Introducing the Zero-Trip Wedge
The Zero-Trip Wedging System
Developed by Zero-Trip Innovations, the Zero-Trip Wedge is a directional drilling and borehole recovery tool designed to eliminate multiple rod trips traditionally required when setting a deflector wedge.
Priority Drilling has used Zero-Trip wedges extensively at the Tara Mines zinc operation in Ireland, with the deepest installation reported at approximately 2,980 metres. That installation enabled a borehole to be completed to approximately 3,200 metres, after the client had spent six weeks attempting to complete the hole using other methods.
The technology has been deployed across operations in Europe, Scandinavia, Tanzania, Mali, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Canada, and has now been introduced to the Australasian market through Western Australian distributor D&B Supplies.
"All these operations achieved 100 per cent installation success in stable ground conditions."
— Corey McCarthy, Zero-Trip Innovations
The Lost-Time Problem
Conventional deflector wedging is a familiar but time-consuming process for diamond drilling crews working directional holes. The lost drilling time associated with conventional rod handling can increase significantly with depth.
Conventional Wedging — Reported Lost Rig Time
- 500 metres: approximately 25 hours
- 1,000 metres: approximately 39 hours
- 1,500 metres: approximately 54 hours
- 2,000 metres: approximately 68 hours
*These are conservative figures based on standard rod-handling procedures for conventional deflector wedging.
A Safer Approach to Rod Handling
Productivity is only part of the equation. Every rod trip eliminated from a drilling operation also reduces the amount of manual handling associated with setting a conventional wedge.
For contractors working at depth, reducing unnecessary rod handling can therefore provide both a productivity advantage and an important safety benefit.
How the Zero-Trip System Works
The Zero-Trip Wedging System consists of three primary components: The Drop Kit, the Whipstock and a Standard Reaming Core Barrel. The complete assembly is prepared and aligned at the surface before being run into the borehole together.
Once at depth, the assembly is orientated and locked into position using water pressure and hydraulic pullback. The drop kit is then retrieved on the wireline, a clean inner-tube assembly is seated in the core barrel and drilling can resume directly off the wedge.
One rod trip. Hole deflected. Coring resumed.
"The Zero-Trip Wedging system redefines the deep hole directional coring process."
— Darryl Gamble, D&B Supplies
Built for Deep-Hole Directional Drilling
The system is designed to give drilling crews greater flexibility when directional control is required. The Zero-Trip Wedge can be oriented to the required azimuth and inclination, including applications where the borehole needs to be made steeper or redirected through existing casing.
Zero Trip Advantage
N Size (Click to Expand)
H Size (Click to Expand)
