InnovaRig: Versatile Deep Drill Rig

The InnovaRig is an advanced deep drilling rig designed for scientific and geothermal exploratory purposes. It can drill to 5000 metres, and requires a minimal drilling crew--compared to oil exploration rigs capable of similar depths. Now, geothermal exploration and other deep earth drilling projects, will no longer need to compete with oil exploration for drilling rigs.

The need for a modern drill rig such as the InnovaRig became apparent in the many research drillings worldwide in which the GFZ participates and is, also, in many cases Principal Investigator. Drilling implies physical strain for the personnel and very often dangerous, hazardous work. Environmental restrictions and - in the case of industrial rigs – often insufficient tools for the scientific investigation of the drilled rocks, pose further problems. InnovaRig thinks conceptionally: hazardous work has been minimised or even completely abolished, due to optimised noise protection-measures, compliance with the exhaust-emission norms and the avoidance of contamination, the rig leaves behind only very minor ecological footprints and it functions cheaper than conventional drill rigs.___Eurekalert

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