National Driller articles from March 2002

National Driller archives from March 2002

How are you going to help? (For Openers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If it just doesn't seem like it's been a whole year since the last Ground Water Awareness Week, it's because it hasn't. The annual observance, formerly held the second week of May, has been moved up to the third week in March (that's March...

Grouting Water Wells: a waste of money or worthwhile protection of the aquifer?(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... More than 50 years ago, the Florida Water Well Association was founded by a handful of well drillers who realized unsealed well casings were causing harm to the aquifers. The harm observed was from loss of artesian pressure, i.e., wells flow...

Boosting the gas production from low-permeability wells. (Gas & Oil Research).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Department of Energy (DOE) is adding two new projects to its program to develop new technologies that can increase natural gas production from low-permeability, or "tight," reservoirs. The new projects -- to be carried out by Advanced...

Laser drilling put to the test: Are lasers the wave of the future for gas and oil drilling? (Gas & Oil Research).
March 1, 2002... To find out if laser drilling is feasible, the Gas Technology Institute, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory and several project partners have joined in a new research effort that builds on a more basic study...

Compact grinder. (Product Info).(CME Blasting and Mining Equipment Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... CME Blasting & Mining Equipment Ltd.'s new Electric Mini Junior is a compact design grinder that rivals its bigger brother, the Electric Robot Arm, with its similar features. It can handle both threaded and DTH bits, and may be rig mounted or...

Brass ball valve. (Product Info).(Merrill Manufacturing Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Merrill Manufacturing Co.'s new BBVI125 brass ball valve features built-in barbs for (PE) pipe. This full port ball valve compliments Merrill's BBVI100 and BBVI75 barbed ball valves, which the company has been selling for several years. These...

Monitoring systems. (Product Info).(Syntex Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Technology from Syntex Systems Inc. is designed to detect volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in air, soil or water, in real time and with on-line results. Portable or stationary units are available. Just insert the SituProbe at any location and...

Mini bladder pump. (Product Info).(Geotech Environmental Equipment Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Together with the United States Geological Survey, Geotech Environmental Equipment Inc. designed the original bladder pump and further developed what is known today as the Geotech family of bladder pumps. Geotech now intends to make sampling...

Hand sampling tool line. (Product Info).(AMS Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... AMS's recently created Signature Series line of hand sampling tools is designed to be easier to use, offer faster sampling and be more cost effective. The line features zinc-coated extensions to improve rust resistance, as well as a larger...

Reverse osmosis system. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... Filtration Concepts Inc. offers its new Max Q, a reverse osmosis water making system designed to give the user total control of the system's functions from a remote location. The control system features a great deal of information on a backlit...

Knife Gate Valve. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... The Red Valve Series G Knife Gate Valve incorporates a robust design and features to help ensure drop-tight sealing, including a precision-buffed gate and two bosses welded to the valve seat. A double-lead thread on the valve stem helps allow...

Submersible pumps. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... Webtrol 4-inch thermoplastic submersible pumps from Weber Industries Inc. feature injection-molded glass-filled Noryl motor bracket and discharge; oversized stainless steel pump shaft; heavy wall stainless steel pump housing; polycarbonate...

Pressure tank. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... Signature 2000 fibrewound pressure tanks from Sta-Rite Industries Inc are lightweight for fast, one-person installation. Top access allows for easy servicing without removing the tank. The tank is constructed with a one-piece molded inner liner...

Water softener. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... For environmentally restricted areas, Sigma Water offers the AQA Total, an alternative to saltbased water softeners. This water conditioner requires no monthly maintenance since there are no filters to change or salt to buy. The system also...

Compact tractor. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... The Ditch Witch RT70 is a compact, medium-utility, rubber-tire tractor designed to meet a wide range of underground construction needs. The model RT70 is especially suited to replace existing service lines, install new service lines, small...

Potable water pipe. (Product Info).
March 1, 2002... Used by municipalities and independent contractors alike, Pure-Care products from PW Pipe are made of premium polyethylene resins formulated for conveying potable water. Available in 1/2- through 2-inch sizes, the Pure-Core pipe meets the...

When Dad met the President. (Porky's Hole Thoughts).
March 1, 2002... Howard "Porky" Cutter In 1954, my father was working for George E. Failing. He was sent to drive and display a Failing 1500 drill from Enid, Okla., to the National Water Well Exposition in New York City. After the exposition, Failing sent...

Diamonds don't wear ... or should they?: Part 2.
March 1, 2002... In part one of this article, the focus was on diamond characteristics and blade operations. This month, we move ahead and examine diamond saw applications and field performance. Material To Be Cut Knowing as much as possible about the...

Coastal Water Resources Conference. (Newscope).
March 1, 2002... A wide range of interdisciplinary concerns about coastal, estuarine and inland systems will be addressed at the Spring Specialty Conference of the American Water Resources Association, May 13-15, 2002, in New Orleans. "Coastal Water Resources"...

