Precision Drilling Australia recently wrapped up a major environmental drilling program in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
This program’s target was to investigate and collect Soil Samples and to install Groundwater monitoring Bores for quality water samples across numerous mine sites and locations testing for the potential of hydrocarbons and PFAS impacts across the sites.
Precision Drilling Australia had to closely study and use our extensive knowledge of past programs to select the correct drilling methods for the difficult ground we would encounter in the Pilbara to ensure accurate samples were recovered and all well installations were installed to the correct depths and design specs were met.
The ground conditions we encountered across the sites ranged from Alluvial Riverbeds and Flood Plains to very hard Biff (Banded Iron Formations) as well as Swelling Clays.
These difficult zones were drilled using a combination of HQ3 Diamond Drilling and HWT casing as well as using Casing Advancers and Rotary Mud drilling techniques to advance and obtain the correct samples and to make sure all Wells were installed at the correct depths and Bore Designs met our client’s needs.
Above ground, mud tanks were used so as to not cross contaminate areas if contamination was found with all drill muds and cutting being pumped and stored in 1000lt IBC drums and Bulker bags across the program for safe disposal once tested.
With a large focus on the Ground Water aquifers and the impact that current mine site dewatering activities might impact the well constructions, the Monitoring Bores were advanced over 20m into the water table with some of the deepest wells installed around 150m. This was a necessity so the wells may be able to be continued with monitoring of the groundwater and sampling with little impact caused from the dewatering activities.
Precision Drilling Australia spent 6 months across these sites with 0 incidents or LTIs over the project.
The team received great feedback from our clients and site Supervisors on the professional can-do attitude and attention to safety Precision Drilling Australia maintained across the project.