About Sonic Drilling & Its Benefits

WHY SONIC DRILLING
The Sonic rig bores 2-3 times faster (depending on soil conditions) without using any drilling mud and is able to provide continuous core samples to depths of more than 100 meters. As a result, sonic drilling can be employed in many applications including geotechnical and geothermal projects, environmental investigations and mineral exploration.

HOW SONIC DRILLING WORKS
Sonic drilling can be employed in virtually any application where good core recovery is a requirement in softer ground. These include use in geotechnical and geothermal projects, in loose alluvial or soft clays and silts, environmental investigations and mineral exploration for grade control in mineral sands.

The Sonic drill head works by sending high-frequency resonant vibrations down the drill string to the drill bit, while the operator controls these frequencies to suit the specific conditions of the prevailing geology. The sonic vibration, which is developed in the sonic head by high revolution hydraulic motors, fluidises the soil particles at the bit face, allowing for fast and easy penetration through most geological formations.

An internal air spring isolates these vibrational forces from the rest of the drill rig. By providing the necessary rotational and vibrational forces, the sonic rig can core and case holes in any overburdened material, drilling where most other rigs can't.

THE BENEFITS OF SONIC DRILLING

SUPERIOR INFORMATION
Sonic drilling provides a continuous, relatively undisturbed core sample of unparalleled quality and accuracy through any type of formation. When using the Iso-Flow groundwater profiling system, hydrogeological and geochemical data can be easily obtained.

WASTE REDUCTION
Sonic drilling reduces waste by up to 80% relative to conventional methods by other competitors.

INCREASED SPEED
Sonic drilling is two to three times faster than conventional overburden drilling methods when sampling in sands and soils.

SUPERIOR WELL CONSTRUCTION
Sonic drilling causes minimal disturbance to the surrounding borehole wall, resulting in more efficient well development and performance.

RISK MINIMISATION
Sonic drilling greatly reduces the risk of project failure due to unknown or difficult subsurface conditions. Projects finish on time and on budget. Sonic drilling obtains the lowest total project cost possible.