US company RJ Underground has completed the first job with their new compact drill rig manufactured by PRIME DRILLING with great success.
The 1800 ft (approx. 550 m) long drill of 20“ (508 mm) steel pipe worked flawlessly and the rig delivered an excellent performance. To ensure smooth pipe pull-in, the borehole had been reamed-up to 34“ (860 mm). The pipe could finally be pulled in with a pull force of approx. 44,000 lbs (20 t). Maximum pull force of the rig during the drill went up to about 88.000 lbs (approx. 40 t).

The Compact Drill Rig PD 80/45 CU excels in high flexibility and maximum performance. Time requirements for reaching the drilling position and setting up the mast are reduced to a minimum. Furthermore the rig is equipped with the innovative mud pump type X-1.000, an in-house design by Prime Drilling. This pump offers our customers a maximum flow rate of 265 US-gpm (1,000 l/min) at minimum wear. Due to the 7-fold bearing mounted drive shaft and the high output, this pump only requires maximum 240 rpm.

All driving and setting functions are actuated by a remote control. The drilling functions are controlled via the comfortably fitted operator’s cabin, which is 90° rotatable. Ergonomic operator’s seat, efficient air-conditioning system as well as electrically piloted joysticks are standard equipment of this series. The rig features a pull force of 176,500 lbs (80 t) and a torque of 33,190 ft-lbs (45,000 Nm). Due to the high capacity diesel tank, long drilling operations are performed without interruption. The HDD compact rigs can be equipped with a semi-automatic drill pipe supply or, alternatively, with a fully automatic drill pipe magazine.

Richard Johnston, President of RJ Underground Inc., is enthusiastic after their successful „maiden bore“: „We are satisfied with every aspect of Prime Drilling´s job. The machine delivered a great performance and everything worked flawlessly. Operators are getting faster every day with the new controls thanks to the rig´s easy to handle and self-explanatory operation. This drill rig is an excellent resource for us and we look forward to facing new challenges and successes. We are also excited to see what Prime Drilling will be developping and building in the future.”
We are happy for Rich and his team to have his first project successfully completed and we are pleased to have received such positive feedback again from our customers.

Thank you, Rich, for your trust. Our entire PRIME DRILLING team appreciates your business!