CCTEG Xi’an Research Institute’s Directional Drilling Technology Achieves New Breakthroughs in Water Control in The Ordos Mining Area

Recently, the first drilling site of the underground directional borehole advanced detection and control project at a coal mine in the Ordos mining area, led and implemented by CCTEG Xi’an Research Institute, was completed. The project lasted one and a half months. Through intensive technological efforts, the team not only efficiently completed all drilling tasks but also set a new record for the depth of a roof-water-control borehole in the mining area, reaching 1,017 meters in a single hole. This breakthrough demonstrates CCTEG Xi’an Research Institute’s technical strength in directional drilling in complex formations. It provides strong technical support for water hazard control and safe production in the mining area.

The project team carried out a precision drainage project for roof sandstone water under complex geological conditions, sequentially drilling through a 30-meter-thick mudstone layer and a 20-meter-thick high-hardness gravel layer to accurately reach the target sandstone aquifer and complete long‑distance exploration and directional water-release drilling operations. Through scientific construction organization and refined process control, and by adopting an integrated technical system of “equipment–process–management,” the project achieved remarkable results: all single‑hole depths in the first drilling site exceeded 800 meters, with a total footage of more than 2,400 meters and a monthly drilling record of over 1,800 meters. The water discharge from the drilling site has stabilized at 45.5 cubic meters per hour, achieving both precise control of water hazards and highly efficient construction.