National Driller articles from January 2008

National Driller archives from January 2008

DRAGIN's expansion into geothermal.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2008... D.J. Quagliaroli and Carrie Collins Quagliaroli have announced the formation of their second drilling company, DRAGIN Geothermal Well Drilling Inc., with offices in Gilford, N.H., and Wareham, Mass. In announcing the formation of the new...

The pay conundrum.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2008... I agree completely with your column in the November issue ("To Get Better Help, Pay More," by Jim Olsztynski). I once worked for a unionized electric utility company. It was said that the company had 250 applications for every job opening. The...

No insult intended!(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The reaction to the December article, "Replacing a Pressure Tank," by Bruce Maki was loud and swift. Overall, people expressed concern that the article was intended as a "how-to" piece for water professionals penned...

Grundfos buys peerless pump.(For Openers: News and Notes at Press Time)(Company overview)
January 1, 2008... Grundfos Group, headquartered in Denmark, has acquired Peerless Pump Co. Peerless is based in Indianapolis, and has five other North American facilities. With more than 400 employees and annual sales of $110 million, Peerless is Grundfos'...

Are You on Angie's List? And if you are, should you be worried about it?(Smart Business)
January 1, 2008... Angie's List is an Internet-based ratings and referrals organization that collects customer satisfaction ratings on companies in scores of home service categories--everything from plumbing to pet-sitting to piano-tuning. A category called wells...

Net positive suction head: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
January 1, 2008... A few years ago, I was asked to look at a booster system that pumped hot water from a non-pressurized, solar-heated storage tank into a large pressure tank at a jobsite in the foothills above Sacramento, Calif. The pump was not performing...

Maintenance and operation.(Down-the-hole Hammers)
January 1, 2008... All hammers must be frequently disassembled and inspected for damage or wear. How often the hammer will be inspected depends on the drilling conditions. When used for standard dry drilling (little or no water), an inspection every 175 hours to...

Surface solar pumps.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Conergy manufactures surface solar pumps. These well pumps provide lifts of up to 760 feet and flow rates up to 85 gpm, while the surface pumps provide up to 900 feet of lift and 70 gpm. Applications include drinking...

Disinfection system.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... ITT's Goulds Pumps brand offers the PureBlue Ultraviolet Disinfection System for removing dangerous micro-organisms from drinking water. The system uses chemical-free ultraviolet lamps to destroy bacteria and viruses that can pass through...

Tool for perforating steel and plastic casing.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Mills casing perforator can perforate steel and plastic casing in sizes ranging from 2 inches to 24 inches. This tool cuts vertical slots through casing with a wall thickness of up to 3/8-inch thick. The Mills...

Auger cleaner.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... Max's Enterprises has developed an auger cleaner. To employ this auger cleaner, simply install a receiver hitch on your drill rig. The track-and-roller system is designed to avoid binding, and is spring-loaded for u-pins and auger bolts. The...

Diaphragm pumps.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Graco Inc.'s full line of abrasion-resistant aluminum pumps are suitable for mud pumps and pumping concrete mixtures, with flow rates up to 275 gpm. These pumps have no mechanical seals, and an air valve with a...

Rig on tracked carrier.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The SIMCO 2800 now can be mounted on the Morooka 800 rubber-tracked carrier. Whether set up for geotechnical drilling (7,500 ft. lbs./0-670 rpm), wet rotary drilling with a 4 1/2-by-5 piston mud pump or both, this...

Sonic water level meters.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ravensgate Corp. offers sonic water level meters that are designed to provide accurate water level measurements in seconds without downhole probes or transducers. Model 200 is a self-contained, battery-operated meter...

Industry reference book.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ground Water and Wells is a practical text on well hydraulics, design, costruction and maintenance. This tool from Johnson Screens is suitable for anyone who designs, specifies, constructs, manages or operates wells....

Well seals.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Merrill Manufacturing ABS plastic well seals come in a variety of sizes, ranging from a 2-inch casing size through an 8-inch casing size. Most are available with different drop pipe sizes from as small as 1/2 inch in...

Management software system.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: BEST OF 2007)
January 1, 2008... 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...

The way we were.("Let Me Tell Ya")
January 1, 2008... Two recent events happened to me that inspired this article, which is going to be somewhat of a change of pace from what I have been writing. First, my wife Shirley was going through some old, old pictures, and found one of me as a teenager up...

Geotechnical field testing.
January 1, 2008... Proper site preparation is a critical aspect of any geotechnical field test, beginning with a level drill pad. If the slope of the site is steeper than 1 foot, prepare a work pad 16 feet wide and 70 feet long for leveling the rig and providing...

Geothermal technology--a solution to rising energy costs: tremendously fast-growing market demand is creating a vital need for contractors and drillers.
January 1, 2008... The geothermal market is growing, which comes as no surprise to Mike Kapps, vice president of WaterFurnace Loop Operations in Indianapolis. During the years he has been affiliated with the company, Kapps has watched WaterFurnace grow from a...

Expanding into the geothermal market.(Drilling Fluids)
January 1, 2008... Geothermal heat pump systems are becoming more popular with the ever-increasing energy costs we all are experiencing. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that geothermal units use 25 percent to 50 percent less electricity than a...

Low-volume wells.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
January 1, 2008... I don't usually write technical stuff because some readers will say, "That idiot doesn't know what he's talking about." I'm 70-plus years old, and I don't care anymore. When you're right, you're right! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Over the...

2008 Water Treatment Buyers' Guide.(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2008... A valuable resource for future reference, our 2008 Water Treatment Buyers' Guide is organized into the following categories: chemical feed equipment, contaminant removal, drinking water systems, filtration, ion-exchange equipment, pH...

