National Driller articles from December 2005

National Driller archives from December 2005

In memoriam.(From Over the Transom)(Obituary)
December 1, 2005... The industry lost 40-year industry veteran Henry Theller last month. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Theller was parts manager for Higgins Rig Co.; he will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues. GREG...

Domestic water costs.(From Over the Transom)
December 1, 2005... The annual water survey conducted by the NUS Consulting Group found the average price of water in the United States climbed by 3.5 percent in the last year to $2.34 per thousand gallons [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The highest costs (per...

Easier oil/gas drilling.(From Over the Transom)
December 1, 2005... The Bush administration has eased checks for oil and gas drilling. The streamlined process will make it easier get a permit to drill on public lands. The new rule is expected to spur drilling on open ranges and the foothills of the Rocky...

Water Advocates commends water legislation.(From Over the Transom)
December 1, 2005... Water Advocates has commended the House of Representatives for overwhelmingly passing H.R. 1973, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005. This legislation will make safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation a cornerstone...

An ounce of prevention ...(From Over the Transom)
December 1, 2005... From the "We Could Have Told You That" files: The European Environment Agency completed a study that concludes tackling wastewater pollution at the source is cheaper than cleaning up afterward. Quite predictably, it's the old Eastern Bloc...

Drilling contractors' Web sites.(From Over the Transom)
December 1, 2005... A recent National Driller Web Poll asked, "Does your drilling company have its own Web site? Fifty-three percent answered "yes;" 47 percent said "no." The results may have been slightly skewed because a good number of firms have a Web presence...

About the cover.(From Over the Transom)
December 1, 2005... Last month's cover shot generated no small amount of interest, and to answer the most common inquiry: Those rigs were Tamrock Pantera 1100s, manufactured by Sandvik. The Pantera 1100 is a hydraulic, self-propelled crawler-based surface-drilling...

Smart submersibles: the pressure is on--Part 2.
December 1, 2005... At a new home in Lancaster, Pa., the homeowners had a list of home system prerequisites "a mile long," according to Chris Myers of Landisville, Pa.-based Myers Brothers Drilling. "They'd been researching all aspects of their new home for...

Solar-powered pumps--Part 2: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
December 1, 2005... Last month, we began a two-part series on solar pumps. We started with a review of solar energy, followed by a brief description of the various methods of converting solar energy to mechanical energy for pumping, and finished with a brief look...

Killer contract language: the standard subcontract form assures fairness--that's why most GCs won't use them.(Smart Business)
December 1, 2005... Last March, I wrote an article that drew attention to some of the greatest words of wisdom I've ever heard from a construction attorney. Those words are worth repeating: "It's better to sign a bad contract with a good person than a good...

In memoriam.(BULLETIN BOARD)(Obituary)
December 1, 2005... Edward Stow, aged 67, recently died after a long and courageous battle against cancer. Stow hailed from England and was well known throughout the international water industry as a leading worldwide water well drilling contractor and...

Airline water agreement.(BULLETIN BOARD)
December 1, 2005... The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached settlements with 11 major domestic airlines and 13 smaller airlines to ensure the safety of the drinking water used by their passengers and crew. The settling airlines have agreed to...

Investors are bullish on water: oil and gold have had a great run in the markets this year--so, too, has water.
December 1, 2005... From the New York Times News Service: While most of what flows through the nation's water taps is supplied by publicly run municipal systems, a growing number of rural and suburban water systems are owned by a handful of publicly traded...

Coming events.(Calendar)
December 1, 2005... DECEMBER 13-14 National Ground Water Association Ground Water Expo Cobb County, Ga. Phone: 800-551-7379 www.ngwa.org JANUARY 2006 5-6 Idaho Ground Water Association Convention Boise, Idaho Phone:...

A case for equipment rental--Part 2: geotechnical and environmental markets are driving forces in rentals.
December 1, 2005... Editor's note: Part 1 of this article considered the benefits of renting equipment and what contractors should expect. We continue the discussion here with Mike Crimaldi, a former drilling contractor and owner of Rig Source Inc., a rental firm...

