Deep Diamond Core Drilling Practice in A Thick Salt Formation Containing Clay/Anhydrite Interlayers
Keywords:
Sticky clay, Anhydrite, Salt drilling, Diamond core drilling, Rate of penetration problems, Drilling mud controlAbstract
In mineral exploration, diamond core drilling is the most expensive but provides the most accurate data. To discover metallic minerals, industrial raw materials, and coalfields, and to determine their reserves and operability, diamond core drilling is necessary. Today, all operating mines have been put into operation as a result of diamond core drilling and evaluation of these studies. Diamond core drilling is expensive and time-consuming compared to other exploration methods. However, the importance of diamond core drilling in both scientific and economic studies is increasing day by day, as samples obtained from mineral deposits and drilled rock units are representative of their characteristics. In diamond core drilling, the main goal should be to achieve the best possible drilling rate and the highest core recovery. The high rate of penetration and core recovery depends mainly on the properties of the drilled geological formations. Drilling through thick salt formations is among the most challenging operations in the drilling sector. In these formations, the drilling team faces very different, high-risk working conditions. Also, as the depth increases in diamond core drilling, drilling operations become more difficult, and drilling time and cost increase. In this study, 1501 m-deep diamond core drilling in a thick salt formation with a clay/anhydrite interlayer (sticky and dissolvable) was investigated. Specifically, the casing design and cementing operations, penetration problems, the solutions applied to overcome these difficulties, and the properties of the drilling mud used were examined.
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