Coring Issue 1

ATLAS COPCO DIAMEC SMART 6

Issue 1 //

Topic of the issue //

Winter 2016

Diamond products

ISSN 2367-847X www.coringmagazine.com

Explorat ion

In conversation with... // Kelvin Brown, Reflex Global Product Manager, Australia

In focus // Inertial Sensing, five years of innovation – Sweden

Mineral Exploration // Core Case's Genereation II: A new standard for core handling and storage

Product review // Diamec Smart 6 drill rig

by Atlas Copco

D ia mond

D r i l l i ng

Why buy drilling solutions from Fordia?

Because our goal is to help drillers improve their performance.

fordia.com

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T 1 800 768-7274

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info@fordia.com

/EDITORIAL

Dear Reader Welcome to the first issue of Coring magazine.

Having worked on numerous exploration diamond drilling (EDD) projects over the last ten years, I have come to realise how different the drilling techniques around the world can be, and how variable the knowledge and expertise. This is probably the result of many factors, cultural as well as climatic and geological.

Possibly, another salient factor is the paucity of reliable, public information in the sector. I have often seen drilling problems created or unresolved due to lack of knowledge about existing services, technologies or tools.

Remedying this lack of an authoritative source of information is one of the guiding principles behind the establishment of Coring magazine.

The aim of Coring is to establish a compact but comprehensive readership within the EDD industry, to allow individuals and companies to share news and knowledge and market products and services directly to the right audience.

In order to establish this readership, Coring will be distributed to all companies involved in EDD – diamond drilling contractors, the drilling and geology departments of mining and exploration companies, diamond drilling equipment manufacturers and suppliers and companies offering services like surveying, directional drilling, training and so on.

Though the group of people behind Coring magazine is small, the project is ambitions and focuses on quality of content and the integrity of outlook.

The driving force behind Coring magazine is the technical team, themselves drilling professionals experienced and well-known in the EDD industry. Because they speak the same language as the drilling industry, it is they who will decide on what is interesting and valuable for the readership and so earn a place in the magazine.

Coring content will be flexible and responsive to feedback from the readership. While carrying a variety of features, each issue of Coring will have an overall topic. This first Winter edition (#1) focuses on diamond products. The Spring edition (#2) will look at core orientation, Summer (#3) at directional drilling and Fall (#4) at borehole recovery.

Coring will also have interesting regular features like interviews with leading experts, product and company reviews and a mineral exploration section.

Marketing in the magazine or contributing news and articles is essential to the success of the Coring initiative and we are counting on your participation.

We hope you will enjoy reading Coring magazine and are hoping to hear from you soon!

GRIGOR TOPEV Founder / Managing Editor CORING MAGAZINE

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

1

Table of Contents /NEWS & EVENTS

3 The latest in the exploration diamond drilling

industry /IN CONVERSATION WITH...

4 Exclusive Interview with Kelvin Brown,

Global Product Manager at Reflex /IN FOCUS

6 Inertial Sensing, five years of innovations

/PRODUCT REVIEW

10 Diamec Smart 6 - Atlas Copco's drill rig

increases underground drilling safety /TOPIC: DIAMOND PRODUCTS

14 The New Hero 11 Abrasive: A longer-lasting,

free-cutting bit

18 Key factor for hole deviation control:

The Locking Coupling /MINERAL EXPLORATION

Coring Magazine is a quarterly international magazine focusing on exploration core drilling. The magazine aims to deliver fresh information, case studies, opinions, news and articles about drilling companies, products, projects and more.

16 Diaset patented drill bit matrix technology

/FIELD PRACTICE

Coring Magazine Issue 1 // Winter 2015

Coring Magazine’s target audience is drilling contractors, exploration companies and mining company exploration departments, service companies, drilling suppliers and manufacturers and anyone involved in exploration core drilling.

Publisher Coring Media Managing Editor Grigor Topev

20 Core Case's generation II - A new standard

for core handling and storage

Editor Bob Chappell

/OPINION

Drilling Correspondents Laurie Cyr – USA/Mexico

22 Trends in the core drilling industry,

a Namibian experience

Graphic Design Cog Graphics

/CASE STUDY

Printed by Dedrax Printing House

26 Downer EDI Mining and Tiger Fluids

in partnership – a recipe for success in PNG

28 Two-kilometre exploration hole for geothermal

heat plant in Finland 2

Address & contacts Coring Media Ltd. 119B D.Petkov Str., et.19, ap.153 Sofia 1309, Bulgaria Phone + 359 889 53 26 53 Email editorial@coringmagazine.com Website coringmagazine.com Coring Magazine #1

/NEWS & EVENTS

News & Events Ridgid launches a new intertube wrench

A helping hand from Canada’s Rodren Drilling

RIDGID® launches a new line of inner tube wrenches. They are specifically designed for use with ISO 10097 Core Barrel systems and components. The unique gripping surface offers superior strength without damaging or distorting the tube surface for maximum performance in the field.

Most of us think that mining sector community involvement is the province of the major players only, but a drilling contractor in Canada has shown that this is not the case. Canadian diamond drilling contractor Rodren Drilling’s “Metres For Kids” initiative is proving that lending a helping hand is for anyone who feels like it, not just big companies.

Says Rod Cyr, president of Rodren Drilling: “I always had in the back of my mind that we should give a little back to help others whenever possible. Seeing kids suffer from illness or tragedy is a heart breaker.”

Rod started Rodren’s "Metres for Kids" program in 2010, with the company giving a portion of their profits to the Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, Canada.

DET CRC technologies roll out on Australian Mineral Systems Drilling Program

The Mineral Systems Drilling Program (MSDP), a collaboration between DET CRC, the Geological Survey of South Australia, Kingston Resources and Minotaur Exploration, commenced drilling in July 2015 with cash and in-kind funding in excess of $7 million.

The program also involves DET CRC participants Boart Longyear drilling services and Imdex Limited, supporting its Lab-atRig® deployment.

By 31st October 2015, four diamond holes totalling 2,788 metres had been drilled in the Six Mile Hill area east of Port Augusta.

Operations then shifted to Peltabinna, north of Wudinna, where a fifth hole (155 m at the time of reporting) was drilled.

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Its main features are: •

Replaceable inserts – significantly extend the total life of the wrench

•

Specially engineered insert – surface maximizes grip strength while minimizing tube abrasion

•

Three jaw design – prevents tube distortion

•

Double torsion spring – prevents disengagement and allows single handed ratchet action

The principle couldn’t be simpler – the more Rodren drilled, the more they gave.

