National Driller articles from April 2007

National Driller archives from April 2007

Study: strong market ahead.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
April 1, 2007... Exploration Drilling International Inc. of Blaine, Wash., recently announced that an independent market study (commissioned by its wholly owned subsidiary) has confirmed its management's predictions of strong global market potential for...

Virus removal.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
April 1, 2007... University of Delaware researchers have developed an inexpensive, nonchlorine-based technology that can remove harmful microorganisms, including viruses, from drinking water. The patented technology incorporates highly reactive iron in the...

Remember winter?(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
April 1, 2007... The winter season certainly is a special time for drilling contractors. Elizabeth Olson sent us this photograph of Weber Well Drilling in action near its Chilton, Wis., headquarters.

What you say.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
April 1, 2007... A recent "Web Poll" at our Internet site (www.nationaldriller.com) asked water industry professionals, "What's the outlook for your company for the rest of 2007?" The responses: Outstanding--It'll be a banner year!--18 percent ...

Economy advancing, but housing in retreat.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
April 1, 2007... The National Association for Business Economics (NABE) recently released the report, "NABE Outlook 2007: 'Payback Will be Limited." "Some have suggested that we would eventually experience 'payback,' both climatically and economically, for...

Find you can't get enough?(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
April 1, 2007... Does it sometimes feel like more than a month goes by before you get your next issue of National Driller? There is a way to ease those burdensome withdrawal symptoms. Do like thousands of other industry professionals have and sign up for our...

Jet pumps--part 1: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
April 1, 2007... What is a jet pump, and how does it differ from a centrifugal pump? A jet pump actually is two pumps in one--a centrifugal pump and a jet assembly, commonly called an injector. Figure 1 shows a typical shallow well jet pump. Parts 1, 2 and...

Coming events.(Calendar)
April 1, 2007... APRIL 13 South Carolina Ground Water Association Convention & Trade Show Columbia, S.C. 803-356-6809 14-16 Alberta Water Well Drillers Association Convention & Trade Show Red Deer, Alberta Canada 780-386-2335 www.awwda.com 15-20...

How to find and keep good people--part 2: hiring is a process with three distinct phases.(Smart Business)
April 1, 2007... Last month, I introduced some key ideas about trade recruitment and training from my friend Al Levi, who heads Appleseed Business Inc. (www.appleseedbusiness.com; 480-205-5164). A key component of last month's article was the notion that it's...

The EarthScope project.(On the Job)
April 1, 2007... EarthScope is a bold undertaking to apply modern observational, analytical and telecommunications technologies to investigate the structure and evolution of the North American continent, and the physical processes controlling earthquakes and...

Interstate water deal approved.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
April 1, 2007... The Arizona House and the Southern Nevada Water Authority Board have approved a proposed interstate agreement that allows Arizona, California and Nevada to each retain the rights to the water that each adds through conservation or other means...

Minnesota approves Great Lakes compact.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
April 1, 2007... Minnesota governor Tom Pawlenty recently signed legislation making Minnesota the first state to formally ratify an interstate compact that will provide protections for the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin. The Great-Lakes-St. Lawrence...

Water system bill introduced.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
April 1, 2007... A bill sponsored in the South Carolina senate would create a statewide water-permitting system to regulate water withdrawals throughout the state and better manage the state's water system. The bill also would allow the state to begin...

New water supply coalition is formed.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
April 1, 2007... Fourteen public water agencies and water industry companies from across the country have formed the New Water Supply Coalition in an effort to garner more federal support for water supply infrastructure. The coalition aims to win...

Drilling fluid additive for clay soils.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
April 1, 2007... CETCO Drilling Products offers a new product--Clay Cutter Dry. Clay Cutter Dry is a water-soluble polymer used in horizontal and vertical drilling applications. Engineered for easy mixing, Clay Cutter Dry is added to fresh or saltwater drilling...

Mud System.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
April 1, 2007... ProDrill Systems offers the MS 1000 mud system. The MS 1000 provides a 300-gpm scalping capacity and a 200-gpm desanding capacity. Featuring a 1,300-gallon system capacity, a John Deere engine and Gorman-Rupp pumps, this mud system is capable...

Pitless solids control.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
April 1, 2007... Tibban's MudPuppy is designed, built and tested for the small- to medium-bore driller. Together with the Tibban Sand Guzzler pick-up pump, the MP-170s is small, and is designed for versatility. With a flow capacity of 350 gpm, the MP-170s picks...

