ZERO SPILLAGE
Drilling must have as little impact as possible on the environment
Photo by: Bloomberg
To reduce the environmental impact of its projects, drilling services company Ubuntu Rock Drilling (URD) aims to prevent oil contamination as much as possible, company marketing manager Michelle Berrington tells Mining Weekly.
To achieve this, a plastic liner is used to cover the ground surface during project execution and oil booms are placed in a square form around the bottom of the drill rig on top of the plastic liner to contain any spillage, she says.
Should any oil come into contact with the ground, oil treatment granules are immediately applied to absorb the spillage, she says.
Berrington adds that it is also important to rehabilitate a drill site as closely as possible to the original geological conditions after the completion of a project, as this accelerates the recovery process, with minimum disturbance to the environment.
She says rehabilitation should also be done in a way that promotes revegetation and reduces erosion.
Safety
Berrington says URD puts safety first to prevent downtime that could lead to project completion deadlines being missed.
She explains that the safety of staff, and of visitors at any of URD’s project sites is of the utmost importance, as incidents can not only be costly but also lead to failure to meet completion targets.
In addition, Berrington tells Mining Weekly that URD is proud of its injury-free record since 2006, when it started operating.
URD’s safety officer always ensures that safety policies and standards are in place and that all operational staff are fully aware of safety measures, she says, adding that the company ensures that it always complies with clients’ safety standards.
Berrington notes that operational sites are always clearly demarcated, thereby containing hazardous objects and machinery to ensure that visitors and staff do not enter dangerous areas by mistake.
“In addition, a standardised layout is used for all drill sites to ensure that staff members are familiar with the layout, which then reduces trip hazards.”
URD previously operated as Geoshere Drilling but changed its name in 2014 to align its strategy with black economic-empowerment requirements; the company also developed an ownership structure reflecting 51% black ownership.
The company’s biggest project thus far has been for coal miner Universal Coal, where it drilled 80 exploration holes of 40 m each.
“The project was completed in four weeks, with four drill teams, each consisting of three operational staff members and one supervisor, allocated to the project,” Berrington concludes.