[Smokin' Joe]

Good question. With mud motors and bit technology we drill 10,000 ft. in a week to 10 days, including running intermediate and surface casing. It is going to be hard to ‘shoot’ to that depth, and what is going to control the formation fluids if they do?

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

Maybe it would be "drilled" in stages, with casing added at each stage. But then you'd have to lower the gun down the bottom of the hole at each stage.

This project has a long way to go.

[ckilmer]

Good question. With mud motors and bit technology we drill 10,000 ft. in a week to 10 days, including running intermediate and surface casing. It is going to be hard to ‘shoot’ to that depth, and what is going to control the formation fluids if they do?
.............
Who kmows? But since Shell sprang for a million you have to believe that they are thinking that this could/might/maybe collapse drilling costs.

Its a moon shot. Only aimed at the earth.

However, one thing they do say is that the velocities are so great that the ground liquifies where it comes in contact with the projectile and then squirts up the drill hole. As would happen with a meteor strike.

[ckilmer]

It is going to be hard to ‘shoot’ to that depth,
.........
according to the article to get to the required depth —they shoot more than one shell—or however many it takes where each shell punches deeper