National Driller articles from February 2008

National Driller archives from February 2008

The SECURE Water Act.(For Openers: The Latest on the Legislative Front)
February 1, 2008... The National Ground Water Association (NGWA) recently testified in support of key provisions of the SECURE Water Act, telling a U.S. Senate committee that the act will "help ensure data are available to effectively manage our water supplies,"...

Mining reform introduced.(For Openers: The Latest on the Legislative Front)
February 1, 2008... A bill to bring modern standards to the mining industry recently was introduced by a member of the House of Natural Resources Committee. Under terms of the law, known as the Hard Rock Mining and Reclamation Act of 2007, miners on federal...

Lobbying effort.(For Openers: The Latest on the Legislative Front)
February 1, 2008... The Pacific Water Quality Association (PWQA) is urging water treatment dealers in the western United States to attend the group's annual Legislative Days, set for March 10-11, in Sacramento, Calif. The event is an opportunity for water...

Bill addresses safe drinking water.(For Openers: The Latest on the Legislative Front)
February 1, 2008... The omnibus appropriations bill passed by the House and Senate includes $300 million for safe drinking water and sanitation supply projects to implement the Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act of 2005. The bill will result in a...

Water-sharing pact.(For Openers: The Latest on the Legislative Front)
February 1, 2008... Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne recently signed the Record of Decision that will implement strategies for management of the Colorado River. The Record of Decision activates a legal agreement among the basin states that contains a...

In our mail box.(For Openers: The Latest on the Legislative Front)
February 1, 2008... An article you published in your January issue ("Are You on Angie's List?"--pg. 14) indicated that Angie's List does not accept advertising from companies. We feel it's important to point out that Angie's List does invite the most highly rated...

Pumps help produce a tropical paradise.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When a visionary entrepreneur decided to turn a gigantic airship hangar in Germany into a tropical paradise resort destination, he turned to ITT's Lowara unit to provide pumps systems and expertise to power the water...

Time for a manners check: it's easy to get rude when times are good, but customers have long memories.(Smart Business)
February 1, 2008... The late 1990s were the best time ever for the airline industry. Seats were packed elbow-to-elbow, and the airlines made more money than ever before. United Airlines, then the nation's biggest carrier, saw its stock price jet to more than $125...

Pressure tanks: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
February 1, 2008... There are two primary reasons for having a pressure tank in a pumped water system. The first is to give the pump motor a minute or two to dissipate the extra heat energy generated each time the pump starts, and the second is to store water...

Coming events.(Calendar)
February 1, 2008... FEBRUARY 1-2 Pacific Northwest Ground Water Expo Portland, Ore. 800-551-7379 5-6 Design & Construction Expo Novi, Mich. 248-972-1000 ...

Solar water pumping: a practical introduction.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Photovoltaic (PV) panels produce electricity from sunlight using silicon cells, with no moving parts. They have been mass-produced since 1979. They are so reliable that most manufacturers offer a 25-year warranty....

Sewage spill remedied.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CertainTeed restrained joint polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe was used to help hundreds of residents in a village in the Gaza Strip, after a sewage reservoir collapsed and flooded the village, destroying more than 200...

Wilo tabs Easterley.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... Wilo USA LLC, Melrose Park, Ill., a subsidiary of Wilo AG, Germany, one of the largest pump manufacturers of the world, announces the appointment of Michael Easterley as its new president and CEO. "I am happy to be part of the Wilo team that is...

Recycled water for golf course.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At a new zero-discharge wastewater treatment plant near Atlanta, pumps and aerators are used in a variety of applications along the 25-mile-long collection system, including supplying water to the sprinkler systems...

Clean-water project gets $13 million from Gates Foundation.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... The fight against water-borne disease--one of the most serious threats to child health in developing countries --will receive a major boost thanks to groundbreaking work by an international consortium led by the University of Bristol, and...

AlturnaMats acquires Mobile Matts.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... AlturnaMats Inc., a Titusville, Pa.-based producer of ground protection mats, announces the acquisition of one of its major competitors, Mobile Matts of Green Bay, Wis. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to Michael Gierlach,...

Illini scholar.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jacob Albrecht, son of Donna and Robert Albrecht (Albrecht Well Drilling, Ohio, Ill.), and a senior at University of Illinois, has been awarded a $500 scholarship from the Illinois Association of Ground Water...

2007 NGWA exposition.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
February 1, 2008... We just returned from the NGWA (National Ground Water Association) exposition in Orlando, Fla., and for those who missed it, it was a great show. As usual, there were many suppliers displaying their products and equipment. There were many...

