Precision Drilling Australia

What Precision Drilling Australia does

Precision Drilling Australia is a privately held drilling services contractor headquartered in Helena Valley, Western Australia, founded in May 2020 by Managing Director Mathew Feeney and co-founder Jonathan Nguyen. The company provides exploration, geotechnical, environmental, hydro/water well, tailings dam, and instrumentation-installation drilling services to mining companies, geotechnical and environmental engineering consultancies, government authorities, and infrastructure providers across Western Australia, Northern Territory, South Australia and Queensland.

Service delivery rests on a standardised fleet of six Hydrapower drill rigs (four Scout V units — two truck-mounted, two track-mounted — plus a Hydrapower Scout MK V and a Mercedes 8x8 HP850), supporting methods including diamond core (NQ, HQ3, PQ3), reverse circulation, mud rotary, air core and sonic drilling, with depth capability up to 1,200m. Specialised offerings include vibrating wire piezometer and packer permeability testing, groundwater monitoring wells, dewatering and grouting, plus a GPS/RL hole location add-on at A$70 per hole with 0.4m accuracy.

The business operates a project-based, quote-driven revenue model with no intermediaries, selling direct to enterprise clients through Managing-Director-led field engagement. It is a member of ADIA, AMEC and ALGA, employs 29 direct staff (plus 106 through sister companies in transport and mechanical services), and reports consistent 80% rig utilisation projected to reach 100% in Q2–Q3 2024, supported by long-term contracts with BHP, Iluka Resources, Gold Fields and other major Australian miners.

Name

Precision Drilling Australia

Legal name

Precision Drilling Australia

Website

https://precisiondrillingaustralia.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Precision Drilling Australia is a privately held Western Australia drilling contractor delivering exploration, geotechnical, environmental and water well drilling services to mining companies and engineering consultancies across Australia using a standardised fleet of six Hydrapower rigs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining and Geotechnical Drilling Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (213)

SIC

Drilling Oil & Gas Wells (1381)

akta.pro primary industry

Exploration & Production Drilling Services (RC, Core, Directional, Sonic, Auger) (IMAKAKAB)

Keywords

• Drilling services contractor
• Exploration drilling services
• Geotechnical drilling services
• Environmental drilling services
• Water well drilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena Valley

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Drilling Services (Project-Based): Precision Drilling Australia generates revenue through project-based drilling service contracts. Services include exploration drilling, geotechnical drilling, environmental drilling, hydro and water well drilling, tailings dam drilling, and instrumentation/installation services. Revenue is earned on a per-project basis, with contracts ranging from short-term site investigations to long-term multi-rig programs for major miners. The company operates 6 rigs with a consistent 80% utilisation rate, projected to reach 100% during Q2 and Q3 2024.
2. Equipment Rental / Add-On Services: Additional revenue from ancillary services such as GPS/RL hole location tracking available at $70 per hole, and potentially monitoring equipment installation (piezometers, monitoring wells). These are additive to core drilling contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Precision Drilling Australia is a drilling services contractor providing exploration, geotechnical, environmental, and hydro/water well drilling across Western Australia and northern Australia using a fleet of six Hydrapower drill rigs. The company delivers project-based contracts covering diamond core, reverse circulation, air core, mud rotary, and sonic drilling, along with specialized instrumentation installation (vibrating wire piezometers, monitoring wells, packer testing) and ancillary services such as GPS/RL hole location tracking. Services are sold directly to mining companies, engineering consultants, and government authorities.

