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Reactive versus proactive drilling: introducing the AMC BOS™

While no one would argue that fixing things as quickly as possible when they break is important, few realise the high costs associated with solely practising this mode of operation. Down the borehole, you can’t always predict when or how things will go wrong. And as accountability and productivity targets for drillers intensify, traditional drilling methods, such as grouting, casing and rod greasing are leaving too much room for error.

With over 30 years of experience supporting the drilling industry, AMC Drilling Fluids & Products thought it was time to develop a proactive measure against downhole issues – leading to the development of our new, patent pending solution, the AMC Borehole Optimisation System™ (AMC BOS™). The company identified a need to minimise or eliminate the need for rod greasing, the application of Lost Circulation Materials (LCMs) and grouting for its clients, several reactive methods that can wreak havoc on the progress of the hole, cause additional expense, plus the detrimental risk of injury and impact to the environment.

The AMC BOS™ comprises two parts, the AMC BOS UNIT™ and AMC BOS FIX™. The AMC BOS UNIT™ is a driller operated wireline tool that has been developed to anticipate fluid loss, high torque and unstable zones – making the drilling process more predictable and freeing up time to focus on more productive activities. Injecting AMC BOS FIX™ at regular intervals creates a thin, robust lubristic membrane keeping the borehole intact, controlling excessive torque and sealing fractures. The unit usually takes less than 5 minutes to set up or refill, which can be done at any time during the drill shift, without interruption.

"We are now able to reduce the need for grouting, which can take over 48 hours to complete. The grouting process can be very costly, introduces significant risk of injury due to increased rod tripping and quite often only has a 50% success rate. High torque, rod chatter or vibration is also controlled, reducing the need to regularly and manually apply rod grease to the drill string, causing down-time and manual handling." Gavin McLeod, Special Projects Engineer at AMC claims, “If the driller continues to drill through unstable, high torque or fluid loss zones without treatment, there is an increased risk of rod trips, prematurely worn out bits, borehole collapse and stuck drill pipe. The driller will also experience increased water, grease and drilling fluid consumption. The incidence of these issues, and their associated risk factors can now all be minimised by using the AMC BOS™.”

In the Americas, AMC has seen the AMC BOS™ save 77% in operational costs compared to holes using a traditional grouting method, recover abandoned holes, boost productivity and double metres drilled per day. With successful trials conducted in the US, Chile, Europe, Australia and Africa, we are now looking for opportunities as we roll the AMC BOS™ out to all our regions.

The AMC BOS™ makes wire-line drilling more predictable, and has proven to be a much more effective way to operate – economically, and within the realms of safety and the environment. AMC is committed to improving and innovating technology to redefine the way their clients drill, streamlining processes, and enabling responsible drilling. To find out more about AMC, read case studies or about new innovations in the range – head to www.amcmud.com.
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