Arkansas AR-BR Boring &
Horizontal Drilling Contractor
Practice Exam | Questions,
Verified Answers & Detailed
Rationales | Complete Contractor
License Exam Prep Study Guide |
Updated 2026
1.
Before beginning a horizontal directional drilling operation,
what should be completed first?
A. Begin pilot-hole drilling
B. Verify plans, permits, utility locations, and the
approved bore path
C. Increase drilling-fluid pressure
D. Install the pullback product
Answer: Verify plans, permits, utility locations, and the
approved bore path
Rationale: Proper planning and verification of the bore
path and existing utilities are fundamental to
preventing utility strikes, property damage, and unsafe
operations.
2.
What is the primary purpose of the pilot hole in an HDD
operation?
A. To install the product pipe
B. To remove all drilling fluid
C. To establish the planned bore path
D. To compact the soil
,Answer: To establish the planned bore path
Rationale: The pilot hole establishes the direction and
alignment that the subsequent reaming and product
installation will follow.
3.
Which device is commonly used to determine the position and
orientation of an HDD drill head?
A. Pressure gauge
B. Torque wrench
C. Electronic sonde and locating system
D. Pipe fusion machine
Answer: Electronic sonde and locating system
Rationale: A sonde located near the drill head transmits
information that allows the locator to determine depth,
position, pitch, and often tool-face orientation.
4.
What is the main purpose of drilling fluid during HDD?
A. To permanently harden the bore
B. To cool and lubricate the tooling, transport cuttings,
and stabilize the borehole
C. To eliminate the need for locating
D. To increase soil density
Answer: To cool and lubricate the tooling, transport
cuttings, and stabilize the borehole
Rationale: Properly designed drilling fluid performs
several critical functions, including cooling, lubrication,
cuttings transport, and borehole stabilization.
5.
What is bentonite primarily used for in HDD drilling fluid?
A. Increasing electrical conductivity
B. Providing viscosity and helping stabilize the borehole
,C. Removing oxygen from the drilling fluid
D. Increasing pipe wall thickness
Answer: Providing viscosity and helping stabilize the
borehole
Rationale: Bentonite can increase fluid viscosity and
filtration control, helping maintain borehole integrity
and transport excavated material.
6.
What should an operator do if the locator readings suddenly
become unreliable?
A. Continue drilling at the same rate
B. Increase drilling pressure
C. Stop or slow operations and investigate the locating
problem
D. Turn off the drilling-fluid system
Answer: Stop or slow operations and investigate the
locating problem
Rationale: Unreliable locating information can result in
an uncontrolled bore path and a utility strike or other
damage.
7.
What is a utility tolerance zone?
A. The area where drilling fluid may be discharged
B. An area around a known or marked utility where
special care and verification are required
C. The maximum depth of an HDD bore
D. A location reserved for spoil piles
Answer: An area around a known or marked utility where
special care and verification are required
Rationale: Tolerance zones provide additional protection
around underground facilities because exact utility
locations may differ from records or surface markings.
, 8.
What is the safest approach when the actual location of an
existing utility is uncertain?
A. Assume it is located according to the drawing
B. Drill directly underneath it
C. Expose or otherwise positively verify the utility
location using an approved method
D. Increase drilling speed
Answer: Expose or otherwise positively verify the utility
location using an approved method
Rationale: Records and surface markings are not always
exact. Positive verification reduces the risk of striking
an underground facility.
9.
During pilot drilling, what does pitch generally describe?
A. Drill-string torque
B. Soil density
C. The angle of the drill head relative to horizontal
D. Drilling-fluid viscosity
Answer: The angle of the drill head relative to horizontal
Rationale: Pitch indicates whether the drill head is
moving upward or downward and by approximately how
much.
10.
What does steering generally accomplish during pilot-hole
drilling?
