National Driller articles from July 2003

National Driller archives from July 2003

Getting excited about Jubilee. (For Openers).
July 1, 2003... It's that time of year again and it's always the same. The White Sox are buried in third place, traffic to the beach is horrific and the special hybrid grass I plant in the spring has died. On the upside, I do get to tell everyone in the...

Sizing a residential water system: the fundamentals of pumped water systems. (Tech Topics).
July 1, 2003... Sizing a residential water system involves several considerations. You will need to know the amount of water required to meet the family's needs inside and outside the house. You'll need to know the vertical distance the water must be lifted...

Considerations for designing a ground water recovery system. (Kwader's Corner).
July 1, 2003... The difference between a poorly designed ground water recovery system and a properly designed system can make a huge impact on the amount of time, cost and energy expended operating and maintaining the system. The first criterion for...

Drill rig needed in Nicaragua. (Guest Column).
July 1, 2003... The Wisconsin/Nicaragua Partners of the Americas (W/NP) organization was founded in 1964 as part of the people-to-people component of the "Alliance for Progress" within the Partners of the Americas (POA) organization. Today, as a private,...

Water supply planning: is the industry involved? (Guest Column).
July 1, 2003... In most states, water wells provide a large percentage of citizens with their water supply. In addition, commercial and industrial wells are giving business and industry an economical source of water for their use. Why then, as states prepare...

The pros & cons of going into business for yourself--part 3. (Smart Business).
July 1, 2003... Note: This article is the last of a three-part series. It addresses the downsides of going into business for yourself and is aimed at field crews as much as the owners and managers who are our main audience. The previous two articles can be...

"Drilling for God". (New Scope).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Amateur photographer George Dingwall of Scotland tells us, "I thought the church spire and the rig derrick made an interesting composition. I call this shot 'Drilling for God.' Now retired, my life these days is spent enthusiastically pursuing...

New Symmetrix distributor set. (New Scope).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... America West Drilling Supply Inc., Reno, N.V., recently announced its new role as the U.S. distributor for Rotex Products of Finland. Under the brand Symmetrix, Rotex manufactures widely respected overburden drilling systems, which use a...

Exhibitor's choice. (Product Showcase).
July 1, 2003... This month's Product Showcase highlights the products and services of companies exhibiting at the 2003 South Atlantic Well Drillers Jubilee and marks our largest showcase ever. We encourage to you peruse products and preview what will be on...

Aboveground treatment of arsenic-part 2.
July 1, 2003... Adsorption has been, used to treat ground water and drinking water containing arsenic. This technology typically can reduce arsenic concentrations to less than 0.05mg/L, and, in some cases, has reduced arsenic concentrations to below 0.01mg/L....

Endot's newest facility. (New Scope).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Endot Industries of Rockaway, N.J., one of the largest suppliers of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) small-diameter water pipe, has announced the purchase of a 65,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Pryor Creek, Okla. This facility...

Safety manual. (New Scope).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) has developed a comprehensive safety manual designed for contractors who need to know the best practices to ensure a safe working environment. "Companies that follow a formalized safety...

Shorter vacations in vogue. (Portfolio: The Business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... There was a time when management annoyed the workers by not letting them take two-week vacations. These days, however, employees wouldn't want to take the full two weeks at once anyway. Nearly 80 percent of the people responding to a survey...

Not just an old wives' tale. (Portfolio: The Business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... This bit about breakfast being the most important meal has some solid backing to it. A study reported in In Health magazine suggests that skipping your morning meal can increase your chances of suffering a heart attack. A researcher at...

Don't worry about it. (Portfolio: The Business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... We hear from stress management experts (did you notice how the words "stress" and "management" are right next to each other?) that, on average, only 2 percent of a person's worrying time is spent on things that might be benefited from worrying....

Drilling school offers great opportunities--Part 2.
July 1, 2003... Part 1 of this article appeared in National Driller's May 2003 issue, which may be accessed in the magazine's inline archives at www.drilleronline.com. It looks at the curriculum of the International School of Well Drilling and what students...

Brayman provides one-stop shopping: doing it all on hydroelectric project.
July 1, 2003... We caught up with Scott Dodds, manager of the drilling and grouting group at Brayman Construction Corp., in his home away from home--North Carolina. "Since we've been in the North Carolina area for some time, we've been bouncing from job to job...

