Exploration Drilling Tools

Core Barrels, Bits and Casing

Inner and outer tubes, core lifters, lifter cases, reaming shells, impregnated and surface-set diamond bits, and casing strings with shoes. The consumable side of a core drilling programme.

Features

  • Core lifters and lifter cases are cheap and are the usual cause of a lost or short core run.
  • Reaming shells maintain hole gauge ahead of the bit and protect the bit's outside diameter from wearing undersize.
  • Impregnated diamond bits suit hard rock; surface-set bits suit softer formations and cost less per bit.
  • Matrix hardness is selected against rock hardness, and the selection is confirmed by watching penetration rate over the first runs.
  • Casing shoes and casing sizes are planned as a telescoping sequence before drilling, because a size decision cannot be reversed at depth.

Specifications

Figure Typical range Unit Why it matters
Bit type impregnated / surface set Follows rock hardness and the budget per metre.