Bed Mapping Resistivity (BMR)

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In advanced directional drilling, especially for Coal Seam Gas (CSG) and longwall gas drainage, BMR is a cutting-edge Logging-While-Drilling (LWD) technology.

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As the drill bit moves horizontally through the earth, the BMR tool emits electromagnetic waves into the surrounding rock and measures the electrical resistance (resistivity). Because coal, water, shale, and sandstone all conduct electricity differently, the tool maps the exact boundaries of the geological layers in real time.

Logging while drilling integrates formation evaluation tools into the drill string, capturing real-time petrophysical data (such as rock porosity, density, and resistivity) immediately after the rock is cut. When paired with directional drilling, LWD allows operators to actively "geosteer," keeping the wellbore within productive zones.

A goaf well (or gob well) is an extraction well drilled from the surface directly into the goaf, the highly fractured, collapsed rubble zone left behind as a longwall mining machine advances.

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When a longwall miner shears away a coal panel, the immense weight of the overlying rock layers causes the mine roof to cave in intentionally right behind the support shields. This collapse shatters the surrounding rock strata, opening up paths for trapped gases from adjacent unmined coal seams and shale layers to rush out.

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A goaf well intercepts this gas before it can sweep into the active underground workspace where crews are operating.

Mine gas drainage is the deliberate process of capturing and removing hazardous gases trapped within a coal seam or the surrounding rock strata before, during, or after underground mining operations.

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When coal is formed over millions of years, these gases are trapped inside the coal matrix under intense pressure. As mining machines cut into the coal, that pressure drops, releasing the gas into the mine workings.

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Without targeted drainage, these gases would escape directly into the mine air, posing catastrophic safety risks and forcing operations to stop.

Lucas operates to stringent Tier 1 operational standards for global resource houses including BHP, Glencore, Rio Tinto, Anglo American, and Arrow Energy.

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Average annual performance metrics include 852+ wells successfully completed, 270,000+ total metres drilled, 138km+ of precision trajectories steered, and 176km+ of casing strings run.

Yes, Lucas delivers critical gas management and well maintenance infrastructure designed to keep underground mines safe.

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These services include goaf drainage and service wells to manage methane gas accumulation in longwall blocks, end-to-end well servicing, and front-end technical well planning and engineering.

Lucas provides comprehensive, multi-purpose drilling programmes engineered to safely prove up assets and scale production.

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Exploration capabilities encompass large-diameter rotary mud and air drilling, high-accuracy diamond and conventional coring, and rapid fleet deployment for fast-tracked campaigns across eastern Australia.

Lucas specialises in delivering highly complex horizontal and directional boreholes utilising state-of-the-art down-hole technology and real-time telemetry.

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Key capabilities include Surface-to-In-Seam (SIS) drilling, advanced geosteering using real-time electromagnetic steering, and complex trajectories such as multi-branch lateral drilling, with over 138 kilometres of precision trajectories successfully steered.

Surface-to-In-Seam (SIS) drilling is a highly specialised directional drilling method used primarily in underground coal mining for gas drainage, exploration, and outburst prevention.

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Unlike traditional vertical wells or underground drilling methods, SIS drilling is performed from the surface to horizontally intersect and follow a target coal seam.

Directional drilling is the practice of drilling a non-vertical wellbore along a controlled, predetermined path.

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Instead of simply drilling straight down into the earth, directional drilling allows operators to steer the drill bit/string sideways, horizontally, around underground obstacles, or at precise angles to hit specific geological targets.

Degasification (or degassing) is the broad chemical and engineering process of removing dissolved, trapped, or entrained gases from a liquid or solid material.

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While the term is used across several industries, ranging from water treatment to metallurgy, in mining, oil & gas, degasification refers specifically to the systematic extraction of hazardous gases (like methane and carbon dioxide) from coal seams or underground geological formations.

In drilling, whether for mining, oil and gas, or water wells, casing refers to a series of heavy-duty pipes lowered into a newly drilled borehole and cemented in place.

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Drilling can disrupt the natural pressures, rock formations, and water tables. Casing acts as the structural foundation of the well, ensuring it remains safe, stable, and functionally sound.