Air core drilling is a technique where the hardened blades are used for drilling a hole in an unconsolidated structure. This can dig deep into the land, great for mineral mining. The air core drill bit can cut the soft rock developments, thereby eliminating the drill cuttings with the help of injecting air into the hole through the annulated area between the drill rod and inner tube. Essentially, the method is a part of shallow drilling needing minimal preparation of the site.
What Are the Salient Features of Air Core Drilling? This process is more precise, but slower. The samples collected in this procedure don’t get damaged. The main advantages of the procedure are, there is no need to case the holes, the samples are more accurate and present an identical image of what is underneath the surface of the earth. Air core drilling is favored over rotary air blast method for mineral exploration since it offers accurate and cleaner samples.
What Are the Different Methods Under Air Core Drilling? The procedures included under air drilling are aerated drilling, mist drilling, foam drilling, dust drilling, and nitrogen membrane drilling. • Mist drilling is drilling process with a mix of soap and water. In this process the penetration rate is a tad slower as compared to the other processes.
• In foam drilling, the foam is a mix of water, air, and surfactants. Its cutting carrying capacity is way better than dust drilling. In this process, surfactants, air, and water combine for creating a stiff foam, which is circulated as drilling fluid.
• Dust drilling is the most economical air drilling and needs no fluid system for cleaning-up. This provides a perfect environment for use. Dust drilling does not have the potential to handle wellbore fluid incursions; these cuttings bring about mud rings in the annulus which can bring about downhole fire if mud rings are not removed. • The process of aerated drilling includes air or nitrogen being added to the liquid phase of the drilling liquid, therefore dropping the effective mud weight. This technique can be put to use with most drilling fluids.
• Nitrogen membrane drilling reduces the chance of fire. It is patented by the U.S.
Why Air Core Drilling Weill Rule the Roost in the Future? Without any doubt, efficient extraction techniques in oil and gas industry are the need of the hour. The process of air drilling provides reduced time and continuous sample returns while moving amid boreholes. In air core drilling, there is a recovery of clear samples, and also no interruption to the rock penetration process. Strict product regulations and the increasing requirement for high-value ore grades also has a lot to do with the increasing need for the air core drilling process is encouraging companies to come with advanced equipment for the process of mining. Diminishing grades of ore, together with a hastily rising need for use of energy resource in commercial and industrial use have all the potential to boost the need for the process of air core drilling.