Schilling Robotics Snags Contract for New Deep Sea Drilling, Coring System

Schilling Robotics has been awarded a contract for a new seafloor-based deep sea drill system from Gregg Drilling and Testing, Inc., experts in drilling and geotechnical testing services. Schilling will engineer and manufacture the state-of-the-art coring and drilling system containing custom power, hydraulics, and topside control systems to be interfaced with a third-party drill structure. The contract is valued at approximately $2 million, with system delivery scheduled for late 2009.

The advanced deep sea drill system will have a depth rating of 3,000 meters. The control system consists of Schilling's proprietary Digital Telemetry System™ (DTS™), subsea hydraulics, along with topside hardware, console components, and advanced component monitoring and diagnostic software. The steel and aluminum drill structure will utilize a patented wire-line drill apparatus provided under license from Williamson and Associates of Seattle, Washington. Additionally, the system will be outfitted with a Schilling TITAN 4 manipulator to support drill bit and core handling during operations.

This system introduces an innovative method for deep sea drilling to obtain high quality, undisturbed soil samples and soil cores from depths extending down to 150 meters below the sea floor. The drilling methods employed include wire-line rotary and push sampling with 85mm sized tooling. The drill can be deployed with numerous interchangeable foundation options, depending on seabed conditions.

"We are pleased that Gregg has chosen our flexible DTS control system as the "brain" of their subsea system. This is our second controls project with Gregg, and we are excited about the distinct value we have created for them by employing the latest Schilling subsea control technologies," said Phil Otto, President and Chief Executive Officer of Schilling Robotics, LLC.

"Schilling's state-of-the-art equipment and innovative technology make Gregg's product offerings distinctive in the market. We will now be able to allow the entire system to be controlled remotely from the surface thanks to the flexible DTS™ controls unit," said John Gregg, President of Gregg Drilling & Testing, Inc.