National Driller articles from July 2004

National Driller archives from July 2004

And another thing ...(For Openers)
July 1, 2004... A major theme in this issue is used drilling rigs. Two of the industry's leading columnists weigh in on the topic as Porky Cutter covers "Purchasing Used Equipment" (p.72) and Wayne Nash offers a common-sense approach to things with "On...

History appreciated.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Just want to thank you for "The History of Water Pumping" series (Feb., Mar. and Apr. 2004).

Turning away jobs.(Letters to the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Just finished reading Jim Olsztynski's article in National Driller ("12 Reasons to Just Say 'No'," May 2004). There is such a fine line with salespeople. It seems like any time you tell them to back off, they now have an excuse for why they...

Statewide water supply planning: is the private well industry involved?(Guest Column)
July 1, 2004... 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...

From the "various and sundry" files: take a compliment.(Portfolio)
July 1, 2004... The National Institute of Business Management wants to make sure you can take a compliment. Whenever you are paid a compliment, do you usually downplay it by saying something along the lines of, "It really was nothing--just doing my job," even...

Booster systems for slow producing wells -- part 2: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
July 1, 2004... Last month, we said that even a 1 gpm well is not a bad well if you can store its output for later use to meet peak demand because 1 gpm over 24 hours totals 1,440 gallons, which is way more than a typical household uses in a day. Further, we...

Coming events.(Calendar)
July 1, 2004... JULY 9-10 Empire State Water Well Drillers Association Summer Meeting Canandaigua, N.Y. Phone: 800-243-9439 11-14 Watershed 2004 Dearborn, Mich. Phone: 800-666-0206 www.wef.org 15-16 Texas WQA Tradeshow &...

Working in traffic: it's necessary to use a little extra TLC with renovation projects.(Smart Business)
July 1, 2004... Many trade workers have grown up on the construction side of the business. Some have trouble adapting to the subtleties associated with the renovation side. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Renovations, both residential and commercial, present...

Amthor's trucking unit.(NewScope)
July 1, 2004... National Driller is commited to providing you the most current NewScope information. All information is accurate and up-to-date as of the printing of this publication, however, some news information may change. Please go to National Driller's...

Exhibitor's choice.(Product Showcase)
July 1, 2004... This month, the Product Showcase displays the products and services of companies that will be exhibiting at the 2004 South Atlantic Well Drillers Jubilee. As you peruse these pages, you'll see products that you'll find on the trade show floor...

Bush creates Great Lakes task force.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... President Bush signed an executive order creating the Great Lakes Interagency Task Force. The task force, under the lead of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), brings together 10 agency and cabinet officers to provide strategic...

Water bill signed.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue has signed a bill requiring state environmental policy-makers to draft a water plan by July 2007 for consideration by the General Assembly during the 2008 legislative session. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The bill...

Lead bill introduced.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... A bill to eliminate lead in the nation's drinking water supply has been introduced in the Senate and House. The Lead-free Drinking Act would require utilities around the country to test their water immediately and set stricter standards for...

Congressional panel OKs water bill.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The California House Resources Committee has approved an amendment to the Water Recycling and Desalination Act, which will provide more than $70 million to improve water quality and expand desal facilities. The bill authorizes federal...

Water rights settlement proposed.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... Interior Secretary Gale Norton, Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne and Nez Perce Tribe Chairman Anthony Johnson announced that a proposed settlement, recognizing some of the tribe's claims to water in the Snake River Basin, has been reached. In...

NYC watershed program approved.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The House of Representatives has approved a seven-year extension of the New York City Watershed Protection Program. The legislation authorizes federal assistance of $15 million per year to New York City to pay for source water protection...

USDA announces a new water protection program.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a grant of $3.75 million to the nonprofit National Rural Water Association (NRWA) to implement a new initiative to help prevent source water pollution in 33 states--the Source Water...

Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The Bush administration recently signed the Clean Air Nonroad Diesel Rule, and the EPA has adopted a comprehensive national program to reduce emissions from future nonroad diesel engines by integrating engine and fuel controls as a system to...

Funding for N.M. water projects.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The New Mexico state finance authority has approved more than $12.5 million for water projects around the state. According to an article from watertechonline.com, most of the funding will go toward regional water projects. Three of the...

Calif. Assembly passes water bill.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The California Assembly has approved legislation to require residential water meters in major California communities. The bill would allow meters to be installed gradually over a 20-year period. Roughly 200,000 to 300,000 new meters would...

Water District receives funding.(Legislative Update)
July 1, 2004... The Irvine Ranch Water District of California has announced the passage of federal legislation that will provide more than $19 million in federal funding for three projects that will clean urban runoff and increase local water supplies. ...

Hammer & bit trends--part 2: dependability is paramount; manufacturers strive to deliver.
July 1, 2004... We asked Tom Purcell, president of U.S. operations for Mincon Inc., about the feedback he gets from drilling contractor customers in terms of what they're looking for in a hammer. "Aside from price, contractors want a hammer that will hold a...

Atlas making its mark.
July 1, 2004... Atlas Manufacturing Ltd. is a family-owned-and-operated company, with 43 years of successful drilling experience as water well contractors. The company developed a hydraulic casing hammer to use in its own drilling operations. In 1993, Atlas...

Road trip conjures up fond memories.
July 1, 2004... Many years ago, I drilled water wells with my father, Charles Wertz, in Antioch, Ill. My dad started drilling way back in the 1920s with all-wood machines called cam-and-treadle drilling rigs because they used a large wooden cam to create the...

Tailgate Safety Tips: cell phones and fueling.
July 1, 2004... The National Drilling Association's (NDA) safety committee has introduced a series of Tailgate Safety Tips (TSTs) to provide training on specific jobsite hazards and provide safety instruction required by many government organizations such as...

HDD good practices guidelines--part 4.
July 1, 2004... With the introduction of higher capacity pumps and horizontal direction drilling (HDD) rigs with higher drilling fluid flow capacities, the downhole mud motor often is the tool of choice for directionally drilling in rock. The fluid volumes...

Do monitoring wells monitor well?--Part II: the regulatory basis for monitoring well design, siting and monitoring.
July 1, 2004... In Part II of this series, I'll take you through an in-depth look at the federal regulations (and preamble) to identify potential constraints and then develop a defensible strategy to overcome whatever obstacles we may encounter. Beware! The...

Water well disinfection: correct preparation of existing wells is essential.
July 1, 2004... Often the investigation of a water supply system contaminated with coliform bacteria will show that coliform bacteria are coming directly from the well. In these cases, the water well needs to be disinfected. However, the well must be properly...

Deep drilling reveals ancient crater.(NewScope)
July 1, 2004... Geologists drilling half a mile below Virginia's Eastern Shore say they have uncovered more signs of a space rock's impact 35 million years ago, U.S. Water News Online reports. For more than two weeks, scientists drilled around the clock...

Water protection plan.(NewScope)
July 1, 2004... To protect the U.S. drinking water supply, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is joining in research agreements with YSI Inc., PureSense Environmental Inc. and Hach Co. to develop early warning detection devices for water distribution...

Contractor and manufacturer cooperation creates new rig.(Project Profile)
July 1, 2004... McKeever Drill & Blast operation was founded more than 50 years ago in Ijamsville, Md. The company's first drill rig, purchased by Ed McKeever in 1946, was a Drill Carrier model 730. The company incorporated in 1963 and now is owned by his son,...

What success isn't: over the years, I have read numerous books and heard hundreds of speakers who all claim to have the secrets of success.
July 1, 2004... To put it more specifically: * what success is * what success can be * how to find success * how to maintain success * how to enjoy your success * how to feel successful when you aren't * how to share your...

We all scream for ice cream: from the "various and sundry" files.(Portfolio)
July 1, 2004... Twenty years ago, President Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day (sundae Sunday?). For more than a century, Americans have been enjoying ice cream on a cone. Whether it's...