Factors affecting ground water sustainability.
July 1, 2003... Various measures of water quality, such as taste and odor, microbial content and dissolved concentrations of naturally occurring and manufactured chemical constituents, define the suitability of water for different uses. The availability of...

Mit brings clean water to Nepal.
July 1, 2003... A team of eight Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) students and their advisor brought their ingenuity and technical skills to villages in Nepal recently to try to solve a very basic practical problem--the need for clean drinking water...

Submarine checks out water system. (New Scope).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... An 81/2-foot-long submarine, unmanned but fitted with sensors and cameras, was lowered into the region's biggest water tunnel to search far major leaks in the New York City water supply system. Experts hope the sub will pinpoint at least...

You go bye-bye now. (Portfolio: The business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Nobody ever gets fired from a job anymore. Oh sure, a lot of people get called into their manager's office and walk out unemployed--but technically they haven't been "fired." The National Council of Teachers of English has uncovered some rather...

What's up in the world of drill rigs--Part 2: looking at used rigs.
July 1, 2003... Much like buying a used car, purchasing a used rig is a viable option for many these days, especially for the driller just starting out or for those who are expanding their business offerings and need an extra rig. With this in mind, we asked...

Fraturing technologies to enhance remediation--Part 5.
July 1, 2003... Blast fracturing is performed by placing high explosives in open bedrock boreholes and then detonating the explosives to create subsurface fractures. Standard drill and blast practice is used, including delayed firing and linear blasthole...

Toot your horn. (Portfolio: The Business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Meeting customers' needs is just one part of keeping them satisfied. It also is very important that customers be aware of the benefits they receive and of the company's efforts on their behalf. Let them know you're on their side and working for...

A 5-cent makeover. (Portfolio: The Business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The nickel is getting a makeover. The back side of the new 5-cent coin will commemorate the bicentennial of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase and the 1804-1806 Lewis and Clark expedition. The U.S. Mint hopes to issue the nickels late this year or in...

The turnover challenge. (Portfolio: The Business Management Files).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Preventing turnover is a major challenge today; it's becoming difficult for companies to replace those who leave, due to a decreasing workforce and lack of skilled labor. "Employees are leaving one company for another, not due to...

Senate approves bill emphasizing U.S.T. compliances. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The U.S. Senate has approved the Underground Storage Tank Compliance Act to prevent ground water contamination caused by leaking underground storage tanks. Bill S.195 includes funding for clean up of contaminated sites. The legislation...

Arizona drilling fees increased. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano recently signed into law House Bill 2088, which increases the fees for drilling a well. HB2088 creates a Well Administration and Enforcement Fund to be administered by the Arizona Department of Water Resources....

Congresswoman introduces new perchlorate legislation. (Legislative Update).(Lois Capps)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... U.S. Congresswoman. Lois Capps, Calif., introduced the Preventing Perchlorate Pollution Act, the House version of an U.S. Senate bill recently introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer. The act would accelerate the establishment of a U.S. EPA...

Water softener legislation passed. (Legislative Update).
July 1, 2003... According to the Pacific Water Quality Association, Bill 334 (AB 334) was passed by the full California Assembly and now will be considered by the California Senate's Environment Committee. The bill could allow for water softener bans in some...

Federal security legislation introduced. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Senator James Inhofe, chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works, recently introduced the Wastewater Treatment Works Security Act of 2003, legislation that would enhance and strengthen security at wastewater treatment facilities....

EPA Administrator resigns. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Christine Todd Whitman has resigned her post in the Bush administration, effective June 27, citing family as the reason for her departure. Whitman had joined the administration after seven...

Louisiana water office approved. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Under legislation given final approval by the Senate, the conservation and management of Louisiana's underground water supply would be handled by an office in the natural resources department. The commissioner of conservation, who now...

Neighbors reach water agreement. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The governors of Georgia and Alabama recently reached a water agreement that outlines how much water Georgia can draw from the Coosa and Tallapoosa rivers, which flow through northwest Georgia into Alabama. The proposed 30-year agreement...

Coal-mining operations addressed. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Office of Water and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly issued a memorandum to their field offices in the coal-producing states of Kentucky, West Virginia and Ohio in order to help ensure coal-mining operations are meeting their...

Illinois water funding approved. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... The Illinois Senate recently approved funding for Du Page County, whose water supply is controlled by the independent Du Page Water Commission. Under the plan, the water commission would turn $15 million over to the county yearly for five...

