Deep Hole Drilling at Clermont – Queensland
The Challenge
Glencore engaged Eco Drilling to complete complex downhole drilling at Clermont Coal Mine, a site notorious for its reactive clays, broken basalt, and flipped geological sequences.
Previous contractors had faired to reach target depths or retrieve viable data due to sudden ground transitions and structural complexity. Reliable wall monitoring instrumentation also needed to be installed for long-term stability assessments.
Our Solution
Using adaptive drilling techniques and experience gained from prior work at the same site in 2019, we completed complex boreholes with rotary and diamond tooling. We deployed vibrating wire piezometers (TDR) cables to monitor pit wall movement. Our crew adapted methods in real time to maintain bore integrity through reactive, unpredictable layers.
The Result
Eco Drilling achieved full depth with no deviation or rod loss and installed all instrumentation to spec. Glencore confirmed the data sets exceeded quality thresholds, and our long-term performance led to additional packages awarded for follow-up scopes in 2023.