Rod then set about encouraging others in the industry to follow suit, and many have. Imdex's Reflex and AMC are big contributors. Others, like Fordia and Dimatec, Boart Longyear, Frontier Industries and MBI, also joined up. Not to mention the numerous individual donations from people in the industry.

“The Children's Hospital Foundation of Manitoba has done amazing things with the funds raised and we are very proud to have been able to help,“ Rod adds. “I know that times are tough right now and everyone has a hard luck story or a million reasons why they can't give something, but tell that to a sick kid and see if they understand.”

DET CRC technologies used on the MSDP to date include the Lab-at-Rig® for diamond drilling (2,472 m), its fluid management system (1,259 m); the natural gamma version of the AutoSonde (1,718 m, plus 700 m in wire-line mode) and the Wireless Sub (821 m). AutoSonde with magnetic susceptibility and borehole seismic experiments will be deployed to the MSDP in the coming months.

The deployments are providing invaluable ‘metres-on-the-clock’ for these technologies and helping DET CRC commercialisation partners Imdex and Boart Longyear with pre-commercial development. A number of improvements to hardware and workflows have been implemented as a result of experience on the project.

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/IN CONVERSATION WITH...

Coring Magazine exclusive interview

Conversation with Kelvin Brown Coring Magazine: How did you get started in drilling?

Kelvin Brown Reflex Global Product Manager Perth Australia He has been with REFLEX for ten years and is in charge of the Drilling Solutions, globally. He is a holder of the Australian Prospect Mining 2010 Outstanding Contribution to Mining and Miner of the Year awards for his contribution to the 2010 Chilean mine rescue.

Kevin Brown: As a teenager I was amazed at how a rig could drill into the earth and wanted to see for myself. Unfortunately my repeated attempts to gain employment in the oil and gas industry were constantly knocked back because “we only want experienced people”. Several years later by chance my mother arranged a job interview for an offsider position and asked if I still wanted to be a driller. I said yes and the rest is history...

CM: Now you’re in R&D, do you miss your time on the rig?

KB: No – I actually have the best of both worlds at the moment. I work closely with our regional teams and spend quite a bit of time out in the field, and from the cool of my office I can also get all the information on the activity on-site in real time via our Hub system.

CM: REFLEX are famous for selling and renting equipment. Why have they not considered opening a service department?

KB: Part of the philosophy at REFLEX is to create instruments and systems that are highly accurate, robust and easy to operate, removing the need for specialised service technicians on-site. In keeping with our philosophy, we deliver cost and time savings to the industry that then allow more money to be spent on more drilling!

CM: Is it true that Reflex is developing a directional core drilling system? If so, how is that going?

Being in a more R&D-focussed role, I enjoy the opportunity to put my years of experience into developing solutions that I know would have made our lives at the rig so much easier.

KB: This is an area we have been asked to get involved in on numerous occasions. We have researched this part of the market and believe that there is room for improvement.

However, with the current market conditions and the wider acceptance of driller operated directional systems like deflection wedges and down-hole motors, we feel that these will be sufficient to service the industry for the time being.

CM: You have worked extensively on tool development in your carrier. Do you hold some patents, and for what?

CM: There are rumors that Imdex is giving up on the directional drilling mud motors rentals. Is this true?

KB: Working for an innovative company like REFLEX has provided me with the opportunity to work in a team that has invented numerous instruments and systems with the majority being related to our patented survey and core orientation systems.

KB: Not at all! In fact we have noticed a pleasing growth in this area as a viable option to directional coring systems especially in the European region, and only last month we commenced a deep directional trial for a large mining company in Sweden with great results.

CM: Is there any news about Imdex – about acquisitions, products or initiatives – that you can share with us at Coring Magazine?

KB: As you can appreciate, there would always be confidentiality around acquisitions prior to their announcement but what I can say is that as a direct result of our recent acquisitions we have diversified and strengthened our talent base and this will enable us 4

to focus on organic growth.

CM: Can you tell us what developments or projects you’re involved in at the moment?

KB: I have been involved in the development of what we believe is the world’s first truly driller-operable north-seeking gyro tool.

This is progressing very well and delivering significant cost and time savings to drillers and geologists.

Coring Magazine #1

There are rumors that Imdex is giving up on the directional drilling mud motors rentals.

Kelvin (right) training local Chilean drilling crews on-site during the Chile Mine disaster

Another project that was recently released is the EZ-GAMMA which is a gamma logging device that can be operated by the drilling crew or on-site geologist saving time and money by no longer needing a service provider onsite.

CM: How did you get involved in the Chilean mine rescue, and what was your involvement?

KB: REFLEX, being a well known provider of drilling solutions to the local Chilean exploration industry, was contacted directly by the President of Chile and asked if they could assist. Without hesitation, we mobilised surveying and directional drilling equipment to the San Jose mine.

Our local manager Felipe was aware of my directional drilling background and asked me to help. Twenty-four hours later I was on site, helping the local drill crews to run our survey equipment, down-hole motors, and, most importantly, planning the quickest way to hit the target.

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

CM: What was the strongest impression the incident left on you?

KB: It was a highly rewarding and very emotional event and I would say that seeing the faces of the children smile and laugh when word went out that we found the 33 survivors is an impression that will stay with me forever.

CM: Few people know that you received the 2010 Outstanding Contribution to Mining and Miner of the Year Australian Prospect Mining Awards for your involvement. How do you feel about that?

KB: While I was very honoured to receive the awards it was a team effort and I am just happy that my small contribution assisted in achieving a successful outcome.

dated our product development strategy of delivering time and cost saving solutions to the industry.

Going forward, we have seen activity stabilise and it looks like we are back into the normal exploration cycle, but we expect improvements to be small and slow.

CM: In terms of drilling equipment – surface and down-the-hole, where do you think developers should focus their efforts?

KB: Real-time information sent from the rig through improved communication, more driller-operable instruments and optimised drilling performance systems.

CM: How is the exploration industry handling the downturn? Do you see any signs of a recovery?

CM: In your opinion, what is the best direction for exploration core drilling technology in the future?

KB: The last 12-18 months have been difficult times and we see a strong focus on cost reductions across the board. This has vali-

KB: I think we will see more advances in the use of automation technology being applied to the drilling process.

5

/IN FOCUS

Inertial Sensing

Five years of innovation November 2015 marked the fifth anniversary of Sweden’s Inertial Sensing, a provider of advanced surveying systems based on rugged, modern sensor technologies. Founded by owners Duncan McLeod and Dag Billger in 2010, the company has in its first five years introduced four advanced borehole surveying systems, with more planned for the coming year.

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Coring Magazine #1

From the outset, the company’s goal has been to exploit the modernity, ruggedness, small size and reliability of micro-electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors and build an advanced generation of borehole surveying systems.

