Abstract

ROWLAND, A. et al. Adapting oil and gas drilling techniques for the mining industry with dewatering well placement technology. J. S. Afr. Inst. Min. Metall. [online]. 2017, vol.117, n.3, pp.231-236. ISSN 2411-9717.

Although increasing R spent to develop original technologies will benefit the mining industry, adaptation of appropriate existing technologies from other industries can be a more cost-effective alternative. Schlumberger Water Services, now WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff, has undertaken a 6-year programme assessing the adaptation of oil and gas (O) drilling and geophysical characterization techniques to a range of mining applications, including dewatering. Conventional dewatering systems for open pit mines generally use vertical boreholes that target hydraulically productive zones within an orebody. The drilling and completion of vertical dewatering boreholes can be complicated by mine planning constraints, where optimum hydrogeological targets are not accessible from the available drilling locations. As these boreholes are often located within the operating open pit, they can interfere with the mining operation and the ability to carry out significant dewatering ahead of mining is limited. Dewatering Well Placement Technology (DWPt) is WSPlParsons Brinckerhoffs next-generation mine dewatering solution aimed at addressing the limitations of conventional dewatering systems through placement of permanent, high-performance dewatering wells in optimum orientations beneath an open pit using large-diameter directional drilling technology commonly used in O Ideally, well collars are located outside of the mine operating areas, resulting in improved compatibility between the dewatering system and mine plan. Recently drilled and constructed pilot directional dewatering wells in hard rock mining environment in the USA and Mexico have demonstrated that DWPt offers significant benefits for groundwater inflow control and value to mining operations compared to conventional open pit mining dewatering practices.

Keywords : open pit mines; dewatering; well placement; directional drilling.

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