The value of experience
ESTABLISHED in 2006, DDH1 Drilling is a leading provider of technically innovative drilling services to the Australian mineral exploration and mining industry.
The company’s reputation has been built on a track record of high performance and quality deep directional drilling with a strong emphasis on safety management and the employment of efficient, cost-effective operating systems and drilling practices.
With a fleet of 55 multi-purpose surface and underground diamond drill rigs utilising the most advanced technology systems available, DDH1 customers and 550 employees all know the importance of the value of experience.
Gwalia mine
DDH1 recently completed the Southern Hemisphere’s deepest vertical cable drop hole at the historic Sons of Gwalia Mine in Leonora at 1440m, surpassing the previous record of 1375m by DDH1 at the same site.
This required a 96mm diameter pilot hole which was then reamed out to 305mm and steel casing installed.
The final phase involved installation of API approved 9-5/8 in oilfield casing and grouted back to surface.
The cable drop hole will allow the underground operations to move from the current underground power supply to direct power feed underground infrastructure, as part of the ongoing mine expansion program.
Future focus
DDH1 has strong demand for similar works, where the ability to hit a very small target at great depths as cost effectively as possible is crucial to both production costs and ultimately, mine viability.
DDH1 Drilling also offers specialist engineering solutions to deliver innovative outcomes to the most technical drilling challenges in some of the most complex operating environments in Australia.
The company is known for its development of multiple-intersection drill hole design and the successful execution of these advanced designs.
Performance is achieved through following systems of work and drilling disciplines developed over more than 30 years.
Typically clients provide target location and the company calculates the most efficient, cost-effective directional drilling plan, which is predominantly ‘cross-strata’ drilling carried out in the 500m to 4000m depth range below surface.