Borehole drilling

Borehole drilling in the United Arab Emirates

Updated 5 November 2026

Borehole drilling in the UAE is quoted per metre drilled, with the pump, casing and testing added on top, and a driller needs a water-well contracting licence from the emirate where the well is. Licence fees alone run from AED 1,000 in Abu Dhabi to an AED 8,000 minimum in Dubai, so compare the total, not the metre rate. For current offers from drillers near you, post the job as a request on BlaBlaPrice.

There is no fixed price per job, so ask every driller to show these items separately:

• Target depth in metres, which multiplies the metre rate and matters most.
• Ground type, since rock and hard layers slow the rig down.
• Casing pipe and screens, and whether the lining runs the full depth.
• Pump, pump test and water-quality test, which are often priced apart.
• Rig access to the plot and the distance the rig travels from its base.

Licences and fees by emirate

Each emirate runs its own licensing, so a driller licensed in Dubai is not automatically allowed to drill in Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. In Abu Dhabi a water-well drilling contracting licence costs AED 1,000, and a groundwater drilling request there carries a AED 100 application fee and a AED 100 plate fee, paid through the government online portal after logging in with a digital ID. In Dubai the licence has a minimum of AED 8,000, and Sharjah sets its fee on application. Ask for the driller's licence number and check that it covers the emirate where your plot is.

Season and heat

The UAE has a desert climate: summers from May to September are very hot, and winters from November to March are mild. Rig work in midday heat is hard on crews and equipment, so most sensible drilling is planned for the mild months. November is the start of that window, so a request sent now gives you time to compare offers before the schedule fills.

How the work is bought and delivered

Describe the job in metric units: depth in metres, casing diameter in millimetres, and the water you need in litres per hour. Drillers reach Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Al Ain from different bases, so a rig coming from another emirate adds travel time and may need its own licence. Say which emirate and area the plot is in, and whether the rig can reach it by a vehicle track or needs a crane.

What to write in the request

Name the type of work, the emirate and area, the target depth, the casing pipe, features such as a pump or filter, and the intended use: water supply, irrigation, or a soil investigation boring before foundations, which is a separate service. Add the rig access, your deadline and your budget. The more of this you give, the easier it is to compare offers on the same basis.

On BlaBlaPrice, describe the job in your own words in the chat and add a photo of the plot if you have one. It is free for buyers: the AI asks for missing details, looks through drillers' websites and price lists in the UAE, and shows what it finds. Registered sellers receive the request and answer with their own price and terms, and your contacts stay hidden until you choose whom to contact. For related work see Construction & renovation and Plumbing & utilities.