and handle actual drill pipe, collars, tool joints, and stabilizers, practicing safe lifting and storage. (4h)
• Practical 2: Visual and Dimensional Inspection — Learners perform visual and dimensional inspections on drill pipe and tool joints, using gauges and recording results. (4h)
• Practical 3: Thread Inspection and Make-up — Learners inspect threads using thread gauges, apply thread compound, and perform make-up with torque wrenches. (4h)
• Practical 4: Break-out and Maintenance — Learners perform break-out operations, clean and lubricate threads, and apply hardbanding on sample components. (4h)

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.

Practical Assignments — 30%

Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.

Daily Exercises — 20%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.

Final Test — 50%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.

Final Total

Component	Out of	Weight
Practical Assignments (rubric-scored)	100%	30%
Daily Average (multiple choice)	100%	20%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice)	100%	50%
Final Total	—	100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

How it works

• Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
• Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
• You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
• If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.

Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates	Discount
5	3% off
10	6% off
15	9% off
20	12% off
25	15% off
30	18% off
50	30% off
75	35% off
100	40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.