What Do You Need to Keep in Mind When Working with Sonic Drilling Rigs?

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Over the last two decades, sonic drilling has gained widespread acceptance and popularity. It enjoyed industry-wide recognition. Two key contributing factors to this growth have something to do with technological advancements and the emergence of highly skilled drillers specializing in the use of sonic drilling rigs.

A skilled operator of a sonic drilling system may achieve high production rates and produce the best quality samples from a variety of subsurface conditions. Together with trained drillers, the sonic rigs make it possible to reach greater depths while getting into near-complete site core samples.

Recognize When to Utilise Sonic Drilling Rigs

Knowing how to discern the best time to use sonic rigs instead of traditional drilling is critical to providing cost-effective outcomes for the client.

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We have the following 3 reasons why you should utilize sonic drilling technology:

  1. Projects that necessitate the collection of a continuous in situ sample — this is the complete opposite of reverse circulation (RC) drilling, which collects chips.
  2. When drilling conditions require the exclusion of fluid and air, sonic drilling rigs do not need fluid or air, hence qualifying them as an excellent technique for geo-construction, environmental and geotechnical applications. Sonic types of drilling can lead to significant cost savings for environmental projectsThese forms of initiatives can be rather costly and time-consuming to complete to dispose of IDW (investigation-derived waste or otherwise known as drill cuttings) properly. Drilling dry lowers liquid waste compared to rotary procedures or drill mud/water.
  3. Sonic drilling is an excellent solution for undertakings with unconsolidated subsurface formations because it can effectively drill through pebbles to boulders whilst preserving borehole integrity through a continuous casing operation.

Make Use of the Right Drill

drilling rigsThere are many kinds of sonic tooling accessible nowadays that can help meet a variety of ground hardness and condition levels. The hardness of the ground is different from the unconsolidated, which is around 10 on the mineral hardness Moh’s scale.

Pay attention to the size of the rocks on unconsolidated terrain and modify the core barrel appropriately. The driller should use a core barrel that is at least 6 inches in diameter, regardless of the rock size. Ensuring a suitable core barrel size helps ensure the samples can easily be collected as they pass through the core barrel.

Telescoping the Core Barrel

Friction is your adversary when you are drilling through the earth, and any professional in this business would agree with that. Telescoping the digging minimizes friction and permits the contractor to bore further and deeper. Core barrels should come in the casing size. 

Don’t Just Keep an Eye on the Gauges

The greatest sonic drillers do not rely solely on gauges to determine when to back off or press forward. When skilled drillers operate the sonic drill string, they may rely on their senses to determine how the drill string is advancing; they can touch and feel it. They can also hear how the drill string is making progress, and from there make appropriate adjustments and decisions.

Additionally, experienced drillers rely on their familiarity with the drill site and ground structure. And the greatest drillers are adept at adapting their tactics as the hole deepens and comes into contact with new ground formations.

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