Services

1. AIRCORE

Challenge Drilling has maintained a programme of technological development and development of our drillers since 1990 that has enabled the company to provide it’s clients with a cost effective quality service and become a leader in the field of RAB and aircore drilling.

This development over the years has seen the performance of our rigs and crews reach a stage where aircore holes are regularly drilled to a depth in excess of 150 metres with the record being 182 metres and RAB holes in excess of 120 metres with the record 170 metres. These depths are being reached whilst keeping up a very good rate of production.

Our drillers have accumulated a vast amount of experience drilling palio channels with aircore, channels with up to 60 metres of running sands have been drilled successfully. We provide a dry aircore sample even where high water inflows are experienced, except of course in running sands and where penetration is slowed considerably due to hard rock, quarts veining etc.

Performance is constantly being monitored by management and supervisors through physically being on site, liasing with the client and through daily communication with the drillers.

The emphasis is on quality of performance along with production and safety to provide a quality cost effective service.

2. REVERSE CIRCULATION

In 2006 Challenge Drilling expanded its operations to include Reverse Circulation (R/C) drilling equipment. With the inclusion of a KWL350 drill rig Challenge Drilling has continued to evolve with the industry by providing a reliable and competetive option in the R/C drilling market, on top of maintaining their hard earned reputation as the premium RAB/Aircore drilling provider in the Goldfields of WA.

After the successful inclusion of the initial R/C rig, Challenge Drilling have added a two further KWL350 rigs to their fleet, with the latest arriving in April of 2009. These rigs have operated  for a number of clients from the Great Southern to the Goldfields, right up to the Pilbara region of WA, ranging from gold and nickel producers through to iron ore explorers.

Challenge Drilling will continue to keep their R/C rigs upto, or ahead of industry standard to provide a safe and productive service for their client base. Some of the safety features included on all R/C rigs are:

  • Automated spanner and breakout systems.
  • Automated rod handler with remote control.
  • Automated blow up/blow down system.

Challenge Drilling provide a compact R/C unit with the aim that clients may acheive their desired hole depths at a minimum of ground distubance and environmental impact.   

3. PERSONNEL

With some of the most experienced drillers, offsiders, supervisors and management in the industry, Challenge Drilling has management with over 50 years combined experience and a team made up of supervisors and drillers that have been with the company since formation.

Challenge Drilling ensures that its employees have a current MARCSTA, MR drivers licence, health surveillance, regular drug testing, and in-house training on all major aspects of their job. Most employees have senior first aid.

Supervisors have completed various other training:

  • Achieved competencies for occupational safety and health for supervisors course
  • Dealing effectively with unacceptable workplace behavior
  • Workplace assessor IV
  • Coaching and team building skills

4. SAFETY

Maintaining a safe and healthy working environment and the welfare of employees is of a major concern to Challenge Drilling. The company has, to the best of our ability, carefully assessed the requirements needed to provide a comprehensive health and safety management plan throughout our operations. The plan includes employee inductions, safety manual, emergency procedures, operating procedures, safety meetings, rig safety inspections, machinery maintenance schedules, accident reporting, investigation and analysis, and on site rig inductions for everyone working in proximity of the rig.

DOME have inspected our rigs on a number of occasions and have been impressed with the design and condition of the equipment.

Maintenance of the rigs and vehicles is carried out in a timely manner so as to keep the equipment safe but also reliable.

Equipment

5. AIRCORE SPECIFICATIONS

All six drill rigs operated by Challenge Drilling are Challenger R/A 150 Rigs with the following specifications:

  • Rig carrier: 4x4 Truck

  • Power pack: 475 HP Cummins

  • Compressor: 750 CFM @ 350 PSI

  • Hydraulics – Commercial gear pumps, flow dividers and motors

Pull down force – 9.5 tonne

Pull back force – 12.5 tonne

Head torque – 400 NM

  • 2 Metre dump mast

  • Holes can be drilled vertical or inclined

  • Water injection pump

  • Samples taken via cyclone
  • Automatic spanner and breakout system 

6. REVERSE CIRCULATION SPECIFICATIONS

All three R/C drill rigs operated by Challenge Drilling are KWL350's with the following specifications:

  • Onboard 1100/350 Compressor powered by C16 CAT Engine

  • V pack radiators and cooler pack

  • 2 metre dump mast

  • Rod Handler

  • Air Drill breakout system

  • Hydraulic deck spanners

  • Auto blow down system

  • Hydraulic jib boom with wire line

  • Plus a truck mounted 1000 cfm auxillary, 850 psi booster