What to Look for When Hiring a Directional Drilling Company

When your company needs to hire critical services, it pays to do your research. Directional drilling is one type of critical service that you simply can’t afford to go wrong with. As you may know, directional drilling is a technique that oil extraction companies use to get access to oil underground. Many types of oil drilling are done vertically straight down, but directional drilling is different. You can refer to any drilling that isn’t done straight down as “directional drilling.”

Directional drilling isn’t the same as it was 100 years ago. According to Relentless Pursuit of Perfection, in the last few decades, technological advances have enabled angles, turns, and underground distance to be increased and enhanced. The biggest benefit of this type of drilling is the ability to allow companies to use multiple oil reservoirs off of a single well. This helps to reduce the total cost of drilling. It also helps to limit the environmental impact thus producing a more sustainable project. Let’s look at a few key factors you should consider when you are choosing a directional drilling company.

Relevant Experience

Your first order of business when evaluating any contractor is to check how long they’ve been in business. Because of the critical nature of oil drilling in general and the environmental impact drilling has, it’s crucial that you only work with companies that have meaningful and relevant experience. Oil drilling often entails many permits and responsibilities to environmental agencies. The directional drilling company you work with could greatly impact your ability to stay in compliance, and staying in compliance with these agencies will greatly affect your bottom line. For this reason, always work with companies that have significant experience.

Flexibility

Directional drilling is a very hands-on and physically demanding job. This requires that professionals have the ability to learn quickly and adapt quickly. You want a company that can clearly illustrate its ability to change and adapt plans if a challenge comes up. You also want a company that is capable of communicating during a challenge with management in ways that are effective. Without these qualities you not only wind up sacrificing productivity, but you might also sacrifice the safety of your equipment and workforce. These are things you want to avoid at all costs.

Communication Skills

It’s crucial to productivity and safety that the team you work with can communicate effectively. Communicating effectively doesn’t just mean sharing information readily; it also means using a communication style that works effectively for your team. There must be smooth communication between crew members, drilling engineers, and those acting as third-party well site staff. If communication breaks down, an entire project can break down. You’ll also want to ensure that the company you work with is good at answering questions about their services. Don’t accept the help of anyone who isn’t interested in keeping you in the loop.

Ability to Problem Solve

As you can probably imagine, problems are liable to pop up on a drill site. There’s no way to completely avoid this without fail, so the next best thing is to always make sure you’re working with a directional drilling company that’s able to problem-solve. Directional drilling is a challenging process, so problems are part of that. Only work with companies that have a proven track record of reliable problem-solving.

Proven Credentials

Be sure to take your time to research the credentials of the proposed drilling company. You cannot afford to work with someone who doesn’t hire well-trained employees who produce verifiable results. Remember, no matter where you’re located, you’re required to stay in compliance with a number of safety and environmental standards. Even if you’re doing your part to stay in compliance, the contractors you work with could make mistakes that throw you out of compliance. Make sure you find a provider who understands what’s required in your state. If you’re unsure yourself, it can help to ask for a second or third opinion.

If you’re looking for a reliable directional drilling company in Georgia or a nearby state, contact our team at Hardrock HDDP! As the local source of drilling, machining, and fabrication services since 2002, we have the skills and resources to get the job done right. Call today for a free consultation. We also offer shipping nationwide for a variety of our drilling products.