Kotech KDP-25/35 Twin-Pressure Compressor Powers Deep Water Well Drilling in Jordan

Jordan ranks among the world's most water-scarce countries. The Disi Water Conveyance Project—the country's largest infrastructure project—draws from the ancient Disi aquifer in southern Jordan to supply Amman with 110 million cubic metres of water annually . To sustain this supply, the Water Authority of Jordan requires ongoing development of new production wells across the Disi and Azraq basins.

A Jordanian water drilling contractor won a contract to drill multiple production wells across the Disi aquifer system. The target depths ranged from 1,000 to 1,500 metres through alternating layers of hard sandstone, fractured limestone, and abrasive formations. The project had two unique challenges that standard compressors couldn't handle:

**Dual-pressure requirement was a nightmare**. The drilling operation needed two separate pressure regimes. The lower sections—through hard sandstone and basement rock—required 35 bar to drive DTH hammers effectively. But the upper sections, particularly the fragile limestone formations above 600 metres, couldn't handle that much pressure without fracturing and collapsing the borehole. The client needed one compressor that could deliver 25 bar for the upper sections and 35 bar for the deep sections, switching between the two without reconfiguring the entire system.

**Fuel logistics were brutal**. The Disi aquifer sits in Jordan's southern desert, hundreds of kilometres from the nearest fuel depots. The client's older compressors burned through diesel at unsustainable rates, and every litre had to be trucked across the desert. Fuel costs alone were eating into the project budget.

**Reliability was critical**. Drilling water wells at 1,500 metres takes time. Each well required weeks of continuous drilling. Any unplanned breakdown meant pulling the drill string, losing circulation, and risking hole collapse. The client couldn't afford equipment failures.

Kotech deployed the KDP-25/35 diesel portable rotary screw air compressor—purpose-built for twin-pressure water well drilling applications.

The unit delivers **25 bar for upper formations** and **35 bar for deep hard rock**, with a simple switch between pressure settings. At 35 bar, it delivers **32.5 m³/min airflow**; at 25 bar, flow increases to 37 m³/min—enough to keep DTH hammers hammering and flush cuttings from 1,500-metre boreholes .

The engine is a **Cummins QSZ13-C550**, a 13-litre, 6-cylinder turbocharged diesel producing **410 kW (550 HP)** at 1,900 rpm, with a peak torque of 2,650 Nm . This engine is widely used in heavy construction and drilling equipment for its reliability and fuel efficiency.

Two configurations made the difference for Jordan's desert terrain:

**Dual-pressure compression system**. Two-stage compression with switchable pressure settings—the operator selects 25 bar for upper formations or 35 bar for deep drilling without reconfiguring the compressor.

**High-ambient cooling package**. Jordan's summer temperatures exceed 45°C. The upgraded cooling system keeps the compressor running in temperatures up to 50°C.

The client integrated the KDP-25/35 with their rotary drilling rigs and ran it as the primary air source for the full 6-month campaign.