High-yielding Bentonite viscosifier.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
April 1, 2007... Wyo-Ben Inc.'s Extra High Yield Bentonite is designed for use in mineral exploration, water well and directional drilling operations. Extra High Yield Bentonite is said to be an efficient viscosifier that performs well in a variety of water...

Liquid polymer slurry.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
April 1, 2007... Super Mud from PDSCo Inc. is a liquid polymer slurry primarily used as a viscosifying agent and as a soil stabilizer to prevent sloughing and/or collapse of a borehole. Non-fermenting and nontoxic, this slurry is engineered to mix easily in...

Certified clay and shale stabilizer.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
April 1, 2007... Baroid Industrial Drilling Products' EZMUD GOLD clay and shale stabilizer is NSF/ANSI Standard 60-certified. EZ-MUD GOLD beaded polymer, when added to a QUIK-GEL or BORE-GEL slurry, is said to yield an inhibitive drilling fluid system while...

The demo expo.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... The 2007 International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) will feature presentations by leading industry experts, who will focus on the latest technological trends and operational issues affecting the utility/ construction...

Ground water pump training.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... Grundfos Technical Institute will conduct 21/2-day ground water pump system training programs for pump installation and distributor sales professionals. Coursework and hands-on lab training take place: * Sept. 18-20 in Allentown, Pa. *...

Health-care financing.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2007... The Erin Group, chartered benefits consultants, offers a health-care plan designed to help deliver better benefits at a lower cost. Endorsed by the Illinois Association of Ground Water Professionals, this approach to health insurance is said to...

Well drilling software.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2007... WellDreams well drilling software helps simplify the way drilling companies operate by completely automating business activities. Welldreams uses software to automate the well driller's business with client and site information, quotes and...

Equipment financing.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2007... Center Capital Corp. provides equipment financing and leasing for the water well drilling industry. The company offers lending services with industry expertise geared toward the unique demands of this industry. Center Capital can develop a...

Water treatment sales financing.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2007... Aqua Finance Inc. provides retail sales financing options solely for water treatment dealers. A source of primary and secondary financing, the company is independently owned and operated. Its financing program includes closed-end financing, a...

Management software system.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT)
April 1, 2007... WellMagic is a management software system designed specifically for the water well and pump industry. Designed to be easy to use, it manages customers, well construction, estimates, work orders, maintenance records, work assignments, scheduling...

Principles of solids control--part 1.
April 1, 2007... Drilling fluid maintenance cost, clean up and disposal cost, as well as the overall cost of boring, can be reduced dramatically when proper solids-control techniques are utilized. These facts were recognized in the oil industry in the late...

A.I. McDermott's 62nd annual dealer meeting.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... A.I. McDermott Co., Oshkosh, Wis., drew a crowd of more than 300 to its 62nd annual dealer meeting in February. The event, held on the second Tuesday of February, brought together McDermott's dealers--the professional water well, wastewater,...

Direct-mud rotary drilling: the basics when it comes to monitoring wells.
April 1, 2007... In the direct-mud rotary drilling method, the borehole is advanced by rapid rotation of a drill bit mounted on the end of the drill rods. The bit cuts and breaks the material at the bottom of the hole into small pieces (cuttings). The cuttings...

Best-tasting competition.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... A village in northwest Ohio again this year is the winner of the annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting competition for its tap water. Montpelier, Ohio, took home the gold in the international water tasting competition's...

Storing carbon dioxide below ground.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... A recent analysis led by a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) scientist describes a mechanism for capturing carbon dioxide emissions from a power plant and injecting the gas into the ground, where it would be trapped naturally as tiny...

Five new Superfund sites.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is adding five new hazardous waste sites that pose risks to human health and the environment to the National Priorities List of Superfund sites. Superfund is the federal program that investigates...

Halliburton moves HQ to Dubai.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... Oil services giant Halliburton Co. will shift its corporate headquarters from Houston to the Mideast financial powerhouse of Dubai, chief executive Dave Lesar recently announced. The announcement signals one of the highest-profile moves by a...

Alvin Clay "Ace" England.(Obituary)
April 1, 2007... Alvin Clay "Ace" England passed away two days after his 59th birthday on February 8, of complications associated with lung cancer. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Diann England; daughter, Amanda; son, Melvin; four brothers and a sister....

Ground Water Summit approaching.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... The 2007 Ground Water Summit takes place April 29-May 3 in Albuquerque, N.M. The event is designed to engage local, national and international science partners in a setting that facilitates the exchange and dissemination of technical...

Emergency treatment apparatus.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... If a natural disaster strikes, clean drinking water and emergency electricity can now be made readily available through the Solar Cube. Completely portable and easily assembled on site, the device is powered by sunlight and wind, and can...

