Monitoring While Drilling (MWD) is rapidly becoming standard practice in geothermal drilling and civil engineering. Instead of drilling blind, contractors now rely on real‑time downhole data to reduce risk, improve drilling efficiency, and increase project margins.
Brightcore Energy, a leading provider of integrated geothermal solutions, implemented Royal Eijkelkamp’s MWD system to enhance visibility and decision‑making in the field. Their early results show clear, measurable benefits.
Working daily with an LRS 275 DUO sonic rig equipped with the MWD system developed by Royal Eijkelkamp, the Brightcore team noticed an immediate shift. Not because MWD changed the drilling trajectory, but because operators were no longer working blind.
Steven Runyon, Director of Drilling Operations, explains:
“The primary improvement was increased visibility into drilling conditions. This allowed for better‑informed operational decisions, resulting in improved drilling consistency and reduced uncertainty during production.”
Knowing what’s happening downhole gives operators confidence, keeps drilling moving steadily, and reduces the stop‑and‑start behavior that slows production. With real‑time feedback guiding decisions, crews quickly develop a smoother, more consistent drilling rhythm.
The MWD operator dashboard shows valuable metrics
Brightcore observed early improvements and a higher likelihood of installing geothermal loops successfully on the first attempt. According to their team, MWD made it easier to identify when additional reaming or back‑reaming was required and to maintain higher borehole stability due to better cleaning and fewer misjudgments.
In geothermal installation - where loop failures, stuck casings, and re‑drills can quickly erode project margins - these incremental gains add up fast.
“The most measurable benefit observed was in grout loss mitigation and casing placement,” Runyon notes. “By monitoring the Rate of Penetration (ROP) and weight-on-bit trends, we were able to better identify transitions into competent rock formations. This allowed us to set casing more effectively, isolate unconsolidated zones, and reduce grout loss.”
Across comparable projects, drillers utilizing MWD are observing an approximate 8% reduction in grout usage, directly attributable to improved formation awareness and proactive decision-making.
All boreholes are logged as part of our standard process. This allows us to present factual drilling data rather than assumptions and differentiate from competitors.
Although U.S. geothermal clients do not yet demand extensive drilling logs, the data automatically recorded through MWD has been invaluable for Brightcore during bidding and preconstruction.
Runyon explains:
“All boreholes are logged as part of our standard process. This allows us to present factual drilling data rather than assumptions and differentiate from competitors.”
It also reduces the likelihood of costly change orders by setting realistic expectations early.”
The automatically recorded drilling logs help to:
This administrative clarity is becoming a competitive advantage.
Monitoring While Drilling gives operators immediate clarity about downhole conditions. Key metrics are depth, Rate of Penetration (ROP), weight-on-bit (bit force), torque, and pressure trends. Together, these provide a comprehensive picture of downhole behavior, including potential swelling or collapsing formations.
For sonic drilling specifically, the Royal Eijkelkamp MWD system adds a critical extra layer: it continuously monitors the sonic parameters and advices the drillers in optimizing the sonic drilling process.
At Brightcore, multiple drillers currently use the system. “The initial training time was minimal,” Runyon reports. “The operators became functional quickly, with proficiency improving as they learned to interpret combined data trends. We are continuing to emphasize the importance of torque and pressure monitoring to further enhance decision-making in the field.”
When properly interpreted, the MWD data provides actionable insights. It enables drillers to:
MWD can deliver increasing value over time as operators become more familiar with the technology and consistently incorporate the data into their workflows. However, the benefits are not immediately apparent within the first few holes—or even the first 30. Runyon states, “The true value is realized once operators are trained and consistently apply the data.”
The timeline:
An unexpected benefit was the reduction in long‑term maintenance costs for sonic rigs. With better data, operators make more informed decisions, reducing equipment stress.
Brightcore’s experience shows that MWD delivers value from day one. Real‑time visibility reduces uncertainty, improves drilling efficiency, and strengthens project margins. For geothermal contractors facing tight schedules and rising quality demands, MWD provides the data‑driven certainty needed to stay competitive.
