Mining contractors are responsible for performing all the civil drilling works required to reach and extract minerals deposited very deep below ground level. This calls for the use of highly sophisticated drilling techniques, which many people who use products made from the extracted minerals are not acquainted with. A great example of a product manufactured from extracted mineral deposits is oil and gas.

While the typical users of oil and gas do not need to have a detailed understanding of the various drilling methods used in the exploration of oil and gas, it is a good for them to have a general idea of what those methods are. Here is a look at some widely used drilling techniques for oil and gas exploration in Australia.

Diamond Core Drilling

This is drilling with the use of diamond core bits. A drill bit is what does the hard work of cutting into the ground when an oil or gas well is being drilled. Diamond core drilling method is favoured for drilling through rocks and other hard surfaces, thanks to the remarkable strength of diamond. Diamond core bits can bear up well against the demanding nature of these jobs. They will get the job done quickly without compromising the quality of results. No wonder diamond core drilling is one of the most expensive drilling techniques available for oils and gas exploration.

Rotary Drilling

Another popular method of drilling exploratory and production wells for oil and gas is rotary drilling. This method is ideal for drilling low-depth wells, hence the use of lightweight drills. Different-sized mobile and floating drills are used to dig up the exploration wells. The drilling assembly is made of a powerful injector pump, a handy engine, a rotary table, and a mud mixer.

Directional Drilling

Directional drilling is an improvement of the rotary drilling technique. It involves directing the drill on a curved path as the hole continues deepening. Directional drilling is a favourable method when oil and gas explorers need to extract deposits that cannot be reached by vertical drilling. Lower operational costs is the major upside, as multiple wells can be bored in all directions on only a single platform. Thanks to the advent of automated drilling controls, mineral explorers can now tap into underwater deposits without connecting and disconnecting different sections.

The above-mentioned drilling techniques are only a general summary of the ones most commonly used for oil and gas exploration. If you are interested in finding out more, feel free to contact civil drilling professionals local to you.