Managing expectations: project creates a lot more water, but not quite enough.("Let Me Tell Ya")
April 1, 2007... Some years back, I had a customer named Hugo Wolter. Hugo was a lifelong bachelor who lived in a beautiful old brick farmhouse, which had once been on a farm on the outskirts of city of about 100,000 people. The farmland had been sold off, and,...

Precision sampling adds new hire.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... Eric Deratzian recently joined Precision Sampling Inc., a division of Precision Assessment Technology Corp. that provides diversified contracting services to the environmental and the geotechnical communities, in its Richmond, Calif., office as...

Pentair Inc. purchases Porous Media.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... Pentair Inc. recently announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Porous Media, a privately held Minnesota company with manufacturing operations in both Minnesota and Texas. The acquisition accelerates the Pentair's...

New marketing manager for Water-Right.(BULLETIN BOARD)
April 1, 2007... Water-Right Inc., a leading manufacturer of water treatment equipment in Appleton, Wis., announces the addition of Kim Loderbauer as marketing manager. Loderbauer graduated from Mount Mary College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in graphic...

Catalog CD now available.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... Red Valve Co. has completely revised its free catalog CD. Designed to be easy to use, this electronic product information library can be browsed by application, industry or product. Case studies and application data sheets are available for a...

Limited access rig.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... The DrillAll GEO from TEI Rockdrills is a limited access drill rig designed specifically for the installation of DX copper earth loops. The 67-HP Cummins diesel engine provides enough hydraulic power to use rotary drill heads and drifters, as...

PVC well casing.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... Modern Products Industries Inc. manufactures solvent-weld belled-end PVC well casing from NSF-approved materials. Engineered to seal securely for a continuous, watertight system, all solvent-weld well casing is produced with a deep bell. Bell...

Test data analysis.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... Schlumberger Water Services has released the latest version of Aquifer-Test Pro v.4.1. This software package for graphical analysis and reporting of pumping test and slug test data now includes more functionality and more features. AquiferTest...

Pre-packed well screen.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... For high-capacity municipal, industrial and agricultural wells, Johnson Screens' Muni-Pak is a pre-packed screen intended to eliminate the need for a larger borehole, as well as shorten required drilling time and speed development time. This...

Upgraded pump protection.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... SymCom has released the upgraded PumpSaver product line. The new PumpSaverPlus features rapid-cycle protection, variable sensitivity adjustment and expanded data-logging. The improved rapid-cycle protection allows the pressure switch or other...

Pipe elevators.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... SEMCO Inc. produces pipe elevators, which feature all-steel-fabricated construction. These pipe elevators, ranging in size from 1 inch to 12 inches (I.D. of pipe), are suitable for casing installation, pulling pump columns and setting well...

Excavator-based drill.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... Watson's ExcaDrill is designed to use the excavator attachment hydraulics to power the drill attachment, and incorporates a hydraulic rotary with dual variable displacement motors. The rotary is located at the bottom of the mast structure to...

Utility line locator.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... The RIGID Seek-Tech SR-20 utility line locator from Ridge Tool Co. uses a combination of multi-directional antennas, a mapping display and processing mechanism to provide users with information to locate underground utilities. Accompanied by...

Thread compound.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... Bestolife Corp.'s Copr Plus is developed to handle low temperature application and adherence problems found by drillers in rotary-shouldered connections. It is a non-lead/non-zinc compound designed for all types of drilling applications. Copr...

New insert fittings.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... New all-stainless steel insert fittings for poly pipe from Merrill Manufacturing are available from 3/4-inch through 2-inch sizes in male adapters and insert couplings. These fittings are constructed from 304 stainless steel material with a...

Battery-powered data loggers.(PRODUCT INFO)
April 1, 2007... Onset Computer Corp., a supplier of battery-powered data loggers for underwater monitoring, offers a new data logger designed for measuring water levels and temperature at shallow depths up to 13 feet. Designed for use in ground water wells,...

The truth about really great customer service.
April 1, 2007... When was the last time you had really great customer service? Perhaps it was when you bought something in a store, checked in at a hotel or the airport, or even made an enquiry over the phone. When I ask this question of participants on my...

Your desk is gross.(PORTFOLIO: From the "Various And Sundry" files)
April 1, 2007... A recent study reports that the average office desktop has 400 times more bacteria than the average office toilet seat, with phones ranked as the primary surface area for germs. "Desk really are bacteria cafeterias," says Dr. Charles Gerba....