What's new for 2006.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE)(Buyers Guide)
December 1, 2005... This month's Product Showcase, "What's New in 2006," looks to the year ahead. Compiled on these pages are new and enhanced products that you can look forward to seeing in the year to come. More than 50 companies sent us their latest and...

Drilling into the San Andreas Fault: scientists place sensors deep to aid earthquake studies.
December 1, 2005... Geologists affiliated with the EarthScope Project have successfully drilled a hole 2 miles deep into the San Andreas Fault, an 800-mile-long rift. The entire borehole will be lined with steel and concrete so that sensitive instruments can be...

ThermoEnergy Corp. is honored by F & S.(BULLETIN BOARD)
December 1, 2005... ThermoEnergy Corp., an infrastructure technologies company that provides solutions for problems associated with industrial and municipal wastewater treatment, has been presented Frost & Sullivan's 2005 Municipal and Industrial Wastewater...

Customers for life!
December 1, 2005... The most successful companies place great value on developing lifetime relationships with their customers. In today's competitive marketplace, they're aware that their customers are aggressively prospected and their loyalty cannot be taken for...

Postcards from little Egypt.(On the Road)
December 1, 2005... It was a perfectly gorgeous two days in autumn when National Driller made a visit to the drill bit capital of the universe--the Benton/West Frankfort/Logan corridor in southern Illinois. Our thanks to all the good folks who made our trip most...

Agricultural water reuse.
December 1, 2005... Agricultural irrigation represents a significant percentage of the total demand for freshwater. Agricultural irrigation is estimated to represent 40 percent of the total water demand nationwide. In western states with significant agricultural...

Hearing protection and air-rotary drilling--Part 2.
December 1, 2005... The results from the sound level measurements, the dosimeter recordings and the time-activity studies on four different air-rotary rigs indicate a wide variation of operator noise exposure during hole development. These variations appear to be...

New UV measurement tool is developed.(BULLETIN BOARD)
December 1, 2005... Researchers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering have developed a new way to measure microbes' exposure to ultraviolet light. The tool could bolster efforts to use UV light to improve the quality and safety of tap water in the United States....

$14 million in water resources grants.(BULLETIN BOARD)
December 1, 2005... Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns has announced the awarding of more than $14 million in grants to universities and private enterprises nationwide to address water supply and water quality issues. "Improving the quality and availability of our...

A French foot pump.(BULLETIN BOARD)
December 1, 2005... The pump attendent pumping the French foot pump at a school in Kenya. It's a lot of work! Photograph courtesy of Sarah Bramley, WaterPartners International. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Aqua American getting bigger.(BULLETIN BOARD)
December 1, 2005... Subsidiaries of Aqua America Inc. have bought four water systems, spending a total of $550,000. The Bryn Mawr, Pa., company, which provides water and wastewater services, bought systems in North Carolina, Illinois and Pennsylvania. The...

The three Ps of fishing.(The World According to Wayne)
December 1, 2005... I have been in the drilling/consulting business for more than 35 years, and I have seldom seen an article about fishing or fishing tools. This probably is a subject that most drillers would like to "just go away," but it is part of our...

Recent travels include surprise visit.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
December 1, 2005... Recently, Bess and I flew to Oklahoma City where we visited Bess's 92-year-old mother and older sister. Sister Mary and brother-in-law Perry were shocked when we knocked on their door--we didn't tell them we were coming. They took us to see the...

Grouting method for river crossing projects.(Drilling Fluids)
December 1, 2005... Bentonite grouts are accepted to be the best choice for sealing both vertical and horizontal wells due to a variety of factors, including low permeability, bonding capabilities and flexibility. The large volumes of bentonite grout required on...

House drops arctic drilling from budget.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
December 1, 2005... Republican moderates convinced House GOP leaders to drop a hotly contested plan to allow drilling in an Alaskan wildlife refuge as a sweeping budget bill headed toward a vote. A plan to allow states to lift a moratorium on oil drilling off the...