Water treatment: manufacturers/suppliers.(Directory)
January 1, 2008... Activated Carbon Services also, PACS Testing, Consulting, Training 409 Meade Drive Coraopolis, Pa. 15108 724-457-6576 hnpacs@aol.com www.pacslabs.com AEROMIX Systems Inc. 7135 Madison Ave. W. Golden Valley, Minn....

Grela thrives on full-service offerings: Connecticut-based contactor successfully combines drilling, water treatment services.
January 1, 2008... Water treatment--that is, offering water-quality treatment options and managing the inevitable subsequent service calls--is a polarizing issue for the drilling industry. Contractors seem either to love or hate that aspect of being in water...

Brayman's rock anchor project.(On the Job)
January 1, 2008... Brayman Construction Corp., headquartered outside of Pittsburgh, Pa., provided a diverse range of products and services for the fast-track SR-28 project in Etna, Pa. Brayman is a full-service provider of general and specialty geotechnical...

Water bill is enacted.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
January 1, 2008... Both the U.S. Senate and House overrode President Bush's veto of a $23 billion water projects bill, enacting it into law. For a bill to become law, both houses of Congress must override a presidential veto by two-thirds majority. The Senate...

Perchlorate bill approved.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
January 1, 2008... The House Environment andHazardous Materials Subcommittee passed legislation that would force the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to propose a drinking water standard for perchlorate within 18 months of the bill's enactment and...

Creating a national water commission.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
January 1, 2008... The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment has heard testimony on a bill that would create a national policy for water use. Put forth by U.S. Rep. John Linder, the proposed three-year water...

Farm bill approved.(LEGISLATIVE UPDATE)
January 1, 2008... The Senate Agriculture Committee approved a $280 billion, five-year agricultural policy bill that would increase funding for conservation programs by $4.8 billion. The bill's conservation title includes a new Regional Water Enhancement...

Carbon credits.(The World According to Wayne)
January 1, 2008... A couple years ago, I proposed that the government should pay drillers not to drill wells in order to conserve our resource, in much the same way farmers are paid not to grow crops--"for the children," and all that. I guess I didn't make enough...

Allied buys from Laibe Corp.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Allied Environmental Services, Baltimore, acquires its second new Versa-Drill model V-100NG, mounted on a Peterbilt 6-by-6 truck. The rig is equipped with two 5-by-6 mud pumps and an IR 300/200 air compressor.

Olson gets a REICHdrill.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Olson Well Drilling of Lake Park, Minn., and Fargo, N.D., has purchased this 2007 REICHdrill Eagle service unit, which is mounted on a Chevy 5500 4-by-4. The family-owned business was established in 1959, and has...

Roberts environmental chooses AMS.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Roberts Environmental Drilling of Millstadt, Ill., proudly takes delivery of its new rig from AMS Inc. The company's first rig, it selected a 9700 VTR Power Probe with a 5,000 ft.-lb. auger torque and a 550 ft.-lb....

MACTEC Inc. goes with rig source.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rig Source Inc. delivers this new IHI IC-45-2 EXT unit, complete with a front extension, front jack and auger rack, to Floyd Cox of MACTEC Inc., Raleigh, N.C. The unit has been prepped and is ready for drill rig...

Geodrill launches with a new power probe.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jim and Lisa Barker of Waterloo, Ill., are starting a new family business, Geodrill, with a new 9700.D Power Probe. Mounted on a Ford F-550, their Power Probe comes complete with a 175 ft.-lb. hydraulic hammer and...

SIMCO sells to bedrock.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bedrock Foundation Works Inc. of Hudson, Fla., bought this SIMCO 2400 SK-1 mounted on a SIMCO trailer. The company will be drilling with a 3- to 4-inch auger up to 100 feet for Florida foundation work. Pictured from...

Laibe Corp. delivers to vigil.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Vigil Welding & Well Drilling, Taos, N.M., obtains a new Versa-Drill model V-2000NG, mounted on a 6-by-6 carrier, from Laibe Corp. The rig comes equipped with IR 1,250/350 air.

Higgins ships to Nigeria.(TRADING POST)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Koprate Angels Limited, Nigeria, purchased this Failing 1500 from Higgins Rig Co. of Hodgenville, Ky. This unit is equipped with a 150 Sullair compressor, a 5-by-6 Failing mud pump, and is mounted on a 1966...

Lead in our drinking water.(BULLETIN BOARD)
January 1, 2008... Do Americans take safe drinking water for granted? Most likely, according to Marc Edwards, a civil engineering professor at Virginia Tech who was a recent guest on the Earth & Sky Radio Series (www.earthsky.org). Edwards won a 2007 MacArthur...

Ring Power update.
January 1, 2008... Ring Power Corp. has been named the eastern U.S. master distributor for AGM/Caterpillar water wagons and trucks. Two models of water wagons, the 613CWW and the new 740W, as well as the off-highway 769D now are available for sale to all...

The major evolution continues--part 1: drilling firm understands the value of forward thinking.
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It's already been quite a ride for Major Drilling International Inc., and more exciting times lay ahead. Based in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, Major is one of the world's largest drilling service companies serving...

Coming events.(Calendar)
January 1, 2008... JANUARY 7-9 Idaho Ground Water Association Convention Boise, Idaho 208-888-0988 www.igwa.info 10-11 Louisiana Ground Water Association Convention Alexandria, La. 225-223-6560 www.lgwa.org 10-13 Colorado Water Well Contractors...