Borehole drilling is the process of drilling into the ground to extract groundwater or monitor groundwater. Borehole drilling requires specialized drilling equipment and techniques for deep and accurate hole excavation. The depth of a borehole can vary considerably, depending on the type of site and objectives. Successful boreholes depend on their accuracy and on the mechanical strength of the drill bit, as well as on how easily they can be refilled with water, such as by using a packer (a tool that evenly seals off the borehole), which ideally would achieve 100% efficiency.
1. What is a borehole and why do we drill them
A borehole is a small hole in the ground that allows humans to get access to groundwater. Boreholes are drilled into the ground and then gradually widened until water becomes accessible. It’s used by geologists, hydrogeologists, and hydrologists to study groundwater systems and for other purposes such as monitoring water levels or extracting water. Drilling is done with drills and often has an air hammer to help break up the ground.
2. When should I drill my borehole
When drilling a borehole, it can be a good idea to wait for a few years before doing so. If the site is located in the midst of heavy construction or development, then it might be an even better idea to wait until all of that is done. Boreholes should also be drilled deep enough and with sufficient accuracy to access the desired amount of water, but not any deeper.
3. How deep should my borehole be drilled
The depth of a borehole is typically calculated based on how much groundwater is needed and the depth from which they are expected to come from. To make sure your borehole can actually reach such levels, geotechnical engineers will often calculate the size and depth requirement before drilling starts.
A common depth for groundwater in most countries is 50 meters. This is deep enough for easy access (at least 5-10 meters) and also to be less influenced by surface activity like rainfall or drought.
Boreholes can be drilled as deep as 300 meters, but these are expensive, dangerous, and very time consuming – even more so if they need to go deeper then 1000 meters and go through extremely hard and thick rock layers.
The depth of a borehole is typically calculated based on how much groundwater is needed and the depth from which they are expected to come from. To make sure your borehole can actually reach such levels, geotechnical engineers will often calculate the size and depth requirement before drilling starts.
Boreholes should also be drilled deep enough and with sufficient accuracy to access the desired amount of water, but not any deeper. The depth of a borehole is typically calculated based on how much groundwater is needed and the depth from which they are expected to come from. To make sure your borehole can actually reach such levels, geotechnical engineers will often calculate the size and depth requirement before drilling starts.
Conclusion
Boreholes are drilled into the ground and then gradually widened until water becomes accessible. Drilling is done with drills which often have an air hammer to help break up the ground. The depth of a borehole can vary considerably, depending on the type of site and objectives. Successful boreholes depend on their accuracy and on the mechanical strength of the drill bit, as well as how easily they can be refilled with water by using packer which ideally would achieve 100% efficiency. When drilling a borehole it’s good idea wait for few years before doing so if located in heavy construction or development area; also important to calculate size/depth requirement before drilling starts–to make sure your borehole reaches desired level (50m). Boreholes can be drilled as deep as 300m, but expensive and require extreme caution/time.