Drilling technology to advance mining, oil and gas industries

WHITEHORSE – Cold Climate Innovation (CCI) of the Yukon Research Centre has partnered with Icefield Tools Corporation, to revolutionize borehole drilling technology. This partnership will develop technology and software that will advance the mining, oil and gas industries.

This project will answer a need within the petroleum industry for greater drilling accuracy while significantly reducing overall survey time and associated costs. Icefield Tools Corporation, a Yukon-based company, is developing the technology and software that will make this process more efficient and cost effective.

“The development of this technology means more professional jobs in the Yukon, and exportation of locally designed technology products across the globe,” said Stephen Mooney, Director, Cold Climate Innovation.

These software and hardware upgrades will allow Icefield Tools Corporation to expand rapidly into the oil and gas markets.

"Icefield Tools recognizes the opportunity for greater diversification of its product line within both the mining, and oil and gas sectors,” said Lee Randell, Chief Operating Officer, Icefield Tools Corporation. “The support from our partners at Cold Climate Innovation is critical to move this development forward; to respond to industry demands in a timely manner,” said Randell.

Currently, operators of borehole drills must first recover the survey instrument from the ground in order to determine whether they have the right orientation before they begin to assess the information. This technology will allow the equipment operator to instantaneously determine the orientation of the drill, and how to change the orientation to make a required turn.

The prototype for the borehole drilling technology will be ready for testing in January of 2014 and will be presented to the public in the spring.

The Yukon Research Centre (YRC) at Yukon College has seven key programs: Biodiversity Monitoring, Cold Climate Innovation, Northern Climate ExChange, NSERC Industrial Research Chair for Colleges in Mine Life Cycle, Technology Innovation, Science Adventures, and Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic. Core funding for the Yukon Research Centre is provided by Yukon Education and funding for Cold Climate Innovation is provided by Yukon Economic Development.