Coal-bed methane water. (Legislative Update).
July 1, 2003... In Billings, Mont., a federal appeals court has agreed to stay its ruling that water released during coal-bed methane drilling is a pollutant and subject to permitting requirements, we learn from U.S. Water News Online (www.uswaternews.com)....

Buying used rigs. (The World According to Wayne).
July 1, 2003... When it's time for a new rig, and you know that you can't afford a new rig, it's time to start looking around the used market. There are a ton of rigs out there on the market--some good, some not so good--so I'm going to try to give you a few...

Drilling--from air to mud. (Drilling Fluids).
July 1, 2003... In many parts of the country, there are water well contractors who drill with both air and foam and also use bentonite-drilling fluids. Most of these contractors prefer using air when possible, as it is usually a much faster method as opposed...

Driller teams win. (Marketing Strategies).
July 1, 2003... Rarely do you hear of a quarterback or other team member winning a football game by themselves. Oh, they may have made a significant contribution, but they need a team to win. The same is true in your business. You're the coach, your...

Buying new or used equipment. (Porky's Hole Thoughts).
July 1, 2003... When buying a new or used car or truck, the salesperson assumes the buyer knows how to drive. The same goes when a prospective buyer contacts a drilling rig salesperson to purchase a drill: They assume the prospective buyer at least has a basic...

Beemer acquires new Pulstar. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Lee Beemer of Beemer Well Drilling Inc., Fairmont, Minn., bought a new P10000 pump hoist from Puistar Mfg. Inc. of Dodge, Neb. Its fiberglass tool body custom-built by Brand-FX of Swea City, Iowa, was mounted on a 2003 F-550 4-by-4 6.0L...

Santa Ynez Pump obtains SEMCO hoist. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Michael Alexander of Santa Ynez Pump, Los Olivos, Calif., acquires his new SEMCO S6000 pump hoist.

Tompkins Well Drilling receives Nautiless. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Tompkins Well Drilling was the first to purchase the new Nautiless waterbed from Amthor Inc. Tompkins' Nautiless measures 22-by-8 feet and holds 2,200 gallons. Other features include a IMT 2020 crane, 125-gallon fuel tank, Hobart welder and a 1...

Beeman buys from Nelson. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Bob Beeman Drilling Co. of Moab, Utah, recently obtained two Speedstar model 150-K rotary rigs from the Nelson Group Inc., Enid, Okla., which acted as an independent agent in this sale. According to Bob and Todd Beeman, the heavy-duty rigs will...

PMF Distribution delivers to Puisatiers Experts. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... PMF Distribution is pleased to announce the delivery of a new Drilltech Mission model 25KW water well drill to Puisatiers Experts A&G Inc. of Granby, Quebec. Accepting delivery is Alain Raymond (c), president of Puisatiers Experts A&G Inc.,...

B.W. Smith goes with Flatwater Fleet. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Mark Smith, owner of B.W. Smith Well Drilling, Springfield, W.Va., has purchased his first RTP-Rig Tender from Flatwater Fleet Inc. The 1,700-gallon unit, mounted on a 2003 Sterling LT-9513 with a 430-HP engine, includes a fully hydraulic,...

Leise purchases Kyle 8K. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Richard Leise of Richard Leise Well Drilling takes delivery of his new Kyle 8K Evolution pump hoist from Charles Kyle. This unit has a corner-mounted crane with an 8,000 pull, 3 60-degrees of continuous rotation and 120-ft./min. line speed. The...

Dean takes delivery from Higgins. (Trading Post).
July 1, 2003... Brad Dean, Dent, Minn., purchased this 1974 Portadrill 504 from the Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky. His rig is equipped with a 50 SDS Leroi compressor, 5-by-6 mud pump and is mounted on a 1988 International S1900 with DT466 diesel engine.

Drilling in paradise.
July 1, 2003... The 2003 Florida Ground Water Association (FGWA) convention and trade show took place May 15-17 at the Radisson Resort at the Port, Cape Canaveral, Fla. More than 50 exhibitors were on hand to show off their latest offerings in...

Colorado River study planned. (Legislative Update).
July 1, 2003... Colorado Governor Bill Owens recently signed a measure that gives money to study a project to divert surplus Colorado River water to the Front Range. Senate Bill 110 includes spending $500,000 to do a feasibility study of the Colorado...