Rotary Drilling

Rotary drilling rigs utilise high levels of torque and rotation, with a drill bit at the end of the drill pipe rapidly rotating (between 50 and 120rpm) and boring through the rock formation. The drill bit tends to come in two primary forms: firstly, roller-cone bits, and secondly, fixed cutter bits. Both drill bits see similarly high levels of use within the drilling industry. Fixed cutter bits are also commonly referred to as PDC bits (polycrystalline diamond compact bits – though there are other common types of fixed cutter bits, PDC are amongst the most prevalent).

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The high frequency and speed of rotations make this form of drilling an effective means of carving through both hard and soft rock formations, alike. This form of drilling uses either air or drilling fluids to clear out the borehole, cool the drill bit and generally reduce friction on the bit, so that it can continue to run optimally.