As employees of an R&D company in Gothenburg, Sweden, Dag and Duncan were in 2004 the first to prove the feasibility of a MEMS gyroscopic borehole surveying instrument. From then until 2010, they gained extensive experience in designing and operating gyro borehole surveying tools.

Realizing that there was demand for high-quality MEMS-based surveying tools, it became clear that a new company backed by their extensive expertise in R&D and in the field could profitably compete.

A defining feature of Inertial Sensing is that the management are experts, with intimate knowledge of the systems at every level from hardware design through calibration theory to field software. Duncan McLeod has a Ph.D. in ring laser gyroscope physics and extensive experience of signal processing in various fields. Dag Billger has a Ph.D. in mechanics and long expertize in modelling mechanical systems and MEMS sensor design and calibration.

More than 30 years of combined experience in positioning and tracking systems have convinced McLeod and Billger that MEMS sensors are the logical progression for technology in the surveying industry.

This is particularly true for MEMS gyroscopes, whose ruggedness and non-magnetic nature compare favourably with traditional spinning-mass gyros, magnetometers and fiber-optic gyroscopes, and whose small size and low power consumption allow miniaturization and extended down-hole survey times.

Products Inertial Sensing’s first product, launched in 2001, was the isGyro™, specifically designed to meet the demands of deep vertical surveys in the oil and gas industry but equally able to survey any hole at any inclination.

The isGyro™ required extensive R&D into calibration and processing systems to overcome the limitations suffered by similar products.

ness and rate range upgrade to enable it to tackle deeper, more challenging surveys, and to improve power performance.

The isCompass™ was launched in 2013 as a magnetic single/multi-shot instrument integrated in its own running gear. Operating on standard C-cell batteries it is easy to use and requires no special maintenance for changing batteries. Again, the software was designed with simplicity and intuitiveness in mind.

In 2013 the most challenging project to date was launched: the development of a North-finding survey tool based on MEMS gyroscopes. Due to its novelty and ambition, the project was awarded partial financing from the Swedish state Vinnova program.

The first successful field test was performed in Texas in April 2014 and over a year of commercial testing with select customers has brought it to the point where it is now available for its primary target market – deep oil and gas and geothermal drilling.

2015 saw yet another major innovation with the launch of the SlimGyro™, the world’s smallest commercially available gyro survey tool. The SlimGyro™ was designed and developed in the space of six months for a customer who urgently needed a revolutionarily small gyro tool to survey very tight gas holes. The technology behind the SlimGyro™ is a spin-off from the North-finding survey tool project and has meant that a complete gyro survey tool can be packaged in a unit with a diameter of only 21.56 mm. The standard running gear diameter is 26 mm, which is smaller than most other gyro survey tools without running gear.

The SlimGyro™ uses the standard isGyro™ software, so there is no additional learning necessary for users already familiar with its bigger brother. The accuracy is the same as that of the regular isGyro™. By working on the electronics, firmware and signal processing, Inertial Sensing has reduced power consumption to an incredibly low 0.2 Watts, meaning that a single battery charge can last for 80 or more hours of surveying. If used inside a heatshield for geothermal or oil and gas surveys, the low power consumption significantly extends the survey time, as the tool has very little self-heating.

The isGyro™ has proven as popular workhorse and is deployed in roughly equal numbers in mining and oil and gas around the world, as well as in civil engineering and geotechnical applications. The isGyro software is designed to be the most intuitive and easiest to use in its class.

Another innovation is the introduction of a delayed-start survey. In this mode the SlimGyro™ is started in an ultra-low power mode consuming only 0.007 Watts of power and is instructed to begin its survey only after a specified amount of time (typically a number of hours or days). In this way, specialized surveys, with the tool left down-hole for days before surveying starts, can be conducted.

No other similar tool offers this function.

In December 2015, the isGyro™ got a rugged-

The SlimGyro™ opens up a whole range of

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Product range

The isGyro™ in its updated version. This features a high rate range up to 1000 deg/s, ruggedized for deep drop surveys and a longer battery charge of 20 hours.

The isCompass™. Integrated in its own running gear it can be operated in single and multishot modes.

The NorthFinder module.

Based entirely on MEMS sensor technology, it is optimized for the deep vertical surveys encountered in oil and gas and geothermal applications.

The SlimGyro™. The world’s smallest gyro survey instrument, with a diameter of 21.6 mm. Consumes so little power it can survey for 80 hours on one battery charge yet has the same accuracy and rate range as the standard isGyro™.

7

previously impossible jobs and is ideal for tight gas boreholes, civil engineering piling operations and mining blast holes where other gyro tools simply cannot fit.

Operations Inertial Sensing has a global distributor network reach and its tools are used worldwide in a wide variety of applications. There is a distributor presence in every major market area, including Canada, the USA, Latin America, Australia, Africa, Europe, Russia, the Middle East and China.

Apart from delivering high-quality products, the staff at Inertial Sensing understand very well the time-critical nature of support and repair. The local distributor is always the first point of contact for expert advice, but information can be quickly passed on to Inertial Sensing in Sweden for a fast response regarding survey data, procedure or tool queries. If a tool requires repair it will be prioritized to ensure it is turned around as quickly as possible, typically within two days. Inertial Sensing also offers an isCare™ package, stipulating a guaranteed maximum repair price even if the tool is destroyed (terms and conditions apply).

Projects Continuing to expand the product offering means that R&D is a top priority for Inertial Sensing. A large amount of capital has been expended ensuring that the MEMS technology used is the very best. Inertial Sensing’s R&D roadmap is continuously updated with feedback from industry and information from suppliers on what is becoming available, with one or two products in the pipeline at any given time.

Updating existing products is as important as coming out with new ones. The isGyro™ has been on the market for nearly five years and has recently had upgrades to its mechanics to make it even more rugged, give it extended rate range and longer battery life and to implement software improvements based on feedback from customers.

Looking to the near future, the technology spin-off from the NorthFinder project will allow more integrated systems exploiting real-time processing architectures. Coupled with the robustness inherent in the current generation of MEMS gyros and accelerometers, this will naturally lead to a market-leading survey tool that relays real-time data to a surface unit.

Future Market conditions were tough in 2015, with downturns in both the mineral and oil and gas industries, but by continuing to open new markets and increase competitiveness through developing new tools with novel applications, Inertial Sensing has kept ahead.

With new products in the pipeline, Inertial Sensing will be well placed to continue innovating and meet the needs of the market as conditions improve.