Ground Water Expo gets the job done.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was an enthusiastic, if not overflowing, crowd at the 2007 National Ground Water Expo and Annual Meeting. Those who showed up in Orlando, Fla., Dec. 4-7 seemed to have had an agenda when they showed up, and they...

135 years of Pumpen Intelligenz.(BULLETIN BOARD)(Company overview)
February 1, 2008... WILO AG was founded by Louis Oplander in 1872 as a factory for copper and brass goods, and in 1920, expanded into the heating and sanitary areas. In the following decades, groundbreaking innovations have been brought to the market. It all...

Vermeer buys HRE.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... Vermeer Mfg. Co., manufacturer of horizontal directional drilling equipment and tooling, has purchased substantially all of the operating assets of Horizontal Rig & Equipment Inc. (HRE), Conroe, Texas. HRE had been producing three drills with...

Winterize the crew.(The World According to Wayne)
February 1, 2008... In spite of Al Gore's warnings that Santa soon will be wearing shorts, winter is upon us, and it doesn't feel any warmer to these old bones. I thought I'd touch on some thoughts on winterizing the crew. Safety meetings are a good time to...

Rig tender system.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Flatwater Fleet manufactures drill-site tenders to assist drillers on the job. In addition to providing fueling capability, the system consists of storage cabinets and a baffled waterbed that also serves as a...

Rubber-tracked carrier.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rig Source offers IHI rubber-track carriers for sale, lease and rent. If you are looking for a carrier to mount a water tank, drill rig, welder or even a personnel carrier, these versatile machines are a viable...

Featuring a 30-ton capacity.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... Certified and load-tested, the Pulstar P60000 boasts a 30-ton capacity. Standard on the P60000 are the primary mainline and EXHD rotation-resistant, highly compacted cable, traveling block, outrigger and mast cylinder lock valves, 44-foot mast...

Pump-pulling crane.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The 5K Evolution Pump Hoist from Kyle Equipment Co. now supplies a 5,000-pound capacity pump-pulling crane, a smaller, lighter version of the company's 8,000-pound model. Features include 400-degree rotation, 30-foot...

Pump puller.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... Model 30XL heavy-duty Up-Z-Dazy pump puller from Funk Manufacturing is portable and light in weight. Featuring a welded aluminum frame, it offers a 600-pound load capacity, and can handle 1-inch to 1 1/2-inch coil or semi-rigid pipe, or up to...

Portable pump-pulling device.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] PUL-A-PUMP Corp. manufactures a portable pump-pulling device of the same name. The Pul-A-Pump can be considered an alternative to hoist or boom-type trucks, and built-in features allow for one-person operation....

Well service unit.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SUPPORT VEHICLES AND PUMP PULLERS)
February 1, 2008... SEMCO Inc.'s S10,000 well service unit is used to install large submersible pumps and line-shaft turbines, and for well completion. Its telescopic derrick with an A-frame design has double 4-inch cylinders for hydraulic erection, and two 4-inch...

Bentonite platelets.(Drilling Fluids)
February 1, 2008... When talking with people about Wyoming sodium bentonite and its use as a drilling fluid, those not that familiar with drilling fluid often ask me, "How does it work?" and "What makes Wyoming sodium bentonite so unique and different from other...

Laibe delivers to Allen Wright Water Well.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Laibe Corp. has sold a new Versa-Drill model V-100NG, mounted on a Peterbilt 6-by-6 truck, to Allen Wright Water Well Inc., Hillsdale, Ontario, Canada. The rig comes equipped with 3-by-4 centrifugal mud and IR...

RSI Drilling works with Sonic Sampling & Supply.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jennifer Kelley, Patricia Morales and Tuan Nguyen of RSI Drilling in Woodland, Calif., receive the new CSTEI compact sonic rig from Sonic Sampling & Supply, North American distributor of the Dutch-made compact sonic...

A third foremost for O'Keefe Drilling.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] O'Keefe Drilling of Butte, Mont., takes delivery of its third Foremost DR rig, which was purchased with assistance from J. Arden Godshall. Dan O'Keefe is shown with the new DR24HD.

Corrpro and SIMCO do business.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Corrpro of Medina, Ohio, attains its third SIMCO 2800 HS (HT). This rig has 7,500 ft.-lbs. of torque/ 0-670 rpm, and is all-hydrostatically/hydraulically driven. Accepting delivery is Nate Jones of Corrpro.

Aquaterra Engineering obtains another SIMCO.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Aquaterra Engineering of Chattanooga, Tenn., acquires its second SIMCO 2800 HS (HT), mounted on an International 4-by-4 truck. The rig is equipped with a CME automatic hammer, piston mud pump, development air, and a...

