Deep Drill into Bedrock with Hammer Drill

What happens here

After the initial casing is in place, the paddle drill bit is removed and replaced with a smaller, more robust diamond-tipped cutter head. This specialized bit is designed to effectively pulverize hard rock formations like shale and granite. The drilling machine operates with a powerful 'hammering' effect, driven by both compressed air and water pressure, to break through the dense rock. To extend the depth of the well, multiple 20-foot sections of drill pipe are connected together using a carousel system on the rig. Copper lubricant is applied to the threads of each pipe section before connection to prevent seizing under extreme pressure and heat. This deep drilling continues until a sufficient water-bearing aquifer is successfully intercepted, which in this case was around 425 feet deep, and then extended to a final depth of 460 feet for increased reserve.

Goal: Drill through hard rock layers to reach and extend a water-bearing aquifer.