There are two main types of onshore drilling for natural gas. Rotary drilling consists of a sharp, rotating metal bit used to drill through the Earth’s crust. The drill bit is connected to and rotated by a drill stem, which also provides a passageway through which the drilling fluid (mud usually) is circulated. This type of drilling is used primarily for deeper wells that may be under high downhole pressure. The other method, percussion /cable tool drilling, consists of raising and dropping a heavy metal bit into the ground, effectively punching a hole down through the Earth.