With the upturn in mind, Inertial Sensing is also reaching out to new customers and strengthening its distributor network. The company will be exhibiting at the PDAC in Toronto for the first time in 2016, and it is hoped the event will become a focal point for bringing new products and news to the market.

The first five years of business have seen Inertial Sensing grow from a supplier of a single gyro tool to an operation producing a complete range of survey instruments. Along the way Inertial Sensing has demonstrated the feasibility of the first MEMS gyro-based North-finding instrument and launched the world’s smallest gyro survey instrument.

With current plans for expanding the product range, the next five years look set to be as innovative as the first.

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Coring Magazine #1

The Inertial Sensing distribution network

For further information visit www.inertialsensing.com

Contributing an article, case study or news item to Coring magazine is free and everyone is welcome to participate Our team of editors will help structure and polish your text, and you can count on their professionalism to produce material which perfectly presents your expert opinion, product, service or company.

Send us a message telling us what you would like to appear in Coring. Articles accepted

will attract a 30 to 50 percent discount on advertising tariffs.

Coring magazine is looking for drilling correspondents in the following countries and regions: China/Asia, Chile and Peru, Australia/Australasia, North America. Please get in touch with us.

Contact us at editorial@coringmagazine.com

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

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/PRODUCT REVIEW

Diamec Smart 6

Atlas Copco’s drill rig increases underground drilling safety

Atlas Copco has introduced core drilling rigs that eliminates many of the hazardous operations for mines involved in underground core drilling.

The risk of handling inner tubes and drill rods, while extracting core samples, is a well-known problem for drillers around the world. Despite safety regulations, accidents with severe injuries still occur.

Atlas Copco’s Diamec Smart core drilling rigs have an advanced control system that enables automatic functions such as drilling and adding and removing of rods. By using the unique rod handler, the operator can perform the work from a safe distance. All adding and removal of in the hole (ITH) equipment are done automatically.

The automatic functions is not only increasing the safety for the operators, it also improves the working environment and increases the productivity. A three meter long inner tube with core samples can weigh about 100 kg and the handling is heavy and hazardous. The rod handler eliminates operator fatigue and helps keeping the pace during an entire shift.

Martin Sommers, Vice President Marketing - Exploration Equipment at Atlas Copco, explains: “There is an increasing focus on safety within the mining industry and the new Diamec Smart series sets a new standard for underground core drilling rigs. Customers that have tried automatic drilling and rod handling never want to go back to the old way of drilling.”

The new improved control system on the Diamec Smart is based on the Rig Control System (RCS) that is used for all drilling rigs from the Mining and Rock excavation business area at Atlas Copco. More than 20 important improvements have been made in both hardware and software compared to the previous control system, making it even more robust and reliable.

“There is an increasing focus on safety in the mining industry and the Diamec Smart series sets a new standard for underground core drilling rigs. Customers who have tried automatic drilling and rod handling never want to go back to the old way of drilling.”

Martin Sommers Vice President Marketing - Exploration Equipment at Atlas Copco

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Coring Magazine #1

Diamec Smart 6 drill rig with RCS and rod handler

According to Atlas Copco, the Diamec Smart 6 drilling rig development guidelines were robustness, operator safety and minimal need for maintenance, and have resulted in a new rig which can handle the majority of applications and sets the standard for underground core drilling.

A flexible exploration rig with frame position adjustable through 180 degrees, the Diamec Smart 6 is available in standard and deep hole versions and has more than 20 improvements over its predecessor.

Its modular design offers two feed frames, two rotation units, two chassis models and two panel systems, enabling optimal configuration for different applications.

The Diamec Smart 6’s equal pull and push capacity optimizes drilling performance, and the latest version comes with improved and more rigid water flow, pressure meters and mud pump valve, and diagnostic LED lamps on the cable ports for faster trouble-shooting.

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Rig control system

Easy, automatic drilling

The Diamec Smart 6’s rig control system (RCS) precisely measures, logs, displays and controls all drill rig data and drilling parameters. The RCS is user-friendly and is claimed to be the most efficient control system on the market today. The lightweight control panel has a 17” touch screen display, onehand joystick, adjustable dial knob and emergency stop button and is easily moved to a safe distance from the drill rig, with no hydraulic connections to burst and cause injuries.

One stand-out feature of the Diamec Smart 6’s RCS is its automatic drilling mode, which allows all the drilling parameters and danger boundaries to be pre-set and the RCS left to drill accordingly.

Operations include drilling with re-gripping the drill rod until the core barrel is full, breaking the core and pulling a safe distance off bottom, then flushing the hole and waiting for further commands.

The high-brightness display shows real-time drilling parameters and pre-set values. While drilling or tripping operations, drill bit depth is displayed, avoiding depth errors on the core and helping during special operations like wedging, fishing and surveying.

In case of a core block or any out-of-limit parameters, the RCS will pull off bottom and wait for further commands. The driller can handle the inner tube and core samples or execute other activities around the drill rig while the RCS supervises drilling. The RCS ensures that the driller never runs the risk of burning the bit or grinding the core.

The RCS provides efficient rod handling and increased thread life, with smooth, safe operation and fewer human errors. All data can be downloaded onto a USB memory stick for future analysis by supervisors or clients.

The RCS will alert the driller to even the slightest change in rock formation and the system will adjust the feed force and torque to maintain a constant penetration rate. By achieving minimal weight on bit for the cho11

sen penetration rate, drill bit life is increased significantly and borehole deviation minimised.

Additionally, the RCS can take full control of retrieving the inner tube. The RCS never permits slack on the wireline and will stop automatically when the overshot reaches the inner tube, preventing the wireline jamming on the winch drum. The RCS will also stop automatically when the overshot with the innertube is out of the drill rods.

Tripping operations Another stand-out Diamec Smart 6 feature is its one-person automated tripping operation.

With the driller only adding or removing rods, the RCS does the tripping and making or breaking of the joints. When the rod is in or out, the rotation unit will go to its lower position and wait for the next command. Once the driller has put the rod in or removed it, he pushes a conveniently located pedal on

the deck and the rig continues with the next rod. If the rotation head doesn’t manage to break out the joint while pulling, repeated pedalling will break the thread. If the pedal is pushed while the rig is in operation, it will stop immediately.

Automated drilling assistance The difficulty of handling inner tubes and drill rods while tripping or extracting core samples is well-known to drillers worldwide. Despite safety regulations, accidents with severe injuries still occur. By using the Diamec Smart 6’s unique rod handler, the operator can perform the work from a safe distance. All adding and removal of in-thehole equipment is done automatically.

The Diamec Smart 6’s state-of-the-art rod handling system takes over many of the drilling process’s most hazardous operations.