A. Changes the drilling-fluid chemistry
B. Changes the direction of the drill head to follow the
planned bore path
C. Increases pipe pressure
D. Removes cuttings from the surface
Horizontal Drilling Contractor
Practice Exam | Questions,
Verified Answers & Detailed
Rationales | Complete Contractor
License Exam Prep Study Guide |
Updated 2026
1.
Before beginning a horizontal directional drilling operation,
what should be completed first?
A. Begin pilot-hole drilling
B. Verify plans, permits, utility locations, and the
approved bore path
C. Increase drilling-fluid pressure
D. Install the pullback product
Answer: Verify plans, permits, utility locations, and the
approved bore path
Rationale: Proper planning and verification of the bore
path and existing utilities are fundamental to
preventing utility strikes, property damage, and unsafe
operations.
2.
What is the primary purpose of the pilot hole in an HDD
operation?
A. To install the product pipe
B. To remove all drilling fluid
C. To establish the planned bore path
D. To compact the soil
,Answer: To establish the planned bore path
Rationale: The pilot hole establishes the direction and
alignment that the subsequent reaming and product
installation will follow.
3.
Which device is commonly used to determine the position and
orientation of an HDD drill head?
A. Pressure gauge
B. Torque wrench
C. Electronic sonde and locating system
D. Pipe fusion machine
Answer: Electronic sonde and locating system
Rationale: A sonde located near the drill head transmits
information that allows the locator to determine depth,
position, pitch, and often tool-face orientation.
4.
What is the main purpose of drilling fluid during HDD?
A. To permanently harden the bore
B. To cool and lubricate the tooling, transport cuttings,
and stabilize the borehole
C. To eliminate the need for locating
D. To increase soil density
Answer: To cool and lubricate the tooling, transport
cuttings, and stabilize the borehole
Rationale: Properly designed drilling fluid performs
several critical functions, including cooling, lubrication,
cuttings transport, and borehole stabilization.
5.
What is bentonite primarily used for in HDD drilling fluid?
A. Increasing electrical conductivity
B. Providing viscosity and helping stabilize the borehole
,C. Removing oxygen from the drilling fluid
D. Increasing pipe wall thickness
Answer: Providing viscosity and helping stabilize the
borehole
Rationale: Bentonite can increase fluid viscosity and
filtration control, helping maintain borehole integrity
and transport excavated material.
6.
What should an operator do if the locator readings suddenly
become unreliable?
A. Continue drilling at the same rate
B. Increase drilling pressure
C. Stop or slow operations and investigate the locating
problem
D. Turn off the drilling-fluid system
Answer: Stop or slow operations and investigate the
locating problem
Rationale: Unreliable locating information can result in
an uncontrolled bore path and a utility strike or other
damage.
7.
What is a utility tolerance zone?
A. The area where drilling fluid may be discharged
B. An area around a known or marked utility where
special care and verification are required
C. The maximum depth of an HDD bore
D. A location reserved for spoil piles
Answer: An area around a known or marked utility where
special care and verification are required
Rationale: Tolerance zones provide additional protection
around underground facilities because exact utility
locations may differ from records or surface markings.
, 8.
What is the safest approach when the actual location of an
existing utility is uncertain?
A. Assume it is located according to the drawing
B. Drill directly underneath it
C. Expose or otherwise positively verify the utility
location using an approved method
D. Increase drilling speed
Answer: Expose or otherwise positively verify the utility
location using an approved method
Rationale: Records and surface markings are not always
exact. Positive verification reduces the risk of striking
an underground facility.
9.
During pilot drilling, what does pitch generally describe?
A. Drill-string torque
B. Soil density
C. The angle of the drill head relative to horizontal
D. Drilling-fluid viscosity
Answer: The angle of the drill head relative to horizontal
Rationale: Pitch indicates whether the drill head is
moving upward or downward and by approximately how
much.
10.
What does steering generally accomplish during pilot-hole
drilling?
A. Changes the drilling-fluid chemistry
B. Changes the direction of the drill head to follow the
planned bore path
C. Increases pipe pressure
D. Removes cuttings from the surface