DRAGIN Geothermal gets two Versa-Drills.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DRAGIN Geothermal Well Drilling Inc., Wareham, Mass., recently has purchased two 2007 Versa-Drill V-2000s. The rigs are equipped with a 1,250/400 air package, and will be added to DRAGIN Geothermal's fleet for the...

Mike Sullivan acquires another GEFco rig.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mike Sullivan Well Drilling, Bolton, Mass., buys its third 30K from GEFco N.E. and Groundwater Supply, Sterling, Mass. From the left: Eddie, Andy Erickson of Groundwater Supply, Jamie Brazeau, Mike Sullivan, Mike...

Reliford goes with Higgins.(TRADING POST)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Higgins Rig Co. has sold this 1982 Ingersoll Rand T4 to Jimmy and Joyce Reliford of Reliford Drilling, Columbia, Ky. Their unit is equipped with a 1,050/350 compressor, 3412 Cat deck engine, 70,000 pounds of...

Pump Buyer's Guides.(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... Welcome to National Driller's Pump Buyers' Guides. On the following pages (68-74), you'll find nearly two dozen water well pump companies featured in the Well Pump Buyers' Guide. Six categories of water well pumps are represented here: shallow...

Mud pumps and more.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... Armstrong Machine Co. offers all brands of mud pump fluid end and gear end parts. In addition, the company supplies rebuilt mud pumps with or without power units, as well as manufactures obsolete parts. Hydraulic grout pumps, centrifugal pumps...

Variable-speed piston pump.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... ChemGrout's Rugged Series features a single-acting, variable-speed 3-inch piston pump that provides the versatility to handle polymer bentonites, cement and the latest in geothermal grouts. A 45-gallon mixing tank, large holding hopper and...

Positive-displacement piston mud pump.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... Trade name: Rupe mud pump General product lines: Portable drilling rigs, mud pump The Rupe Pump is a positive-displacement piston mud pump. Powered directly by a hydraulic pump, the model shown is capable of 250 gpm up to 400 psi....

Piston mud pumps.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... General product lines: Mud pumps Centerline piston mud pumps are light, compact and feature direct hydraulic drive. The three configurations of mono, duplex and triplex provide for varying drilling program needs. The 7.5-inch-by-10-inch...

Pumps for all applications.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... General product lines: Pumps and oil spill recovery equipment CRUCIAL offers Selwood's range of high-volume diesel-powered pumps with solids-handling capabilities. The Seltorque range of vortex pumps (4-, 6-, 8- and 12-in.) has...

Solids separation equipment.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... KEM-TRON Technologies Inc., an ISO 9001 certified company, designs and manufactures solids separation equipment. KEM-TRON manufactures a complete line of products for a true closed-loop mud system. Equipment ranges from linear-motion shale...

Mud pumps and spare parts.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... Trade name: Liberty General product line: Mud pump supplier Liberty Process offers a variety of mud pumps and spare parts for immediate delivery. Many pump sizes are available --from a fraction of a gallon up to 2,000 gpm, and at...

Used equipment for sale or rent.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... General product lines: Pumps: Recip. plunger and piston, centrifugal, rotary positive, progressive cavity Power Zone Equipment Inc. specializes in reapplying used equipment for sale or rent, and locating hard-to-find pumps and parts....

Mud and grout pumps.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... Trade name: Rupe Pumps General product lines: Mud pumps, grout pumps, high-pressure pressure piston pumps and grout machines R. E. Rupe designed this style of pump in 1989 as a small grout pump, and shortly afterwards, designed larger...

Centrifugal pumps.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... Trade names: Mission Magnum; 2500 Supreme General product lines: Centrifugal pumps, reciprocating pumps, mud pump parts, fluid end expendables National Oilwell Varco is the original designer and leading manufacturer of concentric-style...

Mud system.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... General product lines: Portable mud systems and components, shale shakers and desanders ProDrill Systems offers the MS 1000 mud system. The MS 1000 provides a 300-gpm scalping capacity and 200-gpm desanding capacity. Featuring a...

Pump designed specifically for mud systems.(MUD PUMP BUYERS' GUIDE)
February 1, 2008... Trade names: SandGuzzle, Mudpuppy General product line: Solids-control equipment The Sandguzzler is a hydraulically driven submersible pump that mud drillers use to transfer mud and rock (up to 11/2 in.) to a shaker. Designed...

Hello from the California Show.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Representing GEFCO at the latest California Groundwater Association's annual convention are Jon Newsom and Don Chastain. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Visiting at the A.Y. McDonald booth are Kin Thill, Larry Disque...

CSDA offers online training.(BULLETIN BOARD)
February 1, 2008... The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) has added 21 new online training courses. The new courses, covering health and safety and business subjects, were made available through CSDA's partnership with ProTraining. com. These courses...