Specialist infrastructure services provider AJ Lucas has diversified its offerings into the coal sector with the July 1 commencement of a new Coal Technologies Division.
The company will be managed by Matt Gal, Todd Herbert, Scott Thomson and Chris Hill, who have all worked extensively in coal seam drilling.
Herbert said this was the first time any company had brought together three different aspects of coal drilling - surface drilling, directional surface drilling and directional underground drilling. Other offerings would include exploratory drilling and dewatering services.
The company will also be looking at the feasibility of surface to inseam drilling. Six coal seam drilling rigs have been purchased to commence operations. These comprise three LM 75 rigs, a LM 55 rig, an LM 1300 and one LM 45 rig, to be used in up-hole and short core projects.
Down-hole survey tools will be Mecca. The company said it intended to be the first to use the AMT DGS steering tool.
The company said it pioneered horizontal directional drilling (HDD) in Australia and is now the largest HDD company in the world, with operations in Asia, the Middle East, South America and Europe.
