When one thinks about it, a lot of human activity is centred underground and exploration drilling is no exception. Not only mining and other extraction industries live underground in a real sense, but a great many others need to know what’s underground before they can plan a development or simply build on top of it. Enter exploration drilling, a practice widely employed in industry, as well as by farmers, diverse development companies, and even homeowners. The thing is, when you need to know what lies under your feet, you need to know. Geophysical realities are paramount as basic intel in any development planning, so it’s not the kind of information anyone would guess at, particularly when there’s a lot of money at stake in whatever development is pending.
The industry refers to exploration drilling as a primer for development drilling. One is a primer, a sampler, and a critical source of information, while the other is the actual drilling process where boreholes are drilled and equipped, or other drilling takes place with the intention to utilise the drilled shafts in production in whatever way. Exploration drilling is used to retrieve rock or solid samples, to determine exact below-ground temperatures, and confirm the presence of heated or simply potable water, which are then sampled for their chemical analysis. Humanity has a vast and accurate book of knowledge that is brought into play when looking at drilling cores, and today’s experts can tell you everything you need to know about what’s beneath your feet!
Most Exploration Drilling Happens Around Commodities SA Never Sees
It’s easy to forget in South Africa, that countries with abundant gas and oil reserves are constantly engaged in exploration drilling to identify new resources. While South Africa has some experience in gas deposit identification, crude oil isn’t a homegrown industry here. Many thousands of exploration holes are dug each year in countries where oil is a fundamental contributor to the economy, however, and this is the standard method of identifying new deposits－drill a hole and see what’s down there!
Different exploration drilling techniques are brought into play, depending on the nature of the task at hand and what the desired outcome might be. Exploration drilling can confirm sites safe for human habitation, where there’s doubt about the possibility of unsuitable soil or rock deposits lying below an area pegged for houses, for example. It can identify the extent of rock sheets or water, gas, or other deposits, and it can also allow for very accurate measuring of the temperature gradient below ground－something crucial where underground heat in the form of heated water or other gasses or fluids are to be incorporated into the above-ground production.
The Benefits of Exploration Drilling
Exploration drilling allows for the cost-effective gathering of crucial intel when planning any development, whether housing or factory production on a piece of land. It’s a smart way to avoid the full costs of drilling and equipping a shaft by simply drilling a sample for cores－the sediment removed from a hole at a certain depth, which is then analysed to extrapolate into the broader geophysical realities of the locale in question. Here’s where years of experience handling subsurface aggregates pays dividends, and an amazingly high level of geological science is brought to bear.
A drilling contractor’s skill comes into the drilling technique selected for the purposes of the drill. Professional drilling contractors know how to extricate the samples required of the client, or how to drill in a manner that allows for ongoing sampling and analysis. Exploration drilling produces smaller holes that conventional borehole drilling, and they’re often not as deep, as there’s no compulsion to keep drilling until you strike water. Once the desired level of investigation has been accessed, the drilling operation can cease. These exploration drilling holes are also typically quicker in process, and results can be available promptly, with no delay to planning.
Call on the experts at Inyati for All Your Exploration Drilling Needs
Inyati Group is a top drilling contractor in the local industry, and we are constantly engaged in drilling projects both exploratory and developmental. When you need the right drilling done for your purposes, trust Inyati’s years of experience and on-site expertise. Call us for a prompt response, a dedicated team of competent professionals, and service with a smile!
Especially exploration drilling is designed to be a quick and effective means of getting hard facts from any subsurface region. For the best in speed, accuracy and cost-effective technique, get Inyati on your side.