In order to reach the deep aquifer of the Table Mountain Group's Peninsula Formation, the drilling will differ from the commonplace, shallow groundwater drilling that is a familiar sight in the Western Cape "platteland". The exploration programme that will precede the trial abstraction or "pilot" phase of the TMG project will involve drilling to various depths, possibly up to 1 000m or more. This section describes what may typically be expected.

The initial emphasis in an exploration drilling program is on obtaining core samples of the fractured-rock aquifer, in order to undertake careful logging of the rock types and fracture sets intersected, and to undertake various laboratory tests on the rock materials. This operation would involve the use of a rotary drilling rig such as that used in a recent deep (about 800 m) TMG drilling experiment near Citrusdal (See photo below). The rig assembly, rods, diesel motor and wire-line winch are brought to the site by truck. The "footprint" of the drilling operation occupies an area of no more than about 400 mē. During drilling, water and a biodegradable drilling fluid is re-circulated through the borehole from a shallow pit near the rig. Water overflows from drilling must also be managed.

Deep aquifer groundwater drilling site near Citrusdal, Western Cape. Source: Umvoto Africa

At the end of operations, all that should remain at each drilling site is a 5 mē concrete plinth which can be recessed below ground level and concealed by a manhole cover. The well-heads can be equipped with special pressure seals to cut off artesian water flow if and when it is encountered, while allowing periodic access to collect water samples. Solar panels could be installed to provide power to scientific and technical monitoring equipment on the site.

Because the exploration emphasis is on the unexposed deep artesian sections of the TMG aquifer system, the exploration and trial production sites are unlikely to be located within high mountain areas. Most exploration sites are likely to be located on the adjacent foothill slopes or in in valleys