The rod handling system not only adds and removes drill rods with near perfect thread alignment, but also handles the core barrel

and inner tube, and can even handle a drill rod with water swivel attached.

The automatic functions not only increase operator safety, they also improve the working environment and increase productivity.

A three-meter-long inner tube with core sample can weigh up to 80kg and handling it is hazardous. The rod handler eliminates operator fatigue and helps keep up the pace of drilling over an entire shift.

Surface and Exploration Drilling is a division within Atlas Copco’s Mining and Rock Excavation Technique business area. It develops, manufactures, and markets rock and exploration drilling equipment for various applications in civil and geotechnical engineering, quarries and both surface as well as underground mines worldwide. Atlas Copco's focus on innovative product design and service support gives customers added value. The main production centres are in Sweden, Italy, India, Japan and China, with divisional headquarters in Örebro, Sweden. For more information please visit www.atlascopco.com.

Rig Data Sheet / Diamec Smart 6 • RCS system enabling automatic drilling and tripping • Optional state of the art rod-handling system • Equal pull and push capacity for optimal drilling • Wide choice of models available for different drilling applications • Unique, versatile, and easy-to-use positioner for drilling in any direction Smart 6 standard

Smart 6 DH (deep hole)

Hydraulic control systems

Max depth

1000 m B-size, 750 m N-size

1300 m B-size, 900 m N-size

• PHC - Pilot hydraulic control

Grip diameter

100 mm (4")

100mm (4")

• RCS - Automatic performance control

Max speed*

1640 rpm

1400 rpm

Max torque*

1634 Nm

2390 Nm

Feed/Pull

65 kN (14,600lbf)

89kN (20,000 lbf)

Feed lengths

850 mm (33 1/2") or 1,800 mm (70")

1800 mm (70")

Flush pump

Trido 80

Trido 140

Power unit

PU 55E

PU 75E

Modules

12

* Also available as high torque Coring Magazine #1

SlimGyro

TM

WORLD’S SMALLEST RATE GYRO Rapid results - all inclinations Extremely low power Ultra slim

Inertial Sensing One Hörnåkersvägen 6A SE-183 65 Täby - Sweden Ph.+46 (0)708 98 04 59 info@inertialsensing.com www.inertialsensing.com

Solid experience Reliable products Excellent support

/DIAMOND PRODUCTS

The Fordia New Hero 11 Abrasive

A Longer Lasting, Free Cutting Bit 14

Coring Magazine #1

been using a variety of drill bits with an NWL diameter – including a Hero 7 and 9 as well as a competitor’s bits from 8 to 15. None performed particularly well. The bit life was poor, averaging about 80 meters. The bits also polished too quickly.

When a member of Fordia’s technical crew suggested using the Hero 11 Abrasive, results improved dramatically. Bit life almost doubled, with the new bit averaging 150 meters.

It cut freely and sharpened itself without any dry stripping or the need to use nuts. Matt Falkins, President of Dorado Drilling, was impressed, claiming: “The Hero 11 Abrasive is the longest lasting and most free cutting soft matrix bit I have used to date”.

Dorado’s drill site at Lynn Lake, Canada

Drillers know that the choice of core bit has a huge impact on drilling performance. However, certain ground conditions can be difficult to drill regardless of the core bit chosen. As a result, drilling equipment manufacturers are focusing on customizing their core bits and equipment to particular rock types. The goal? To save customers money through longer life and improved performance of tools.

Customized tools are the key An example of this kind of customization is Fordia’s newly launched Hero 11 Abrasive.

Fordia works with its customers in mineral exploration and the geotechnical and environmental drilling industries to provide high-quality drilling solutions that include diamond tools, drilling equipment, accessories and services. With a focus on always increasing productivity, lowering costs and making life easier for the drilling community, the R&D team felt they had a winner with the Hero 11 Abrasive bit.

The Hero 11 Abrasive is a softer matrix that allows the diamonds in the crown to come into contact with the ground very quickly for better penetration. Its potential is unleashed in very hard and abrasive ground, specifically from 6.5 to 7.5 on Mohs hardness scale.

The new bit was recently tested onsite and provided excellent results.

Dorado Drilling tests the Hero 11 Abrasive Dorado Drilling is a drilling operator in Western Canada providing contract diamond drilling services to the mineral exploration industry. The company has three diamond drills (Hydracore 2000’s) currently in operation and employs over twenty employees at their drill sites. Dorado Drilling, a Fordia customer since 2007, recently had a drilling project in Lynn Lake in Northern Manitoba where their client had a camp.

The ground at Lynn Lake was highly fractured, hard banded ironstone, a sedimentary rock with stripes of iron and silica. The hardness of the ground was approximately 7-8 on Mohs scale. The drilling team had Faster. Deeper. Safer.

With these exciting results, Matt decided to try the bit at a nearby site approximately 30 kilometers from Lynn Lake. The ground conditions at this second site were more competent and not as hard. The Dorado team had been using other Fordia bits as well as the competition’s bits at this location. While the Hero 11 Abrasive achieved the same bit life, its penetration rate was 20% better than the bits the team had been using. “The Hero 11 Abrasive would keep cutting quickly even when the ground changed to a harder rock with quartz,” Matt added.

A line of bits tailor-made for abrasive ground The Hero 11 Abrasive joins a line of products developed specifically for abrasive ground conditions. The Hero 7 Abrasive is a very versatile bit that is ideal for abrasive rock formations containing a wide range of hardness levels, from 5.0 and 6.5 on Mohs scale.

The Hero 9 Abrasive is an excellent choice for highly abrasive rock formations that include high iron ore content. Together, they offer drillers a highly customized line of core bits that feature special matrices consisting of alloys and diamonds that are very resistant to abrasive conditions.

For more information on the Hero 11 Abrasive and to learn how other Fordia products can make drilling easier, visit www.fordia.com.

"The Hero 11 Abrasive is the longest lasting and most free cutting soft matrix bit I have used to date."

Matt Falkins President of Dorado Drilling 15

/DIAMOND PRODUCTS

Diaset patented drill bit matrix technology

Because of its strength and high melting point, tungsten metal powder is used by every impregnated bit manufacturer worldwide.

But tungsten’s very strength is its problem, requiring a lot of energy to “strip” away and let the diamonds cut.

Manufacturers have responded by varying the size of tungsten powders and changing bond types, but a limit has been reached, and a new solution was required.

Molybdenum is chemically similar to tungsten but 35 percent softer, allowing harder formations to be drilled more quickly as less energy is consumed “stripping” the bit. The problem with molybdenum is that it is very reactive to oxygen during processing, necessitating expensive manufacturing equipment and extending manufacturing time.

