Published in the May 2006 American Longwall Magazine

Terra Tek conceived and started the company in the early 1980s in Salt Lake City while conducting research at an Island Creek mine in western Virginia.

Out of that research was born the idea to commercialize coal mine methane recovered from horizontal drilling, which would serve as a milestone concept in mining and the oil and gas industry for the decades to come.

A drilling and gas collection project at Soldier Canyon mine in Utah – the first of its kind in the United States – became the path for the company’s work in drilling techniques and methane drainage collection.

Later, AMVEST acquired REI (at that time, Resource Enterprises, Inc), and then sold the entity to Brunner and Schwoebel in 1997. It was at that time, Schwoebel said, that their niche started to develop and the shift from gas recovery to coal mining services was complete.

“We took the company from being involved in numerous activities to a focus on providing longhole directional drilling services specifically to coal mine operators. We expanded the company from three drills to seven drills that we operate now,” he said.

The evolution from horizontal rotary drilling, particularly popular in the 1980s, to directional drilling is one technology milestone REI is proud to be a part of. The use of the downhole motor, which uses the principle of a hydraulic progressive cavity pump to create torque, has also ensured the ease of the use of directional drilling, which along with its intrinsic targeting ability, has made it one of the most widely-used drilling techniques in mining today.

“The technology itself is probably the major milestone that was introduced over the life of the company. The key element of that is it allows you to steer the boreholes to precise targets, which enables you to stay within the coal seam,” Schwoebel said.

The components to directional drilling, the surveying instrument and the downhole motor, are both key concepts of the technology, something that has progressed in its own right, he said. “Both have gone through some different technology advancements over the years.”

The most significant advantage, obvious to many who have used directional drilling at their own operation, is the ability to stay within the seam. “You’re able to control the hole and you know its exact location,” he said.

Because the technology has a vast variety of uses including exploration, there has been an upswing in its popularity. Whether for exploration or searching for old workings, Schwoebel said, “you’re trying to ensure that the borehole is accurate”, a feature vital to operations.

Increasingly difficult seams, less-than-ideal geologic conditions and higher gas levels as mines go deeper are just some of the factors that will demand directional drilling’s features and drive the technology into the future. “We see that technology is going to have to continue to improve to keep mining costs down; directional drilling is one of those tools available to a coal operator that can be used to help maintain that.”

REI will also be taking cues from other technological equipment modifications when looking at its own line, such as the use of gamma and ground-penetrating radar on continuous miners for horizon control as well as other techniques that enable the borehole to remain within the seam.

These techniques can be expected to be integrated into drilling more routinely. So far, the methods utilized to survey the hole and determine bit location have seen the most significant changes.

Also on the horizon for the drilling sector, Schwoebel said, are techniques including advanced radar to look in multiple directions and expedite the process. Geophysical logging techniques to better determine the quality of coal, such as its ash content, is another consideration.

Relationship building is high on REI’s agenda. “REI’s clients are mostly repeat clients where we have worked together on projects from concept to completion, oftentimes dealing with difficult drilling conditions that require a novel drilling approach and persistence,” Schwoebel said.

“Our exploration clients in particular,” added Brunner, “appreciate our real-time data processing and the detailed geologic interpretation done by our professional staff. REI provides the mine operator the data that they need quickly in the format that they use.”

REI drills can currently be found all over the US and the company also has had long-term projects in China, Nova Scotia, Mexico and Europe. Schwoebel said the company is also working in countries with economies in transition on internationally-funded projects that are motivated by mine safety and greenhouse gas emissions reductions credits.

Global growth of demand for drilling technology is currently keeping both Schwoebel and Brunner’s travel and research and development schedule packed. Brunner said several foreign countries are currently seeking participation and technology transfer because they have a tremendous number of applications for directional drilling related to methane recovery.