To address the lack of a systematic cognitive model in the intelligentization process of directional drilling construction, a hierarchical knowledge description method is proposed. Firstly, the drilling technology, drilling rig actions, and characteristics of internal modules of the drilling rig are analyzed and identified as the core elements of directional drilling construction, and these elements are layered and defined. On this basis, integrating expert experience and knowledge graph theory, the knowledge representation of drilling technology, drilling rig actions, and characteristics of internal modules of the drilling rig is completed respectively. Furthermore, a knowledge description model for the directional drilling construction process is constructed by coupling the above representations. Practical verification shows that when this method is applied to describe the long-distance drilling construction process at the Baode Coal Mine site, the presented construction process can reflect the technical characteristics and operation rules of the directional drilling construction process. Therefore, the hierarchical knowledge description method and the constructed knowledge model proposed in this paper provide a systematic cognitive framework for the intelligentization process of directional drilling construction and have important engineering application value.