This raises the cost of molybdenum bits and has deterred manufacturers.

A new patent owned by Robert K. Miller allows efficient processing of molybdenum

16

matrix alloys using standard manufacturing technology. The result is a molybdenum-impregnated core bit that will drill all formations faster and whose cost is comparable with tungsten tools. This new technology is available for DiasetUltraTerra, Geotech and V2 impregnated bits in all matrix numbers, from #1X to #18X. With the commodity downturn and the need to keep their prices down and productivity high, drilling companies worldwide are taking notice of this new technology. The new molybdenum-impregnated core bit helps maximize productivity while keeping input costs down.

For more information visit www.diaset.com.

Coring Magazine #1

A NEW AND EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO

DRILLING FLUIDS Tiger Fluids provides quality drilling fluid products and engineering services to the Mining, Waterwell and HDD industries.

Tiger Fluids has a complete line of drilling fluid products that meets the needs of customers globally while supplying a high level of service by experienced personnel. info@tigerfluids.com

+65 63007476

www.tigerfluids.com

/FIELD PRACTICE

A key factor for hole deviation control

The Locking Coupling For our regular 'Field practice' feature, we ask coring experts to write a brief summary of their particular area of expertise. Here, Laurie Cyr and Grigor Topev combine efforts to tell us all we need to know about locking couplings and how to choose the right type.

Locking coupling function

Locking coupling types

The locking coupling (LC) is a part of the wellknown Boart Longyear's Genuine Q™ wireline system. It is the uppermost part of the core barrel outer tube that connects with the drill rods. The main functions of the LC are:

Locking couplings can be categorised according to the amount of stabilization they provide.

•

To provide an inner shoulder where the latches of the inner tube head assembly can lock onto

•

To provide an adaptor between the core barrel outer tube and the drill rods

•

By means of a tang, to stop the head assembly rotating inside the LC, preventing the latches from premature wear

Blank locking couplings have the same diameter (73.00mm) as the standard core barrel, without additional tungsten carbide pads or hard welding. Blank locking couplings are the cheapest type, but are only suitable for short holes where natural deviation will not be significant. Rarely used nowadays.

•

To provide varying degrees of stabilization in order to minimize deviation while drilling

The first three functions can be classified as technical, while the fourth and most important one is more technological, being related to borehole deviation control.

Blank locking couplings

Standard couplings Standard couplings are equipped with hard tungsten carbide pads to provide a degree of stabilization. Hard welding can also be used instead of pads. The standard coupling is full hole size. When deviation occurs, the pads tend to wear out quickly, resulting in even greater deviation. This type is best used in areas with little potential deviation, and is well established and commonly used.

Diaset’s spiral full hole back-end reamer Hex, or full hole locking couplings These have six sections around their girth with an outer diameter of 75.00mm. “Full hole” is actually a misnomer. The hex LC provides good stability compared to the blank LC, and almost as much as the standard coupling. The hex LC is not wear-resistant and stabilization can quickly deteriorate.

A common error with this type of LC is that it is often replaced only when the sections have become totally flat, a mistake where hole deviation control is a key factor. Due to its over-gauge size, any full-hole element of the outer tube is more liable to get stuck in certain geological conditions. The hex is a common and widely used type of LC. Diamond locking couplings, also called back-end reamer

Blank, standard and full hole locking couplings 18

One or more solid rings of diamonds baked onto the locking coupling, like the standard reaming shell. This unit is wear-resistant and will last longer than the other types. It provides real hole stabilization, but it should be borne in mind that the diamonds-embedded sections are cutting elements and in rare cases might actually increase hole deviation.

Water flow is more restricted as compared with other coupling, especially if the adaptor coupling, outer tube and reaming shell are also full hole type. Care should be taken Coring Magazine #1

in loose ground, as it is very easy to get this equipment stuck in the hole.

Lately, a variation of this type of coupling has become popular: a diamond LC with full hole body, usually with spiral water channels. The diamond sections protect the full hole body from wear, and the full hole body minimises the sideways cutting tendency of the diamond sections mentioned above. The full hole diamond coupling offers the optimum combination for hole stabilisation where ground conditions permit. This is the most expensive coupling.

A tang damaged by a non-rotating head assembly

Common issues The tang The tang prevents the inner tube head assembly from rotating inside the LC, thus avoiding wear both on them and on the inner surface of the adaptor coupling. With the help of a thrust bearing, the inner tube will theoretically remain stationary as the core enters it, even when the rest of the core barrel, including the head assembly, is rotating.

Problems arise when thrust bearings malfunction. That failure often occurs when drilling continues after core-block in the inner tube or when the bearing is not lubricated regularly. Bearing failure will cause the latches to dig into the tang and damage it.

Repeated instances cut a groove in the tang, allowing the latches to walk over it and eventually unlatch, resulting in rod pull.

Stuck inner tube Drill bits are often subject to several tons of pressure while drilling, and if core block occurs, all that weight is transmitted to the contact surface between the top of the latches and LC thread shoulder. That contact area is very small and narrow and is not designed to withstand such weight. This scenario usually results in a stuck inner tube, and most likely, rod pull. Often, attempts to release the inner tube with the overshot result in the wireline getting broken, compounding the problem.

That is one reason drilling over core block should not be acceptable practice.

Although at first glance locking couplings are simple elements, their function in the wireline system is very important. The correct choice and use of locking couplings requires knowledge and experience, but only on-site testing will show what works best in specific conditions.

It should also be noted that the LC is only one of factors in deviation control and the authors of this article have listed only the main types and problems associated with the locking couplings.

What makes Coring such a powerful marketing tool?

Coring magazine is distributed to the whole exploration diamond drilling industry, regardless of magazine subscriptions. In an instant, your product, service or company will be presented to the EDD industry worldwide!

To make advertising in Coring even more attractive, we have established an advertising tariff which is very budget-friendly compared to other publications. Participating with an article will attract a discount of 30 to 50 percent on advertising tariffs.

For those who don’t have an advertising budget as such, there is a listings section at the end of the magazine where you can place a company name and contact details in a section corresponding to your main activity.

Contact us at advertising@coringmagazine.com

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

19

/MINERAL EXPLORATION

CoreCase Generation II

A new standard for core handling and storage In just five years on the market, CoreCase has carved out an enduring position for itself as a major supplier of core sample storage products and accessories to the Brazilian mining sector.

With its commitment to quality and professionalism, CoreCase has quickly attracted most of the important drilling and mining companies in Brazil as clients, including Vale, AngloGold Ashanti, Anglo American, Yamana Gold, Votorantim Metais, Servitec-Foraco, Geosol and others.

