Large Diameter Drilling

Tailored drilling services

MintMech’s work with large diameter drilling (LDD) began when extra-large monopile foundations were first being explored, and we’ve kept pace as the technology has scaled. From modest diameters to the outer limits of current shaft diameters, we’ve helped design and deliver drilling solutions across the full spectrum.

Whether it’s open-hole drilling for ports, relief drilling for water intakes or deep sockets for offshore energy, we work across a full range of diameters and ground conditions.

How we support your project

Methodology development

We help define the right way to approach the job by planning the full sequence of operations needed to install however many boreholes your project demands.

Design, build, commission

We don’t hand over drawings and walk away. We deliver working systems and stay involved until they perform in the real world.

Technical advice

We act as a third-party evaluator. That could mean reviewing tenders, verifying methodologies or offering a second opinion when you need clear, honest insight.

Not just bit-rock interface

We specialise in the science of drilling. That includes understanding how cutter selection, rock strength, torque and power interact, whether the ground is soft, hard or changing by the metre.

But drilling performance isn’t always about cutting. Spoil removal can be the limiting factor, especially in soft ground. We design and assess spoil pumping and separation systems, including material handling, dewatering, plume control and minimising seabed disturbance. It means you’re not caught out by what happens after the cutters.

Case Stdy

Cutting through consultancy

A copper mine developer approached us with concerns. They had already signed a contract for a large diameter drilling project, but the promised drilling rates seemed overly optimistic. They needed a more objective view.

MintMech was brought in as a third-party consultant to assess the expected performance. The ground was very soft, and we identified spoil removal, not cutterhead energy, as the likely bottleneck.

We modelled three removal methods, including our own air lift riser system, and showed that all would deliver similar rates, which were lower than promised. Our analysis helped the client prepare a contingency plan. Following this modelling exercise, we’ve continued to support them on additional projects.

In projects where drilling is just one part of a much larger material-handling challenge, we bring solutions that balance excavation efficiency with real-world logistics.

Our Clients