Purchasing used equipment.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
July 1, 2004... Keep in mind new and used rig and equipment salespeople are similar to car salespeople. They all have a product they must sell--it's their job. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I have found that most rig salespeople are honest. They will tell...

Gel strength: the muscle of mud.(Drilling Fluids)
July 1, 2004... One of the most common tests performed on drilling fluids for most any drilling application is the viscosity test. Viscosity gives us an idea of fluid thickness and helps us get a general idea of how much bentonite or other products we have or...

On selecting used rigs.(The World According to Wayne)
July 1, 2004... When it's time to expand your business or your present rig just is too tired to make another hole, it's time to consider replacement. If a new rig is out of the question, don't worry--there are a ton of good used rigs out there. It's just a...

Eklund buys another Flatwater Fleet.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Eklund Drilling, Elko, Nev., has purchased its 16th unit from Flatwater Fleet Inc. This 2,500-gallon RST-Rig Supplier is equipped with a 100-gallon auxiliary fuel tank, an air-operated fuel transfer pump, a 2-inch water pump, internal coating,...

Millers pick up new SEMCO.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Mr. and Mrs. David Miller from Hardin, Mont., acquire their new S6000 SEMCO pump hoist. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hamacher obtains another RTT-Rig Tender.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... T. R. "Shorty" Hamacher (1), owner of Hamacher Well Works, Simla, Colo., who has taken delivery of his fourth RTT-Rig Tender, is shown here with Les Evjen, former president of Flatwater Fleet Inc. Hamacher's 2,500-gallon unit comes with...

Steve Martell chooses North Central.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Steve Martell Well Drilling of Somerset, Wis., obtained a DRSB 2000 from North Central Mfg., Saginaw, Minn. The service body includes a full toolbox package, strap winches and a 230-gallon fuel tank with pump. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Hartman purchases new Pulstar.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Michael Hartman Well Drilling, North Lake, Wis., bought a new Pulstar P10000HD3L pump hoist through TruNorth Supply & Equipment, Fond-du-lac, Wis. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Gilboa acquires second Hydro-Frac.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Gilboa Drilling Corp. of Gilboa, N.Y., has purchased its second hydraulic-drive Hydro-Frac system from Kyle Equipment Co. This Hydro-Frac system is installed on Gilboa's brand new IR T-3 in place of a mud pump. The frac unit is capable of...

Davenport takes delivery of a Pulstar.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Davenport Drilling & Pump Service of Helotes, Texas, bought a Pulstar P20000 pump hoist from Pulstar Mfg. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Monks does business with Higgins.(Trading Post)
July 1, 2004... Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky., sold this Mayhew 200 to Steve Monks, Lymon, Colo. Monks' rig is equipped with a 4 1/2-by-5 G/D mud pump, 27-foot mast and is mounted on a Ford F500 with a six-cylinder gas engine. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Field-proven equipment.(Ingersoll-Rand[R] Remarketing)
July 1, 2004... 1998 TH60-825/350 S/N 6335 Mounted on IH Paystar 5,000 powered with a CAT 3406E, 10-speed spicer transmission, HR2 825/350 air, 38' derrick, 30,000-lb pullback, 4 motor 2-speed head, 3-1/2" api reg thread, CAT 25-gpm water injection pump...

Sandvik appeals patent ruling.(NewScope)
July 1, 2004... Sandvik has decided to appeal the ruling by the Stockholm City Court in the patent dispute between Sandvik and Atlas Copco. The case involves patents related to steering and control of drill rigs. The City Court stated in its finding that...

Breiner is new president for Schramm Inc.(NewScope)
July 1, 2004... Richard Schramm, chairman of Schramm Inc., West Chester, Pa., announces that Edward Breiner has assumed the role of president of the company. Prior to joining Schramm in 2000, Breiner worked with the rotary drill division of Ingersoll-Rand...