The idea for CoreCase originated with its founder, Daniel Bortowski, who, when working as an exploration geologist, experienced difficulties using the extremely rough and simple wooden core boxes that were all that was then available. They always seemed to require additional adjustment and proved to be unsafe when saturated in wet weather, due to their increased weight.

Putting his 10 years experience in mineral exploration and mining geology to use, Daniel and his team developed the CoreCase Generation I sample tray, which turned to be a great success with more than 175,000 manufactured and sold over a five-year period – enough to accommodate almost 1,000,000m of NQ core samples.

Testing of Core case products

The company recently introduced its new Generation II product incorporating improvements and innovations suggested by client feedback on the original trays.

Tests on the Generation II core trays are to be extended with additional accelerated aging, lower temperature and UVA-UVB exposure tests.

With its double walls, the Generation II core case is the most rigid plastic core case on the market. This innovation has dramatically improved the cases’ stacking capability, impact resistance and rigidity. The cases also have new rounded edges, improving safety by minimizing cuts and grazes.

With its innovative design, the Generation II core case is the most advanced product of its type in the world, not only for daily usage, but also seamlessly meeting all the ergonomic, durability and work safety requirements of mining and drilling companies.

"Using CoreCase products on our project not only allowed us to realize a considerable cost reduction, but also to contribute significantly to environmental preservation by using recycled plastic material instead of wood."

Rodrigo Martins Brownfields Exploration Manager AngloGold Ashanti Brazil 20

50000 40000 30000 20000 10000 0

April 2011 tests of the CoreCase Generation I product showed tensile strength of 872.80 N, flexibility of 2195.68 N and durability of 75 SHORE D.

Environmental care In addition to its innovation, customer care and support, Core Case makes a strong case to be considered one of the most environmentally friendly companies in Brazil. Made from 100% recycled material, CoreCase sample trays had by the end of 2015 kept more than 350 tons of plastic out of the environment and saved more than 8,000 large trees from logging.

26+31+48+35+36+50 | 2012

| 2013

| 2014

| 2015

| Exp. 2016

CoreCase realised sales

Coring Magazine #1

Generation II features & innovations

Six large drainage channels allow water to drain off instantly

Core separators with slots prevent cores moving and breaking

Lid locking system secures cover during transport or storage

Secure Info tag slot with easy placing and removal

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Locking system allows core boxes to be securely attached to each other, improving stability and minimizing shifting during transport

Hand and finger protection system for safe, easy handling

Write-able surface on the core separators, outer sidewalls and other flat surfaces to preserve written data 21

/OPINION

Trends in the core drilling industry

A Namibian experience

As depressed conditions in the mining and exploration industry persist, drilling companies have no choice but to respond to the situation according to their individual circumstances.

Even as a relatively small player in the international drilling industry, Günzel Drilling has had to embrace the challenges of a perpetually cyclical industry, and an investigation of its profile, production and man-hour data offers some insight into the company’s experience of the current down-turn.

by Kirsten Günzel, Administrative manager at Günzel Drilling

22

Coring Magazine #1

1

Downturn analysis As shown in Figure 1, after a good 2012 and 2013, production abruptly declined towards the end of 2013, falling eventually to about 10 percent of the June 2013 level by September 2015. Total production for 2014 reached barely a quarter of 2013 production, with only slight improvement in 2015.

The last time Günzel had all its rigs running simultaneously was also in 2013, when four rigs were employed on a 15,000m contract in Namibia, while two further rigs were working a project in Gabon and a final rig was drilling a greenfield project in northwest Namibia.

Since then the most rigs Günzel has had running simultaneously is four, for a 3,000m contract which had to be completed quickly.

Although the decline in production slowed during 2014-2015, the trend remains downward with little indication of recovery in the fourth quarter of 2015. Revenue closely shadowed production figures.

Analyzing production data naturally involves looking at the number and nature of drill projects. Figure 2 shows that the number of projects running simultaneously in 20142015 was markedly lower than in the second half of 2013. The fall in drilling activity resulting in idle capacity, although the number of projects did not decline to the same extent as production.

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

The reason for this is that, while fewer projects were initiated, those that were managed by Günzel Drilling were short contracts with low meterage, with about half of the contracts worked during 2015 being onehole contracts. To put this in perspective, while during 2013 the mean meterage before demobilisation was 3,800 m, during 2015 rigs were being demobilised after only 780 m on average.

reached an all-time low in September 2015.

However, over the period June 2013 to June 2015, the decline in man hours was more moderate than that in production and revenue. This can easily be explained by the low meterage of projects. In Günzel Drilling’s experience, shorter projects are more labour intensive in relation to output than high-production projects with a number of rigs at the same drill site.

Figure 3 shows that, since 2014, the client base has consisted mainly of private investors, with only 17 percent dependent on raising funds on the financial markets. This can be understood to reflect the persistent adverse sentiment of the mainstream investor towards exploration drilling and prospects for growth in the mining sector in general.

The main findings of this analysis are that Günzel Drilling’s main drop in output occurred towards the end of 2013, with a further significant decline in the third trimester of 2015. Compared to the market crash in the late 2000s, the duration of reduced drilling activity has certainly been more drawn out, if not as severe.

Mining companies, on the other hand, are less influenced by financial markets and have proceeded with development drilling work regardless. By the same token, a number of financially strong individuals and groups consider the current bear market an opportune moment to invest in the industry and prepare for an upswing.

While man-hours also declined, the deterioration was less than that for production and revenue as result of projects being more labour intensive. Overall, the company grew more dependent on projects funded by mining companies and private investment than by financial markets.

While the number of contracts from mining or private agents does not decline during bull markets, their share of the total number of prospectors will in all likelihood be smaller.

As for production, effective man hours also plunged in the fourth quarter of 2013, and

Responding to trends Günzel Drilling’s response to current market sentiment is the same as in previous crises: all available work, no matter how smallscale or tedious, is urgently sought after in order to maintain revenue stream and staff 23

/OPINION

morale. This said, projects are not undertaken indiscriminately but have to be profitable, with no cross-subsidisation between projects. Similarly, under no circumstances are unethical methods to improve the chances of success in tendering even considered.

2

The main measures needed to survive a down-turn are put in place during the good times. Along with quality marketing and nurturing our reputation, a primary company objective during busy periods is managing profits carefully so the company has something to fall back on in leaner times.

This permits levels of quality and professionalism to be maintained during industry down-turns by providing for proper equipment maintenance and, more importantly, retaining staff.

Günzel Drilling considers staff lay-offs only in the last resort. Retrenching staff inevitably entails loss of skills and experience, with reduced employee loyalty a knock-on effect.

