In July, Vice President of Global Engineering Shayne Drivdahl discussed how Boart Longyear’s engineering team might be one of the company’s best-kept secrets. Providing a variety of professional drilling services to exploration and mining companies, the Company also designs, manufactures, and sells reliable drilling rigs, quality tooling, and accurate instrumentation.

Thanks to its team of engineers located throughout the world, the company is able to develop products and put them through rigorous testing in the hands of its own Drilling Services personnel. Tools and equipment are not only tested in the lab but also in the field. The collaboration between members of the global engineering team and Boart Longyear’s drillers elevates the performance of both Boart Longyear Drilling Products and Boart Longyear Drilling Services. Read the full article to learn more about the beneficial synergy gained between the two divisions.

In July, Design Engineer Anthony Lachance wrote about the newest developments and early testing results from the Roller Latch™ Overshot. Since Boart Longyear introduced the Q™ Wireline system in 1966, retrieving the inner tube from the core barrel has been handled the same way: an overshot with lifting dogs (spring loaded hooked “fingers”) is lowered or pumped into the hole until it snaps over a pivoting spearhead mechanism affixed to the inner tube assembly. Once the head assembly has been removed from the hole, the driller uses the pivoting spearhead to position the head assembly on their workspace and squeezes the back of the lifting dogs to release.

Since being introduced, this system has had the same basic issues. Learn how Boart Longyear’s new Roller Latch^TM Overshot has been highly anticipated and how drillers are noting the various positive developments: it’s easier to use, saves on wireline, and makes working with Q/P Roller Latch head assemblies much easier in difficult conditions.

In March, Global EHS Manager Brian Maeck introduced us to the Boart Longyear Glove Matrix. More and more mining and drilling companies are developing automation technologies to improve employee safety and efficiency. However, there are still plenty of risks for the hard-working hands of drillers: pinch points, sharp edges, rotating equipment, chemicals, etc. Hand injuries are still one of the most common and preventable injuries.

Along with following safe practices like using a risk assessment prior to any task, using the appropriate work gloves can dramatically reduce hand injuries. One solution, designed and developed to help employees select the correct glove for the task, is the Boart Longyear Glove Matrix. The Glove Matrix clearly sets the guidelines for what glove to use and when to use them. Read the article and download Boart Longyear’s Glove Matrix.

In August, Senior Engineer Andrew Salisbury wrote about the MDR500 rig’s success. This mobile underground diamond drill rig was designed exclusively for Boart Longyear Drilling Services. It leverages the upcoming LMi power and control interface and comes equipped with 500m of on-board rod storage (NQ rods) making it a self-sufficient mobile drill rig.

The MDR500 was the long-term brainchild of Geoff Moroney (Drilling Services Asia Pacific Fleet & Asset Manager) and John Kirkwood (Drilling Services Asia Pacific Regional Director). The project was given the go-ahead in the third quarter of 2016 aftermarket research indicated that there was a desire from sections of the Australian market for a medium depth underground diamond drill rig which was in the most part self-sufficient and could move quickly from hole to hole.

In this article, Anthony Markham, Senior Product Designer of Capital Equipment, describes the challenge Boart Longyear’s Drilling Services faced with moving existing StopeMaster™ equipment safely and quickly through a mine. With the combined dedication of many remarkable Boart Longyear employees around the world, the team started engineering a new StopeMaster™ MDR rig that would solve the issues the mining company was experiencing.

The newly commissioned StopeMaster MDR rig solved the issues of moving the StopeMaster, making moves from stope to stope faster and requiring less time and resources from the mine. The StopeMaster™ MDR equipment is also safer with rod handling capabilities and semi-autonomous drilling with a new LMi control panel which controls both the rod handler and the StopeMaster™ MDR rig. Check out this article and download the Drilling Services Overview to learn more about Boart Longyear Drilling Services capabilities, fleet, safety programs, and drilling methods and applications.

Is a career in drilling right for you? In this article, the challenges of drilling are discussed, and key factors are considered when researching jobs in the drilling and mining industry. For example, at drill sites, a certain level of physical fitness is required for employees to adequately carry out their tasks. Working on a drill rig involves labor-intensive activities such as heavy lifting and manual handling.

A career in drilling is an important decision for both employees and their families. Individuals who work in drilling enjoy work that is often physically demanding in challenging conditions. But they’re also aware of the great benefits and rewards of this industry. If a career in drilling seems like a good fit for you, this article is a must-read.

In June, Global Product Manager Zac Strauss discussed the most important factors when considering a new drill rig purchase. Buying a new drill rig is a big decision and many variables and factors affect that decision. The biggest question one has to answer is, “Will this drill rig make money? Or cost more to own than some other option that can accomplish the same for less?”

It’s important to take time to consider options. Evaluate current drill rig fleet and consider what it will take to get everything maintained and updated to be competitive. Does your drilling rig take advantage of recent innovations and meet the latest safety standards? If repairs and available parts outweigh returns, look at updating your fleet. The number one reason to buy new equipment versus used equipment is to enhance productivity, improve safety, and enjoy long-term reliability.

Since 1890, Boart Longyear has been transforming the drilling industry with innovations like the wireline for faster core retrieval, dual-tube flooded reverse circulation drilling, and sonic drilling for mining applications. This article focuses on the LR™500, a drill rig built specifically to meet the increasing needs for deeper dewatering wells for Nevada mining.

Check out this article to discover the distinct features of the LR™500 such as the size and weight of the casing, how it’s electrically powered, and its automated drilling features. Also be sure to download the Drilling Services fleet depth chart to discover the wide range of services Boart Longyear provides.

In February, Chris Lambert, Senior Product Manager, discusses different factors that affect the way drilling could be affecting bits. The best way to save money on consumables like bits is to check drilling methods. In this article, these simple tips could decrease operating costs and add more cash to the bottom line.

Quick tips are also included, which give insight into rotational speed, weight on bits, torque, penetration rate, water flow, and sharpening. You can also download the Diamond Products Catalog to explore the full range of diamond bits Boart Longyear offers.

John Roberts, Professional Geologist and Commercial Manager for Boart Longyear, describes the complexities of designing and planning a drilling project. There are many risk factors which need to be considered in order to mitigate issues that could impact productivity and/or budget, ultimately impeding the success of the project.

This article addresses considerations and common pitfalls in drill pad planning, which is critical to the mobilization of the drills and crews that will complete your carefully designed drilling project. The first thoughts should be “what purpose is the hole, and what type of drilling will be performed.” Make sure to download the recommended drill pad layouts!

As we move into 2019, you can look forward to additional case studies, interesting and complex drilling projects, tips and tricks, and how-to articles. We are working hard to bring you the content that makes a difference and makes your life a little easier. Thank you for reading INSITE and engaging with Boart Longyear. We couldn’t do any of it without all of you! Wishing all of you a successful and prosperous 2019!

If you have any questions or feedback, we would love to hear from you! You can leave comments below by clicking to expand on the icon and word DISCUSSION.