The new domestic drilling rig ZBO S15E successfully passed tests in the harsh climate of Buryatia, showing superiority over previous analogues.
Rosatom announced the completion of an important stage of testing of the new Russian drilling rig ZBO S15E. Tests were carried out on uranium field Vershinnoye in the Republic of Buryatia, where the air temperature drops below -25 degrees Celsius. Week-long work in such extreme conditions confirmed the high reliability and readiness of the equipment for the most complex tasks.
According to V. Chashchin, development director of the RUSBURMASH company, during testing the installation demonstrated a 10% increase in productivity compared to previously used imported models. This result is a significant step towards the creation of a fully robotic drilling rig in Russia.
ZBO S15E is designed for exploration drilling for solid minerals and is capable of reaching depths of up to 1640 meters. Its key advantage is the integration of the “Smart drill” intelligent system. This solution allows equipment to independently maintain reports, monitor the condition of components and assemblies, and also notify personnel in advance about the need for maintenance. Using Elements artificial intelligence improves the quality of work, speeds up decision making and generally makes the drilling process safer and more manageable.
The development of this area became possible thanks to an agreement on cooperation in the field of import substitution, signed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, the Drilling Equipment Plant and RUSBURMASH in June 2025 at SPIEF. The document provides for the supply of units of the S15E and heavier ZBO S50 models for five years. In parallel, serial production of a heavy unit has already been established at the KAMAZ base in Orenburg, the products of which are in demand not only in Russia, but also in a number of friendly countries.
Successful testing of the ZBO S15E in the Far North opens up new opportunities for geological exploration and mining in previously inaccessible regions of the country, strengthening the technological independence of the domestic industry.
Source: neftegaz.ru
