Directional holes provide a wealth of information about bedded deposits. REI uses directional drilling and sidetracking to maintain boreholes in the seam over distances up to 6,000 feet, and by plotting the profile of the borehole from downhole surveys and driller logs, REI provides the mining operation with an indication of seam structure along the full length of the borehole. Sidetracks are developed and intentionally drilled into the roof and floor rock at corresponding drill string lengths to compare elevation data to estimate the seam thickness.

REI uses directional drilling to gather geophysical data from hard-to-reach areas of mining operations that would not be possible with traditional non-directional techniques. REI can steer a borehole along a determined alignment and run a post-drilling geophysical survey, including continuous gamma, televiewers, and a range of other tooling. Additionally, REI can collect core samples and perform overcore stress tests to provide geotechnical data, as well as stress data points

Through sidetracking, directional drilling maximizes the amount of data gathered from each corehole while minimizing total footage drilled. Increased borehole design capabilities allow for optimal borehole placement and core retrieval. REI has experience from surface and underground setup locations, so call us for more information to see if directional techniques can improve your exploration program.

Vertical boreholes, such as historic gas wells in advance of mining developments, are often unable to be accessed from the surface. In these cases, horizontal drilling can be employed to verify the locations. REI can develop parallel horizontal boreholes on either side of a magnetic anomaly, and use a magnetic gradiometer to verify the vertical hole location with a high level of accuracy. This novel approach allows mines to locate objects such as vertical well casings, giving the confidence to continue development.