An integral part of any comprehensive site investigation is sampling as well as drilling activities. In recent years, sample drilling using rotary equipment has been improved to remarkable heights. In fact, sample drilling using this method (rotary equipment) has eliminated the prejudice that petroleum engineers have been having against rotary drilling equipment. These engineers have now claimed that rotary equipment is more satisfying as compared to cable tools they use during their exploratory work.
Here are reasons that make rotary equipment or rotary drilling technique pass as quality sample drilling.
Provide valuable information
Rotary sampling provides quality information for evaluation of the ground strata. Sampling using this method enables the collection of undisturbed samples in areas of interest. Engineers believe that rotary sampling stands as the best method of collecting samples since it doesn’t disturb the ground, especially when compared to methods like ‘down the hole hummer’ or the ‘open hole’ technique.
Handles any structure of samples
Rotary equipment is used to drill exploratory boreholes to get a clear understanding of underground rock or soil formation. The samples/rock may be badly broken, but by the use of a PDC core bit, geo-technicians are able to establish whether the fracturing is natural or technical. The use of this rotary equipment helps to produce perfect samples as compared to other unconventional drilling methods such as the use of percussion equipment.
Adaptability to produce any sample size
The rotary drilling method can produce good quality core samples. They come in the form of successful runs, from one stratum to the next, and in different sizes. The samples or core samples are produced by a core barrel that comes in different sizes. The sizes depend on the interest of the client. The barrels are in sizes of 75.7mm through to 146.3mm and sample dimensions will come out in sizes of 47.7mm through to 115.7mm respectively. A variety of sizes can be obtained for any specialized project.
Can handle any type of sample
When drilling for the purpose of sampling, you are sure to encounter any form of soil or core formation. To achieve quality sampling, you must have a method that can handle a variety of formations. Rotary equipment includes auger bits for soil formation and core bits for rock formations. The core bits can drill in soft formations as well as harder formations. To drill hard formations, the barrels are impregnated with diamond bits. Usually, for other drilling methods, there are rarely such options, making the methods produce substandard results.
Quality sample drilling is an art; for you to achieve successful sample drilling, the key factor to consider is the method of drilling. Other considerations like type, size, and structure of the sample come after selecting the best method of drilling. These concerns, combined with a knowledgeable driller who is as good as his selections, produces the best results in sample drilling.