Mining for natural resources is an age-old concept, and modern mines are using brand new technology and methods for extracting natural resources as efficiently as possible. This includes the mining of natural gas, a major fossil fuel source used in the United States today. Natural gas is typically found in pockets deep in the ocean, often in the ocean floor, and it is routinely mined and extracted for use later. This means having the right hardware for mining completions, and these range from frac balls (a recent innovation) to liner hanger systems and frac plugs. Such frac balls make extraction of natural gas much faster, and horizontal drilling and frac balls mean that mining for natural gas is more cost friendly than ever. Having the right frac balls and liner hangers, among other materials, means a job well done is possible.
Mining Today
Natural gas has been in use for decades, and its demand is only growing. This means that more and more mines are being built to extract it, but if they’re not fast and efficient enough, they may fall behind demand, so new innovations such as frac balls can help them keep up. A new and highly effective method for mining natural gas today is what is called horizontal mining. What is that? this is a specialized method for installing underground conduits, and when this method is used, there’s minimal damage to the surrounding environment. This is useful for both protecting the natural environment during mine and for preventing an accident or mishap during mining. This market is growing fast and has reached impressive size already. As of 2018, in fact, the worldwide horizontal directional drilling market was valued right around $7.37 billion USD. What is more, growth is expected for this market, and estimates show that the directional drilling market may grow at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 13.2% from 2019 to 2025.
The right hardware makes a mining job safe and effective. Frac balls, for example, are an important part of fracturing the sea floor to extract natural gas, or “fracking.” Natural gas is embedded in the rocky sea floor, and high-pressure drilling is needed to expose a pocket of it and make mining possible. Various mining methods have been in use before, but now, frac balls make mining much faster and allow a lot of natural gas to be extracted all at once. This greatly lowers operational costs. Not only that, but having the best liner hanger on the job will help, too. A mine shaft’s inner walls need to be coated during work, and temporary liner hangers are just the thing. Liner hangers are not permanent attachments to the mine shaft’s inner walls; rather, they can be hooked onto the upper lip of the mine shaft and hang there, and this means that they can be conveniently removed later.