Explorer SD60
The Explorer is the first commercially available seabed-based drilling system for sonic drilling, soil and rock coring, anchor drilling, screw pile driving or salvage operations.
Originally designed for simple and reliable seabed rock coring, through continuous development, the Explorer became a multifunctional seabed drilling platform that retrieves a sample where other systems fail; without the need for a large offshore drilling vessel.
The world's first commercially available seabed drill
Complete yet Modular Seabed Drilling System
The Explorer offers a turnkey solution with a modular design for maximum project flexibility. It delivers a 60 kW hydraulic output, controlled via three separate proportional valve blocks.
Subsea Geo Tools in-house developed umbilical communication method has immediate real-time communication at startup of the system, without the need for fragile fiber optics, making the umbilical fully field-serviceable.
Authentic 150 Hz RotoSonic & Versatile Rotary Heads
Subsea’s partnership with Sonic drilling experts, Royal Eijkelkamp, allows the Explorer to be equipped with industry leading 150 Hz RotoSonic drill heads. However, you are still able to select any Subsea Geo Tools standard coring heads or custom rotary head to suit your drilling purposes.
Modular rotary head carrier and controls accommodate for field swappable drill heads allowing users to react to rapidly changing offshore project demands without costly port calls giving the capability of multiple machines in one drilling system.
Precise Machine Control with Remote Service Connectivity
Control the Explorer via an intuitive deck panel featuring real-time monitoring and precise configuration of all drilling functions.
The integrated screen not only displays all data needed for monitoring the drilling operation, as well as machine status, but allows the user to carefully configure all aspects of the drilling, including applying top and bottom limits to all rotary dials for machine functions.
The panel also features ethernet, wifi and sim connectivity for data transfer as well as remote service. Additionally, the HDMI ports allow the connection of extra screens so that the integrated subsea cameras can be monitored at the same time as crucial machine and drilling data.
Integrated MWD for Real-Time Drilling Optimization & Soil Characterization
The Explorer’s integrated sensor suite forms a comprehensive Measurement While Drilling (MWD) system. The on-board software provides immediate, real-time insight into ground conditions and coring performance. This data is vital for ensuring the success of anchor installations, soil sampling, and geotechnical site characterization.
Tiltable Drill Mast for Uneven Seabeds & Infrastructure
Equipped with a tiltable mast and controllable level jacks, the Explorer can operate on uneven terrain or in close proximity to quay walls and piles. The active load control and precise feed rate ensure high-quality results in everything from high-speed diamond rock coring to high-torque helical anchor installation.
The Complete Turnkey Subsea Drilling Solution
We provide everything needed for a successful drilling campaign. Beyond the Explorer rig itself, our turnkey package includes constant tension umbilical winches, climate-controlled operational cabins, and specialized sample handling equipment such as our Liner Cutter, ensuring a streamlined workflow from seabed to lab.
Technical Specifications
Product Highlights
General Specifications
Drill Head Options
Sonic Drilling Performance
Rotary Drilling Performance
Instrumentation & Tooling
Modular Add-ons
Expert FAQ – Explorer SD60 Seabed Drilling
The Explorer is unique in its versatility, the 150 Hz RotoSonic head excels in sampling difficult to recover sediments and maintains a rotary element for the transition into rock formations. With the ability to switch to a high-torque rotary drilling head when sampling only or mostly rock, the system can sample through highly variable strata in a single deployment.
Designed for operational flexibility, the Explorer allows for rapid switching between RotoSonic and rotary drill heads. A complete head-swap can be performed on deck in approximately three hours, enabling the team to adapt to changing soil conditions without the need for costly port calls.
The 60 kW hydraulic output is powered via the electric umbilical. For a complete turnkey setup (Rig, Winch, and Cabin), we recommend a vessel power supply 400 VAC, 125 A. However the explorer has automatic power regulation for 32 or 63 amp supplies.
The Explorer SD60 is a single shot drilling system, taking a continuous sample without the need for complex seabed rod handling. The maximum penetration depth depends on the rod diameter and soil conditions but is typically limited to approx. 10 m from seabed.
Equipped with a tiltable mast and hydraulic leveling jacks, the Explorer can maintain verticality on uneven terrain. The ability to drill through vertical to horizontal with tiltable mast means virtually any slope can be overcome.
Fiber optic cables are notoriously fragile and require specialized technicians for repairs. Our proprietary communication protocol uses a copper-based umbilical, providing a robust real-time link for MWD and HD video while remaining fully field-serviceable by the vessel’s crew. There is no loss of signal up to the rigs maximum operating depth.
The integrated MWD system records critical real-time data, including torque, RPM, penetration rate, penetration load and flush pressure as well as Sonic drilling parameters. This data is visualized instantly for the operator and can be shared live via remote link for expert analysis on shore, ensuring maximum drilling performance and instant geotechnical site characterization.
Unlike traditional drilling from a top drive system, which involves very costly drilling vessels equipped with dynamic positioning systems, the Explorer is far less vessel dependent. The rig is simply lowered to the seabed and is connected only by the umbilical and hoisting wire, meaning it is not rigidly attached. The vessel must be equipped with a suitable lifting frame as well as deck space for the control cabin and winches. The Explorer SD60 therefore offers far greater project flexibility than traditional drilling.
