Geothermal drilling is a complex drilling process usually done with the intention of extracting naturally occurring geothermal energy for use immediately or in the near future in above ground structures as large as geothermal plants, or as small as individual homes above it.
For all drilling operations careful planning is a critical step before drilling begins. While exploratory drilling is often the most expensive part of exploration and can sometimes be difficult to predict costs, it is crucial to any mining production endeavor.
In drilling for wells that provide water for irrigation, dewatering, and drinking water supplies, it is important that the respective type of water wells are drilled in accordance with safety, depth, and location requirements, mindful of mitigating the effects of possible chemical or pathogen contaminantion of groundwater sources.
Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), also known as slant drilling, deviated drilling, or directional boring, is a trenchless method of installing underground pipes and conduits along a prescribed bore path from the surface, mitigating environmental impacts on the surrounding areas.
Geotechnical and environmental drilling address the research oriented sampling requirements necessary for determining whether or not a site is suitable for a proposed construction project, or whether it is a commercially viable location for oil, gas, or other mineral extraction efforts.