Product overview

Precision Drilling Australia is a drilling services contractor offering a comprehensive portfolio of drilling methods and specialized services for the mining, construction, and environmental sectors in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. The core offering consists of multiple drilling methods (Mud Rotary, Reverse Circulation, Diamond Core, Air Core, and Sonic Drilling) that form the technical foundation, supported by specialized instrumentation and testing services (Pneumatic Testing, Vibrating Wire Piezometer Testing, Packer Permeability Testing, Groundwater Monitoring Wells). These drilling methods are delivered through a fleet of six standardized Hydrapower drill rigs ranging from compact track-mounted Scout V units to the larger HP850 truck rig, with capabilities spanning from 100m exploration holes to 1200m deep diamond coring. The company also provides end-use application services including Environmental Drilling, Geotechnical Drilling, Exploration Drilling, Tailings Dam Drilling, Hydro and Water Drilling, Water Bores, Dewatering, and Grouting. The GPS/RL hole location service is offered as an add-on across all drilling operations. Services are delivered throughout Western Australia, Northern Territory, and South Australia to clients ranging from junior exploration companies to tier-one miners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Exploration Drilling
• Geotechnical Drilling
• Environmental Drilling
• Hydro and Water Drilling
• Tailings Dam Drilling Specialized drilling for tailings dam investigation including sample extraction, instrument installation, and stability assessment.
• Water Bores Water bore drilling and installation services for irrigation, household supply, and scheme water supplementation on the Perth coastal plain.
• Diamond Core Drilling Precision drilling using industrial diamond bits to extract intact cylindrical rock core samples (NQ, HQ, PQ) for geological analysis, with depth capabilities up to 1,400m on the HP850 rig.
• Reverse Circulation Drilling Compressed air drilling method that provides cleaner, less contaminated samples for accurate geological data in exploration drilling.
• Air Core Drilling Rapid exploration drilling using compressed air to remove cuttings, ideal for early-stage exploration and environmental drilling.
• Mud Rotary Drilling Rotary drilling technique using drilling mud to stabilize boreholes and circulate cuttings, suitable for water bores and variable soil conditions.
• Sonic Drilling Advanced drilling using high-frequency vibrations to advance through various formations, particularly effective for environmental and contaminated site investigations.
• Vibrating Wire Piezometer Testing Precision groundwater measurement using vibrating wire technology for monitoring pore water pressure, including installation across tailings dams and mining sites.
• Packer Permeability Testing Geotechnical testing service to assess rock formation permeability and hydraulic conductivity by isolating sections of boreholes.
• Pneumatic Testing Specialized testing service for evaluating subsurface conditions and system performance.
• Groundwater Monitoring Wells Installation of monitoring wells for groundwater level monitoring and quality assessment, including a deepest installation at 230m under challenging ground conditions.
• Dump Leach Cyanide Injection Well Installation Installation service for cyanide injection wells used in dump leaching mining operations.
• Earthing & Anode Drilling Specialized drilling service for electrical systems earthing and anode installation.
• Test Pitting Excavation service providing direct visual inspection of soil and rock conditions for shallow site investigations.
• Dewatering Groundwater control drilling services to stabilize soil and create safer work zones for mining and construction operations.
• Grouting Ground treatment and stabilization services including grout packing and pressure grouting for water control and formation sealing.
• Hydrapower Scout V Drilling Rigs (RIG 01-04) Four standardized Hydrapower Scout V drill rigs (two truck-mounted, two track-mounted) for exploration, geotechnical, and environmental drilling with NQ/HQ/PQ wireline coring, mud rotary, air drilling, and SPT testing capabilities.
• Hydrapower Scout MK V Drilling Rig (RIG 05) Versatile Mitsubishi 4x4 truck-mounted rig for diamond and reverse circulation drilling with angle/inclined hole capability. Maximum depths: HQ 300m, PQ 165m, NQ 365m. Max torque 2100 Nm, max power 175 kW.
• Hydrapower HP850 Drilling Rig (RIG 06) Mercedes 8x8 truck-mounted exploration rig with 10,000kg pull down/pull out capacity, wireline coring to 1,400m, capable of diamond, reverse circulation, air core, and mud rotary drilling.
• GPS/RL Hole Location Service GPS-based hole location tracking with accuracy up to 0.4m, available at A$70 per hole for all drilling operations across Australia.

Quantifiable outcome

• 85%+ core recovery achieved in geotechnical programs through sands and alluvial material
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Australian Drilling Industry Association (ADIA)coreOthersPrecision Drilling Australia is a member of ADIA, the Australian Drilling Industry Association. All drillers are ADIA-certified. ADIA membership provides industry credentials, training standards, and access to Australasian Drilling magazine. Certification includes Class 1–3 under WA standards for licensed water well drillers.
• AMEC (Association of Mining and Exploration Companies)coreOthersMember of AMEC, the peak industry body for mining and exploration companies in Australia. Membership connects PDA with the broader mining and exploration community and provides industry advocacy and networking.
• ALGA (Australian Land and Groundwater Association)minorOthersMember of ALGA, supporting environmental drilling and groundwater monitoring activities.
• Feaver ToolsminorOthersKey supplier of drilling tools and equipment, with Richard Stickland and his team providing support to Precision Drilling Australia operations.
• MudexminorOthersLocal Australian drill mud supplier (Cameron Fleming) who supplied mud additives and wrote drill mud programs to help achieve high core recovery rates (up to 97%) on projects such as Eneabba for Iluka Resources.
• PGC MaintenanceminorOthersMaintenance and mechanical support partner with Mark O'Neill providing ongoing equipment maintenance services.
• HMR Drilling SuppliesminorOthersDrilling supplies partner with Morris Wallis providing equipment and consumables support.
• Thomson TechminorOthersTechnology partner with Adam Wenn providing broad knowledge of drilling technology and systems support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Boart Longyear: Privately held global drilling services and equipment provider with a long-established Australian presence. Larger incumbent offering surface and underground drilling, plus drilling products, competing for major-miner contracts.
• Perenti Global Limited: ASX-listed diversified mining services contractor (parent of DDH1) operating drilling, contract mining and equipment services globally. Comparable in surface drilling services to Australian miners, with broader end-to-end mining services portfolio.

Direct peers

• Major Drilling Group International: TSX-listed global mineral drilling services company offering diamond core, RC and reverse circulation drilling to mining majors. Directly comparable in core mineral exploration drilling services to tier-1 miners.
• Mitchell Services Limited: ASX-listed Australian drilling contractor providing diamond core, RC, geotechnical and water well drilling services. Comparable fleet and customer base across Australian coal, metals and minerals sectors.
• DDH1 Limited (formerly Ausdrill): ASX-listed Australian drilling services contractor (formerly Ausdrill) offering diamond core, RC, grade control and geotechnical drilling to the same tier-1 Australian miners PDA serves. Direct competitor for the same exploration and geotechnical contract pool.
• Foraco International SA: TSX-listed global drilling services company specialising in mineral exploration and geotechnical drilling. Comparable service mix across diamond core, RC, and environmental/geotechnical drilling for mining clients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Precisiondrillingaustralia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/precision-drilling-australia

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Precision Drilling Australia