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