(photo: The Gilbert River in flood. A stranded Eagle Drilling NQ crew is being put up by station owners.)

Unseasonal rain in North-West Queensland is disrupting drilling operations, while graziers thank the stars.

Eagle Drilling NQ out of Charters Towers has recalled most staff from 11 rigs it has deployed.

Unpredictable events were part of the company planning but the rain was still a cause for concern said general manager Sally Forgan. 

“It’s just about being mindful that it can happen and being prepared with the plan, it’s just the way it is,” Ms Forgan said. 

“But also, it’s become a huge safety aspect if they got trapped in there and they were still working and there was some sort of safety emergency. 

“The other ones are stuck on the areas where they’re staying.” 

“They can’t get to their rig, but they’re sitting at the homestead or wherever they’re placed for their accommodation at the moment.”

Off the roads

A sister company which charters aircraft compliments the drilling business in these situations, Ms Forgan said.

 “Our aviation assets definitely do complement our business in regards to moving our people around the Queensland and Northern Territory area,” she said.

Related: Flooding alert as severe weather strikes

“If we need to get people and crews out due to whether events happening or family emergencies … it goes to fatigue management and getting our crews off the roads. 

“Our supervisors and fitters that may need to go to site to deal with a problem or a breakdown. 

“Instead of them spending eight hours on the road facing obviously weather conditions or wildlife or fatigue, we can put them a plane and get them there in two and a half hours.

Eagle Drilling has a staff roster of more than 60.

It’s an ill wind that blows no good and Ms Forgan said the wet conditions have been a blessing for graziers in the district who missed out on wet season rains. 

“We are used to having monsoon troughs and even lows and even perhaps cyclones in our area from November to April,” she said.

“A lot of people, especially agriculturally, thought they were not going to receive seasonal rain for this year.

“It’s provided a lot of relief for quite a few landowners around the area who had run out of even some water supplies for their own homesteads. “It’s unexpected because I think people have resigned to the fact they weren’t going to receive it, but now it’s come, I think a lot of people are quite relieved.”