The Pros and Cons of Rotary Drilling Services - Borehole Solutions Ltd

Our expert drilling team offer many services, one of which is rotary drilling. This commonly used method suits a variety of drilling projects, both small and large. Borehole Solutions decided to investigate the method further considering that it dates back over 3,000 years ago! We want to examine when rotary drilling services are implemented and the different types of rotary available. As you will soon find out, although frequently used, it may not be a good idea!

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How does Rotary Drilling Work?

There is a drill bit at the end of the drill pipe that bores through the rock formation. This drill bit can come in two forms: fixed cutter bits or roller cone bits. Both types are extensively used within the drilling industry, with no specific preference to one over the other. Fixed cutter bits are frequently known as PDC bits (polycrystalline diamond compact bits). There are other fixed cutter bits available, but PDC bits are one of the most prevalent.

The rotary drilling rig utilises high levels of torque and rotation to operate at between 50 and 120 rpm! This high speed and frequency of rotations ensure an easy drilling that can smoothly carve through both hard and soft rock formations. In order to ensure optimal performance, the rig clears the borehole using either air or drilling fluid. This reduces friction on the drill bit as well as cools it down, meaning that the rig can perform more effectively.

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When is it best to Use Rotary Drilling Services?

Rotary drilling services can be used on a broad range of geological formations. If you are drilling a deep borehole, rotary drilling that utilises air is the preferred option. However, mud tends to be more unstable with formations consisting of sand and gravel, meaning that air would not be appropriate. In this situation, drilling fluid should be used as a mixed additive to coat the sides of the borehole and help provide support. This method is often used in mining and quarry settings, considering that it allows for drilling a hole to depths of thousands of metres! Rotary drilling can be configured to the job in question to ensure a top-quality core recovery for optimal analysis.

Pros

As you can expect, with any type of drilling, rotary drilling has its positives and negatives. Some of the benefits include:

• Speed: rotary drilling is a fast method. In fact, it is significantly quicker than numerous other conventional drilling techniques. Importantly, it also delivers high-integrity results and does not compromise on quality.
• Reliable: the rigs are highly dependable. Rotary drilling is a method that has been used for millennia so it has been refined over time. Companies, such as Borehole Solutions, have been honing their skills for years, hence we know exactly how to give you the best results!
• Flexibility: rotary drilling rigs are so simple to operate. Their ease of set-up, dismount and ability to be transported, means they are well-known as every geotechnical company’s dream to work with.

Cons

It is of no surprise, but no one form of rotary drilling service is perfect. As we have already discussed, there are several methods to choose from; but there are other options, such as reverse circulation and dual rotary. If one type of rotary drilling is not suitable for your job, there is a chance that another form would fit the bill. For instance, if cross-contamination is a concern, then air rotary offers the best solution. Likewise, if you want to preserve the integrity of a borehole, mud rotary is the ideal method to use.

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Sometime in my future I will have a well drilled. I would be shopping right now but need funds from when i sell my current home to pay for it. Growing up it was all percussion rigs in our subdivisoin just outside city limits. You could hear that echoing through the neighborhood. It seems like it took them part of a week. This was 's. Our second house dad built in that neighborhood had a well drilled by a percussion rig. I know they are still around. Then one day this new developing subdivision off of ours had a rotary rig show up. It took maybe a day or so. If price was comparable and I could find someone who still had a percussion rig I think i would go that route. I've been involved with wells from hammer units and rotary. The rotary's are much faster especially when going deep.
One thing I've seen over the years is that the rotarys especcially with operators that pushing the pressure of the drilling mud higher and going faster can and do plug off some of the smaller veins of water. I had several drillers tell me that they don't but I am convinced they are full of it. One neighbor had to have a new well several years ago and they drilled 4 different wells in 4 different locations and never got a good well just a few gallons per minute. They had a pounder come in and he opened one bore up by a couple inchs and they ended up with better then 20 gpm that was a bunch of smaller veins in limestone formations. did another one with almost the same results and got adequate water using the two wells.
If your water is in stone veins the pounder will fracture the rock not just bore a hole.

I've been involved with wells from hammer units and rotary. The rotary's are much faster especially when going deep.
One thing I've seen over the years is that the rotarys especcially with operators that pushing the pressure of the drilling mud higher and going faster can and do plug off some of the smaller veins of water. I had several drillers tell me that they don't but I am convinced they are full of it. One neighbor had to have a new well several years ago and they drilled 4 different wells in 4 different locations and never got a good well just a few gallons per minute. They had a pounder come in and he opened one bore up by a couple inchs and they ended up with better then 20 gpm that was a bunch of smaller veins in limestone formations. did another one with almost the same results and got adequate water using the two wells.
If your water is in stone veins the pounder will fracture the rock not just bore a hole.

I think that you are in the money about a hammer rig fractures a much larger zone of rock that is advantageous when the well is producing water from veins in bedrock. I have friends on granite bedrock, and their well is something crazy like 400' because it fills from tiny veins all the way down. There is no water bearing layer.

Around here bedrock is mostly pre-fractured due to all of our many faults and earthquakes. Everyone drills with rotary rigs. The water bearing layers around here tend to be sand or gravel, or highly fractured shale (think 1/8" sized pieces). Often those layers are quite thick. 50-100' thick. There tends to be relatively impermeable clay layers interspersed. So, there really isn't anything to plug. You are either heading toward a water bearing layer, or you are there and done.

Fracturing a low production well can make a difference- if the aquifer isn't depleted, which is usually the cause out here.

All the best,

Peter Both methods have pros and cons. For small wells I wouldn't use a spudder if the rotary will work in that area. Rotary with air is pretty clean. Rotary with mud can take a lot of well development to get the mud cleaned out of the formation like with a high speed bailer. High speed bailers need steel casing as it will collapse PVC. Although, if you rinse out the mud before casing and gravel pack rotary works well with PVC casing. Usually don't have much choice as only one way or the other is available in most areas.

Just to throw in a picture, here is the spudder rig my Grandfather abandoned in Texas in the early 's.