4 Advice to Choose a Water Drilling Rig

For water well drilling rigs, the general requirements are: simple configuration, low energy consumption, easy operation, high mobility, multi-functionality and small size. In practical application, the rig must be selected according to the stratum, hole diameter and depth, and drilling method.

With competitive price and timely delivery, JCDRILL sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

1. Price

Machine price is the key factor for people to choose the right drilling rig as a one-time investment. The price of the machine increases with the increase of hole diameter and depth.

From the viewpoint of drilling methods, submersible drilling rigs are more expensive than core drilling rigs, and hydraulic drilling rigs are more expensive than vertical shaft drilling rigs, which are mechanical drilling rigs.

From the perspective of mobility, truck-mounted drilling rigs are more costly than crawler rigs.

Hydraulic Rotary Truck Mounted Borehole Drilling Rig

2. Operation cost

Operating costs can significantly affect the profit one can make in the drilling business. Net profit is the water well drilling revenue that the driller receives from the water well user minus the operating costs.

Operating costs include personnel salaries, casing, mud and fuel costs, and rig maintenance costs.

In terms of rig type, submersible hole (DTH) rigs have higher operating costs than rotary drilling rigs that use mud pumps. This is because submersible drilling rigs require air compressors and have much higher fuel consumption. Compared with hydraulic drilling rigs, vertical drilling rigs (mechanically driven) are more economical.

3. Drilling efficiency

Drilling efficiency depends on the formation, operator's skills/experience, rig type and drilling method.

For rocky conditions, the most efficient method is to use a submersible drilling rig that works with an air compressor.

For soil, clay and sand conditions, the best method is to use a drilling rig with a mud pump.

For cobbles, a reverse circulation system is the most suitable method of drilling. Simply add a set of reverse circulation drilling tools to the existing drilling rig.

  Crawler Mounted Water Well Drill Rig for Sale

4. Drilling method

From the working principle of the drilling rig, there are 3 main drilling methods:

The submerged drilling method, which needs to be used with an air compressor. This is a good method for rock conditions.

Mud pump rotary drilling is a more economical way of drilling, ideal for soil, sand and clay layers, and for rock, the drilling speed will be lower than submerged drilling.

With auger drilling, no air compressor or mud pump is required for drilling. However, it can only drill soil, clay and sand.

In terms of drilling process, we have 2 types of drilling methods:

Direct circulation drilling where drilling fluid (air or mud) is passed through the drill pipe and rock chips are carried away through the space between the outside of the drill pipe and the hole wall.

Reverse circulation drilling, which requires a double-walled drill pipe. The drilling fluid passes through the space between the inner wall of the outer pipe and the outer wall of the inner pipe. It is the most effective drilling method for cobble and sandy geological structures.

5. After-sales service

Service in the after-sales market is another key point in rig selection. During the drilling operation, the rig will have problems such as damaged parts and rig misoperation. All this requires timely and professional guidance from the rig manufacturer. Otherwise, it will affect the rig user's business.

For more Water Drilling Riginformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

  Water Well Bore Hole Drilling Rig for m

6. Spare parts availability

People need to consider the availability of spare parts when buying a drilling rig. It is part of the operating cost. If spare parts are not easily available, it means you have to pay more to get it and it will take longer. All this will definitely affect the profitability of the drilling business.

7. Safety

Safety is the first priority in choosing a rig, including the safety of operators, service personnel and people around the rig during drilling and travel.

Therefore, safety guards, emergency stop devices, and dust collectors are needed to protect personnel from death or injury.

8. Environmental Protection

Nowadays, the requirements for environmental protection have increased in all countries, so the engine emission level and noise level need to be considered when selecting a drilling rig.

The buyer needs to refer to the standard code of the country or region where the rig will be used.

These are just some of the basics when selecting a drilling rig. It can provide guidance to entrepreneurs when they are planning to buy a drilling rig.

You could need a drilling rig for a multitude of applications, for example to drill a well to access a natural resource (water, oil, geothermal energy, etc.), to build foundations, to make blasting holes in a mine, to take samples from the ground, etc.

