Aquatech has three decades of experience in water well drilling across the resources sector.
Water is life. This is as true on the grand scale – for all living things on earth, in fact – as it is on the smaller scale.
Often taken for granted, water holds up many major industries, which in turn holds up everyday life. Even an industry as seemingly hot and dry as mining is utterly dependent on access to water.
Few know this better than Aquatech owner Luke Garbelini.
“Water is critically important to the mining industry. It’s utilised in every part of mining operations, from processing to power generation to dust suppression,” he told Australian Mining.
Aquatech Drilling is a privately owned and family-run business that provides cost-effective water well drilling. The company has been taking on drilling projects across Western Australia for more than 30 years.
“Every client has different requirements when it comes to water,” Garbelini said.
“When it comes to mining, there’s often a de-watering requirement that involves drilling bores to stop water from entering mine workings located underground.
“Water can be used for anything, and at Aquatech we are at the forefront of providing solutions for our clients’ requirements – whatever they may be.”
The company’s specialty is in water well drilling, utilising mud rotary or air hammer techniques. Using these tools, Aquatech can offer its clients tailored solutions and the capacity to drill to significant depths using powerful machinery.
Aquatech’s scope of work includes production bores, artesian bores, dewatering bores, monitoring bores, down hole hammer, cement grouting, water bore redevelopment and relines, as well as the installation of various steel and stainless-steel casings.
The company has a specialised array of drills on hand to tackle a range of tasks, all of which are maintained to the highest standards for optimal productivity and safety.
Aquatech’s primary drilling rig for large-scale work is the Versa-Drill V2000. Capable of drilling 6–24-inch holes, the V2000 features an on-board 1070x350PSI compressor, and can reach depths of 1000m. It also includes an on-board mud pump with a throughput of 40 litres per second (LPS).
Aquatech also has a custom-built, highly manoeuvrable drill rig for intermediate work that is able to complete smaller drilling projects with a smaller team of operators. This drill can deliver a 4–12-inch hole, and an eight-inch-diameter hole up to 350m. It comes with a 32 LPS mud pump.
The best part is that the whole rig can be up and running in 25 minutes.
Aquatech also recently purchased a Versa-Drill NG 100 to add to the fleet, offering the flexibility to construct medium to semi-large wells. The machine is suited primarily to hole diameters of 18 inches or smaller, effectively closing the gap between the Versa V2000 and the custom-built rig abilities.
The rig can be used for mud rotary or hammer drilling operations.
Last in the fleet is the compact trailer rig, which has just undergone a full rebuild. The drill is small in size, weighing in at only 3.5 tonnes, and is most suitable for the domestic market, in tight or environmentally sensitive areas.
Aquatech’s support truck carries a full complement of hydraulic hoses, pumps, motors and additional spare parts, significantly reducing downtime.
The latest addition to the company’s toolkit is the underground camera, which it can use to inspect drill holes and diagnose problems.
Progress is a common theme at Aquatech, which has been steadily growing for over three decades.
The company is currently looking to improve on its drilling capacity with new intermediate and large drilling machines, including the full complement of additional equipment, ensuring their units are fully self-sufficient.
“We are seeking to expand our capacity with everything that is required to run multiple highly flexible drilling units,” Garbelini said.
“We want to ensure our clients feel comfortable in the knowledge that if a breakdown occurs Aquatech has another machine ready to go – and it’s just as capable as the original unit.”
Aquatech is a member of the Australia Drilling Industry Association (ADIA), and the company’s drilling teams are Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 ADIA-accredited.
All of Aquatech’s work is carried out to the highest of standards.
“Our approach at Aquatech is straightforward: it’s about detailed planning, it’s about reliable and robust machinery, and it’s about our experienced workforce being meticulous when it comes to safety and getting the drilling done with a minimum of fuss,” Garbelini said.
“We care deeply about our clients and our reputation for undertaking quality drilling is something that we’re very proud of as a company.”
This feature appeared in the August 2023 issue of Australian Mining.
