How much does a drill rig cost? The cost of a drilling rig varies a lot depending on its size, capability, age, mounting (truck/track/fixed), depth rating, condition (new vs used), and whether it’s for shallow work or deep/onshore/offshore exploration. Here are some representative numbers and things to consider:
I. Sample Price Ranges
Some smaller “air-driven drill units for machine-mounting” run around ~US $7,300 to ~$54,500 according to one dealer’s listing.
More capable rigs (for deeper/borehole drilling) show used‐market offers like ~$190,000 to ~$575,000 for units with substantial depth/torque specs.
On the very large scale (heavy oil & gas land rigs) there are listings for multi-million-dollar rigs (e.g., $2.2 M to over $10 M) for large HP drilling rigs.
1. Small Portable Drill Rigs
① Handheld/Manual Models: Ideal for light-duty tasks like soil sampling or small holes. Prices start as low as $500–$2,000 (e.g., gasoline-powered models like the YN 27).
② Portable Hydraulic/Trailer-Mounted Rigs: Capable of depths up to 200 meters. Prices range from $3,500–$25,000 for basic units (e.g., 22 HP diesel rigs for water wells) .
③ Higher-end models with advanced features (e.g., automatic feed systems) can cost $20,000–$50,000.
2. Hydraulic Drill Rigs
① Light-Duty Hydraulic Rigs: Used for shallow wells or geotechnical exploration (up to 300 meters). Prices: $15,000–$50,000 .
② Mid-Range Hydraulic Rigs: Suitable for construction, mining, or deeper wells (300–600 meters). Costs typically fall between $60,000–$150,000 (e.g., crawler-mounted rigs like the DR-120) .
③ Heavy-Duty Hydraulic Rigs: Designed for deep mining or industrial applications (600+ meters). High-performance models can exceed $200,000–$700,000 (e.g., top hammer DTH rigs) .
3. Crawler-Mounted Drill Rigs
① Mini Crawler Rigs: For tight spaces and shallow drilling (up to 150 meters). Prices: $10,000–$30,000 .
② Mid-Size Crawler Rigs: Common in construction and mining (300–500 meters). Costs range from $50,000–$150,000 (e.g., models for bridge or highway projects) .
③ Large Crawler Rigs: Industrial-grade machines for deep drilling (1,000+ meters). Top-tier models can cost $200,000–$1,000,000+ .
4. Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Rigs
① Compact HDD Rigs: For small-diameter pipe installations (up to 4 inches). Prices: $25,000–$80,000 .
② Mid-Size HDD Rigs: Capable of larger pipelines (4–12 inches) and deeper depths (100–300 meters). Costs: $80,000–$200,000 (e.g., XZ450 models) .
③ Heavy-Duty HDD Rigs: Used for large-scale projects (12+ inches, 300+ meters). Premium models can exceed $200,000–$500,000 .
5. Mining/Industrial Drill Rigs
① Underground Mining Rigs (Jumbos): Specialized for tunnel excavation or blasting. Prices start at $200,000 for basic models and can exceed $1,500,000 for fully automated, multi-boom systems (e.g., Atlas Copco Boomer) .
② Surface Mining Rigs: Heavy-duty crawler-mounted rigs for open-pit mining. Costs typically range from $200,000–$500,000 (e.g., DTH top hammer rigs) .
6. Specialty Drill Rigs
① Water Well Drilling Rigs: Portable models: $10,000–$50,000; industrial rigs (deep wells): $100,000–$300,000 .
② Geothermal/Foundation Drilling Rigs: High-capacity rigs for geothermal installations or piling. Prices: $150,000–$500,000 .
③ Oil & Gas Rigs: Massive offshore or onshore rigs can cost $10,000,000–$100,000,000+, though these are rarely purchased by small operators.
II. Estimate for You
If you’re looking for a workable ballpark:
For a modest rig (for shallow to moderate depth drilling) you might be looking at ~$50,000 - $300,000 depending on specs.
For a high capacity rig (deep drilling, large diameter, heavy duty industrial) the cost jumps to hundreds of thousands to several million dollars.
I hope this overview helps you understand the market for drill rigs. If you can share more about your specific project needs, such as the required depth and terrain, I may be able to provide more targeted information.