Water classification rules are amended.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
December 1, 2005... The Iowa State Administrative Rules Review Committee has begun reviewing a proposal that would alter the classification of most Iowa streams to swimmable, fishable, which dictates the highest protection. The proposal would require upgrades...

Ground management area bill gets passed.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
December 1, 2005... The Texas legislature recently amended the Texas Water code and passed a bill that requires Ground Management Areas to participate in a joint planning process. The bill also requires all ground water districts located in the same ground...

House has approved California water bill.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
December 1, 2005... The House of Representatives unanimously approved a bill to protect the Santa Ana River water quality, expand local desalination projects serving Chino, Chino Hills and Ontario and portions of Riverside County, and increase federal...

Water 2005 Challenge Grants are awarded.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
December 1, 2005... Interior Secretary Gale Norton has awarded more than $2.5 million in Water 2025 Challenge Grants to help fund 11 projects addressing long-term water needs in Utah. Grants issued to Utah organizations will provide funding for flow sensors...

New bills limit Great Lakes water exports.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
December 1, 2005... Democrats in the Michigan State House of Representatives introduced a package of bills limiting the withdrawal of Great Lakes water. The legislation calls for a prohibition on water withdrawal for private sale unless the legislature...

A SEMCO for Farris Well Service.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... SEMCO driver Tony Jackman delivers a new SEMCO S4,000 pump hoist to Farris Well Service, Laramie, Wyo. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Please send Trading Post submissions to National Driller, Attn: Lisa Schroeder, 1050 IL Route 83, Suite 200,...

Jersey Boring gets an Acker.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... Joe Kurzynowski and Nelson Ramos of Jersey Boring and Drilling, Newark, N. J., take delivery of a factory-refurbished AD-II from Tom Miller of Acker Drill Co. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Dearman Pump obtains a new Smeal.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... Lonnie and Luana Dearman of Dearman Pump, Palo Cedro, Calif., bought this Smeal 3T pump hoist from Mitchell, Lewis and Staver (MLS), Yuba City, Calif. The rig was custom-designed with in-board jacks. The unit was sold and delivered by Ken Lloyd...

Higgins sells to Brothers Well Drilling.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky., sold this 1987 Speedstar SOD 275 to Steve Evans, Brothers Well Drilling Inc., Sarasota, Fla. Evans' rig is equipped with a 275/150 compressor, 5-by-6 mud pump and is mounted on 1986 International 4-by-4 with a...

Environmental Management Consultants chooses SIMCO.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... Environmental Management Consultants of Rockaway, N.J., acquired a new SIMCO 2800 mounted on an F-550 for geotechnical/environmental drilling. Pictured from left to right: Brian Quinn, Terry Griffin and SIMCO's Darren Swolley. ...

Titan Well Drilling takes delivery.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... Ted Johnson, Titan Well Drilling, Arkville, N.Y., purchased this 2005 GMC HD 4-by-4 6T Smeal from Rick Menshausen, Morris Industries. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

GEFco N.E. delivers to D & L Well and Water.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... D & L Well and Water Systems LLC, Turner, Maine, proudly accepts its GEFco Stardrill 200, which was prepared by Groundwater Supply, Sterling, Mass. Shown from the left: Rocky Milano of GEFco N.E., Dick Dow and Rock Libby of D & L Well and Water...

Shoemaker buys from Higgins.(TRADING POST)
December 1, 2005... Cole Shoemaker, Shoemaker & Son's Drilling, Griggsville, Ill., procured this 1974 Driltech D40K from Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky. This unit is equipped with 750/350 compressor and 3406 E deck engine, and is mounted on a 1974 CCC with a...

Atlas Copco marketplace.(PREOWNED EQUIPMENT)
December 1, 2005... 2004 IR T3WDH S/N 6892 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mounted on Peterbilt 357 series truck, C-13 (420 HP) CAT engine, Fuller 10 speed transmission, Jake brake, 52K locking rear axles, chrome package, CAT C15 (565 HP) Tier 2 deck engine, 25...