Air Rotary & Mud Rotary Drilling

Rotary Methods

These methods consist of a drill pipe or drill stem coupled to a drilling bit that rotates and cuts through the soils. The cuttings produced from the rotation of the drilling bit are transported to the surface by drilling fluids which generally consist of water, drilling mud, or air. The water, drilling mud, or air are forced down through the drill pipe, and out through the bottom of the drilling bit. The cuttings are then lifted to the surface between the borehole wall and the drill pipe, (or within a concentric drill stem in reverse circulation). Except in the case of air rotary, the drilling fluid provides a hydrostatic pressure that reduces or prevents borehole collapse. When considering this method, it is important to evaluate the potential for contamination when fluids and/or air are introduced into the borehole.

Due to the introduction of the various circulating fluids, the use of rotary methods requires that the potential for contamination by these fluids be evaluated. Water and mud rotary methods present the possibility of trace contamination of halogenated compounds when municipal water supplies are used as a potable water source. Air rotary drilling can introduce contamination through the use of lubricants or entrained material in the air stream. Unless contaminated formations are cased off, the circulation of drilling fluids presents a danger of cross contamination between formations. 

Rotary Air Rotary

Rotary air drilling uses compressed air as a drilling fluid to entrain cuttings and carry them to the surface. High air velocities, and consequently large air volumes and compressor horsepower are required. With this ‘down-the-hole’ hammer drilling technique, percussion hammers driven by the air stream can be used with this method to rapidly penetrate bedrock materials. Where a casing through unconsolidated material is required to prevent borehole collapse, it can be driven in conjunction with advancement of the drill stem.

When using rotary air drilling in any zone of potential contamination, the cuttings exiting the borehole must be controlled.  This can be done using the dual-tube reverse circulation method where cuttings are carried to the surface inside dual-wall drill pipe and separated with a cyclone separator. An air diverter with hose or pipe carrying cuttings to a waste container is also an acceptable alternative. Allowing drill cuttings to blow uncontrolled from the borehole is not acceptable.

When using rotary air drilling, the issue of contaminants being introduced into the borehole by the air stream must be addressed. Screw compressor systems should have a coalescing filter system in good working order to capture excess entrained compressor oils. The lubricant to be used with DTH hammers as well as thread lubricants to be used on drill stems should be evaluated for their potential impact on analytical samples.

Mud Rotary DRILLING

Mud rotary drilling is an undesirable drilling method for environmental applications because contamination can be introduced into the borehole from the constituents in the drilling mud, cross contamination can occur along the borehole column, and it is difficult to remove the drilling mud from the borehole after drilling and during well development. The drilling mud can also carry contaminants from a contaminated zone to an uncontaminated zone thereby cross- contaminating the borehole. If mud rotary drilling is selected, only potable water and pure (no additives) bentonite drilling muds should be used. All materials used should have adequate documentation as to manufacturer's recommendations and product constituents.