While this approach limits the expansion potential of the company to an extent, one clear advantage is organisational stability and retention of critical expertise. Further, the company continues to focus energy on quality control and workmanship in order to nurture its reputation against competitive tendering conditions during lean times.

This philosophy has sustained the company during previous crises and prepared it for better times when the rigs line up again. In the meantime, this is a storm to be ridden out, albeit with reefed sails.

3

Author notes When considering the article analysis, it is important to note that all figures are indexed and therefore not directly comparable, and that rolling averages are given – to highlight trends instead of focusing on outliers – and span the time period from June 2013 to September 2015.

Moreover, the analysis is limited in that no external industry data has been included, as this would expand the article beyond its intended scope. Similarly, this case study is based on one individual company, and the experiences described may not apply to other drilling organisations.

Photos in this article 1............... Equipment crossing river in Gabon 2........................Günzel operations underway 3........................Operations in Bradberg, 2013 24

Coring Magazine #1

Drilling trends during the downturn

56+514631+30257+8 17+19188+204+8106+71516+211315+5 4+0 73+5347 +53 33+2720 + 27 + 2027+33 20+ 2733+ 40+333025+0

Figure 1 / Production

Figure 2 / Number of projects

100

100

90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

90

80 70

60 50

40 30 20 10

| Jun 13

| Jan 14

| Jul 14

| Jan 15

17+50+33A

Figure 3 / Source of funding



Stock markets......................................17%



Private.................................................50%



Mining.................................................34%

0

| Jul 15

| Jun 13

| Jan 14

| Jul 14

| Jan 15

| Jul 15

About Günzel Drilling

Günzel Drilling is a family-run organisation established in 2002 and operates in West Africa and mainly in Namibia, with diamond drilling as its core business. The company’s founder, geologist Arno Günzel, started the business when he could not find a drilling company with realistic prices capable of conducting diamond-drilling work for one of his projects.

In the beginning, there was no intention to start a drilling company, but merely to take charge of quality and cost of drilling. Only over time and in response

to requests for drilling services from other geologists and project managers did Arno’s experience with the rig grow into a standalone drilling company.

The company now owns a carefully chosen set of rigs ranging from high performance rigs with extended depth capacity to smaller rigs better suited to mountainous or otherwise challenging terrain. The Günzel family works shoulder to shoulder with other teams in the field to maintain solid working relationships and ensure quality and safety at all times.

Figure 4 / Man-hours and production trend 100



Hours

90



Projects

80



Production

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 | Jun 13

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

| Jan 14

| Jul 14

| Jan 15

| Jul 15

25

/CASE STUDY

Downer EDI Mining and Tiger Fluids in partnership

A recipe for success in PNG

Together with Tiger Fluids, Downer EDI Mining has broken site depth and metre production records at the Highlands Pacific Star Mountains exploration site in Papua New Guinea’s Western Highlands with customised mud programmes designed specifically for the region.

by Rhys Clarke, Manager at Tiger Fluids Downer EDI Mining is utilising Alton HD900 and Boart Longyear LF70 drilling rigs to explore this exciting but challenging and logistically difficult prospect. The hand-picked crews consist of highly skilled local drillers, offsiders and expatriate trainers, bringing together some of Papua New Guinea’s finest drillers. Coupled with Tiger Fluids’ products and engineering experience, the challenges of this difficult environment were easily overcome.

The Olgal and Kumkom exploration sites are located in very steep terrain at 7,500 to 10,000 feet above sea level respectively.

Before drilling starts, each step of the logistics is pre-planned to the smallest detail, ensuring that helicopter time is maximised and that materials, equipment, and rigs are moved safely and efficiently. Tiger Fluids muds are optimised for the most efficient performance and to limit the number of helicopter trips needed.

The drilling program has performed very well to date, with excellent safety standards, and achieving new records in both depth and production for both Kumkom and Olgal.

The decision to utilise Tiger Fluids was a logical one. Rhys Clarke of Tiger Fluids brings a 26

wide range of experience and knowledge of the changing ground conditions that are common to the remote areas of PNG. With Highlands Pacific being able to provide physical core samples and hole lithology data, a range of mud solutions was moved onsite in readiness for drilling to commence.

This was further facilitated by stock that Tiger Fluids already had in the country.

Rhys was also able to deliver the required materials by arranging all the freight and logistic hurdles to ensure smooth operations in these remote sites. Tiger Fluids provided training to all personnel to provide a thorough knowledge of the different muds and equipment and ensure a suitable “mud mix” was maintained.

Due to the logistical challenges of accessing the drill sites regularly, Tiger Fluids is managing the mud system and mud programs both locally and remotely. Information is relayed in real time so drilling fluid assessments can be made and adjustments recommended immediately to suit changing drilling conditions. Hole depths are a testament to the success with which Highlands, Downer and Tiger have worked together to improve drilling rates.

Coring Magazine #1

/CASE STUDY

Two-kilometre exploration hole for geothermal heat plant in Finland

KATI is an ore prospecting contractor specializing in diamond core drilling. It was founded in 1980 in Kalajoki, Finland, where still it is still headquarted. KATI has more than 30 years experience drilling in extreme conditions in Scandinavia, Greenland and the Sahara and was the first Nordic drilling contractor to be awarded with the ISO 14001 environmental management certificate.

by Matti Rautakoski, Business Manager at Kati Oy Finnish Energy company ST1 is developing a geothermal project in Espoo, southern Finland. A significant milestone was achieved on July 10th 2015 when contractor KATI completed a 2015-meter exploration hole, the deepest ever drilled by KATI, and one of the deepest borehole in Finland ever.

The goal was to produce information for future geothermal production holes, which will be as deep as 6-7 kilometres. If analysis of the recently drilled core samples proves positive, the production holes will be drilled over 2016 and 2017. The volume of hot water collected from the production holes is estimated to be enough to provide heating for 10 percent of the houses in Espoo, or 25,000-30,000 inhabitants.

28

Drilling the two-kilometre exploration hole in solid and very hard rock using N-size rods was challenging, and drill bit consumption was high. Even though the hole reached record-breaking depths, it was completed ahead of schedule.

The drill rig, which was developed and constructed by KATI, performed well, without any technical hitches. KATI’s specially designed closed system provided cleaning and recycling of the drilling mud, meeting requirements dictated by the urban environment.

The core drilled from the hole, which is tens of millions of years old, will itself be the subject of scientific research.

Coring Magazine #1

©2016, RIDGID, Inc. The Emerson logo and RIDGID logo are registered trademarks of Emerson Electric Co. or RIDGID, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. All other trademarks belong to their respective holders.

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