The high road.(PORTFOLIO: From the "Various And Sundry" files)
April 1, 2007... Don't bash the competition. Sales consultant Mike Ryan tells us that when a sales prospect mentions a competitor's offer or promotion to you, don't criticize it head on. Ryan recommends that you ask the prospect questions about the offer as if...

Advice on work rules.(PORTFOLIO: From the "Various And Sundry" files)
April 1, 2007... Over-particularizing work rules is a mistake to avoid, says employment law expert Peter Panken. He advises establishing broad work rules and then develop specific procedures on a case-by-case basis as problems arise. For instance, on the...

About those gloves.(PORTFOLIO: From the "Various And Sundry" files)
April 1, 2007... Opening day is April 1, and we're here to help you impress fellow baseball fans with your ever-so-keen baseball glove acumen. In the years following the Civil War, when the game of baseball spread through the country with the speed of a...

Effects of high sand content in drill mud.(The World According to Wayne)
April 1, 2007... In normal mud rotary drilling, it is not unusual for solids content to approach 20 percent of returns during fast-hole drilling. This is good; it means fast penetration and thus, a quicker, more profitable hole. The trick is to get the solids...

The cutters' early years in Utah.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
April 1, 2007... In 1958, I was hired by Ward McGinnis Oil Co. in El Dorado, Kan., to go from Chanute, Kan., to Beaver, Utah, to core drill for uranium in the mountains with an Acker drill mounted on a jeep pickup. Bess and I traded in our 1949 Cadillac...

Resolving the supposed Paradox of success: success is no accident, and failure is not one of those things that "just happens".(Drilling Fluids)
April 1, 2007... After many years of experience working with contractors in the field, you can immediately pick up on small details and clues that can tell a lot about the type of contractor with whom you are working. A good example is when you show up bright...

Trading post.
April 1, 2007... McPherson Purchases New Schramm Tom Wardell of Schramm Inc. delivered this new Schramm T685WS Rotadrill to McPherson Drilling Co., Cherryvale, Kan. Shown with their rig: Mac and Ron McPherson. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SQS...

Trade name listings.(SourceBook 2007: A Comprehensive Guide to Industry Resources)
April 1, 2007... A 10T--Smeal Mfg. Company 12T--Smeal Mfg. Company 2-Key Heavy Duty Hollow Stem Augers--USExploration Equipment Company 2-Key Standard Duty Hollow Stem Augers--USExploration Equipment Company 21[R]--Jet-Lube Inc....

Association listings.(SourceBook 2007: A Comprehensive Guide to Industry Resources)(Directory)
April 1, 2007... A ADSC 14180 Dallas Pkwy. Ste. 510, Dallas, TX 75254 (214) 343-2091 Fax: (214) 343-2384 Alabama Ground Water Association 10092 Hwy. 280, Westover, AL 35147 (205) 678-2024 Alaska Water Well Assn. P.O. Box...

Manufacturer/supplier listings.(SourceBook 2007: A Comprehensive Guide to Industry Resources)(Directory)(Company overview)
April 1, 2007... A. Y. McDonald Mfg. Co. P.O. Box 508, Dubuque, IA 52004-0508 (800) 292-2737 Fax: (800) 832-9296 sales@aymcdonald.com www.aymcdonald.com Steve Potts, Pump Prod. Mgr.; Rob McDonald, V.P.-Sales Water pumps, water service...

Distributor alphabetic listings.(SourceBook 2007: A Comprehensive Guide to Industry Resources)
April 1, 2007... A Advantage Brands MO Air Equipment Corporation PA Ambassador Pipe & Supply Inc. MO Aquaflow Pump & Supply Co. DE Atlantic Drilling Supply Inc. FL B Badger State Drilling, Inc. ...

Distributor listings.(SourceBook 2007: A Comprehensive Guide to Industry Resources)(Directory)
April 1, 2007... ALABAMA Atlantic Drilling Supply Inc. 5400 Perimeter Pkwy. Ct. Montgomery, AL 36116 (866) 917-3447; (334) 280-2712 Fax: (334) 280-2715 crussell@atlanticsupply.com www.atlanticsupply.com Chad Russell, Branch Mgr....

Product listings.(SourceBook 2007: A Comprehensive Guide to Industry Resources)
April 1, 2007... ATV CME/Central Mine Equipment Company Diedrich Drill, Inc. Harriss Drilling Services, Inc. Inland Tracked Equipment, Acheson Bros. Ltd. M & R Soil Investigation Malone Equipment Inc. Appraisals Kruse Asset Management Augers...