It is necessary to determine what the drilling rig will be used for, as well as what kind of terrain it will mainly be operating on. Depending on the terrain, you can choose between different types of drilling rigs: rotary drilling rigs, percussion drilling rigs, down-the-hole drilling rigs, top hammer drilling rigs (with high hammer), etc.

In order to make the best choice, it is important to determine whether the drilling rig will be used for your core business or for occasional operations, and in particular whether you want to take advantage of the latest innovations or whether a machine that has proven its worth over several decades might be suitable for you.

Safety, reliability and ease of use are also important elements to consider and are directly linked to each other. A machine that's reliable and easy to operate, when used according to the manufacturer's recommendations, increases user safety.

It is also important to define the type of mobility you will need. There are autonomous crawler drilling rigs and truck-mounted or trailer-mounted drilling rigs that need to be powered by a generator or the truck that carries them.

Once you have determined the type of machine you need, you can calculate the size required according to the diameter and depth of the borehole.

Drilling type Soil type Comments Rotary drilling Soft rock Significant depths up to 5,000 meters
Possibility of inclined or horizontal drilling Down-the-hole drilling Hard and cracked rock (limestone, granite, etc.) Depth up to 4,000 meters Top hammer drilling Consolidated land Small diameter (150 mm maximum), shallow depth
Able to do inclined drilling Auger drilling Clay, clayey sand, gravel Depth of a few dozen meters Core drilling All soil types Drilling for soil analysis
Able to do inclined drilling Percussion drilling Hard rock: sandstone, limestone, shale Depth up to 100 meters Pipe Jacking Clay, clayey sand, gravel Installation of horizontal or vertical pipes

Rotary drilling: This type of drilling digs a hole by grinding the rock with a tool under the effect of weight and rotation. It is mainly used in oil production. The cuttings are brought to the surface under the pressure of a drilling fluid that is injected into the drill string. Drilling fluid also helps consolidate the walls of the borehole, so it is not necessary to case it as the operation progresses.

Down-the-hole drilling (rotary percussion drilling or rotary hammer drilling): this type of drilling uses drilling rigs that drill with a rotary cutter (drill head) and hammer the bottom of the hole with a pneumatic hammer. The excavated material rises to the surface under the pressure of the compressed air used for the hammer. These drilling rigs are powerful and have high drilling rates, especially in rock. For artesian wells (wells where water naturally rises to the surface under groundwater pressure) or geothermal drilling, an air injection at the end of the drill pipe pushes the water up the borehole, allowing the operator to immediately determine the water flow encountered. This type of drilling is used for hard and cracked ground up to 4,000 meters deep. When the drilling bit is eccentric, the drilling can be done with a casing advancement system (installation of tubes by gravity) which reinforces the hole as the drilling progresses.

Top hammer drilling: this type of drilling uses drilling rigs that also operate on a percussion system, but one that remains outside the borehole. They are mainly used for small diameter drilling, for example for mineral exploration or the installation of tie rods in rock. This system is used for shallow boreholes, as there can be significant deviation due to the structure of the ground drilled through. These drilling rigs can operate in any direction however.

Auger boring: This is a type of rotary drilling using a worm screw (the auger). This type of drilling is mainly used for unconsolidated clay or sand terrain. The excavated material is directly brought to the surface by the worm screw. For deep drilling, it may be necessary to regularly raise the auger to empty it of its excavated material.

Core drilling: Core drilling is similar to rotary drilling, but it uses a crown to extract a sample, called a core, inside the tool.

Percussion drilling: consists in breaking the rock by dropping a tool, the drill bit, by gravity. This type of drilling can only be used vertically. To prevent the borehole from collapsing, it is necessary to case it as it is drilled. The cuttings are reassembled as soon as they interfere with drilling by replacing the drill bit with a flap valve bailer. The flap valve bailer is a type of tube equipped with a tilting flap in the lower part. This tilting flap allows the tube to be filled with excavated material which is then transported to the surface.

Pipe jacking: is mainly used to install horizontal pipes. The tube is pushed progressively by percussion, the excavated material being removed at the end of the drilling operation either by water injection or with an auger. This technique is used in particular to avoid transmitting vibrations to the surrounding buildings or to avoid digging a trench.

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