Californians spout off on water issues. (Newscope).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... During October and November 2001, the Public Information and Education Assessment Study was conducted for the California Water Awareness Campaign (CWAC) to develop baseline information on attitudes, opinions and behaviors of California...

Meeting the challenges of ground water sustainability.
March 1, 2002... The sustainability of ground water resources is a function of many factors, including decreases in ground water storage, reductions in stream flow and lake levels, loss of wetland and riparian ecosystems, land subsidence, saltwater intrusion,...

Expanding hammer line. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... Numa recently announced the release of the Patriot 35 downhole hammer, the second in the Patriot hammer line to be introduced. Designed for fast penetration rates, the Patriot 35 can be used for virtually any type of drilling need and has the...

Button bid grinding. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... The Electric Robot Arm is the latest addition to CME's line of button bit grinding equipment. This system features the patented self-centering technology already found on the company's existing line of semiautomatic grinders. This technology...

Rebuilt bits. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... Tee Jay International has been serving drilling contractors with drilling equipment since 1935. One of the products Tee Jay offers is rebuilt TCI button bits, which can help reduce footage cost. Pictured is a 7 7/8-inch with 4 1/2-inch API pin...

Extractor hammer. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... The Holte extractor hammer is a pneumatic hammer, and the outer sleeve of the extractor is a reciprocating weight that weighs 145 pounds. It cycles quickly like a down-hole hammer and has a 4 1/2-inch API thread at each end. With subs, it can...

Rotary drilling bits. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... Mills Machine Co. offers the Milclaw and Kenclaw rotary drilling bits for the water well, blast hole mining, construction and shallow oil drilling industries. The strong KenClaw body is inside the gage cut to allow for fluid passage. The...

DTH hammers. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... Secoroc started manufacturing rock drilling tools in 1870, and introduced its first down-the-hole (DTH) hammers and bits to the drilling industry in the mid 1960s. Since then Secoroc has made numerous innovations to its DTH products, such as...

Deep well drilling. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... Designed to deliver a fast rate of penetration, Halco's new Deep Well 600 and Deep Well 880 hammers have completed an 18-month test market and now are available nationwide. While this rate should not be considered typical, a rate exceeding 300...

Percussion drill bit. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If the rock a contractor is drilling exceeds 20,000-psi compressive strength, Epley Enterprises Inc. recommends using its Rockbuster bit. The Rockbuster design combines three distinctly different face angles with a special grade of carbide, a...

Hole openers. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).
March 1, 2002... Bit Brokers International has exported quality products to drillers in 24 countries for over 10 years. The company's tricone hole openers are built to specification, and Bit Brokers can quote hole openers with new/unused surplus or rebuilt...

TCI rerun bits. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Shown is an example of the high-quality, 22-inch TCI rerun bits that KS Bit has in stock. The company also has rerun and re-tipped mill tooth bits, new tooth bits and carbide insert roller bits. KS Bit carries hammers and hammer bits, hole...

[0] Hole openers. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(T and T Carbide's rotary hole opener products)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... T & T Carbide prides itself on the quality and workmanship of its tri-cone rotary hole openers. The company has manufactured single, double or triple stage hole openers for more than 25 years. Custom built for each application, they can be...

DTH bits. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... New from Percussion Bit & Tool are down-the-hole bits in sizes from 3 5/8 inches to 9 inches. These hammers are available for many popular hammers. Percussion also carries a full line of threaded bits. Card No. 269

Percussive drilling hammer. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Driltech Mission utilizes mirror-impact technology in its Mission 6 DTH percussive drilling hammer. The hammer's piston and drill bit shapes help optimize the drilling process, and the Mission 6 requires no bit foot valve, no make up rings and...

Threaded rock bits. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Hutchens Bit Service Inc. began serving customers nearly 30 years ago and continues to serve many industries worldwide, such as oil fields, mining, quarries and directional drilling. It carries an extensive line of products, including threaded...

Pipe ramming tools. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... TT Technologies has developed several pipe ramming techniques to help prevent and salvage failed directional drilling bores. Properly configured Grundoram pipe rammers can be used to salvage product pipe after a failed bore, remove stuck drill...

Application-tailored hammer. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... When drillers need downhole drills made for their individual applications, Drillmaster brings them the Earthquake hammer line. The Earthquake line does not use the standard family approach used by other manufacturers. Each hammer is matched in...

Durable hammer. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Eastern Driller's Mfg. Co. manufactures a complete line of down-the-hole drilling hammers and replacement parts that will drill from a 4- to 20-inch hole in hard rock. The company's patented CF6A hammer is its fastest hammer and is designed for...

Hollow stem augers. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Little Beaver lightweight hollow stem augers are designed for easy sampling and soil testing. They come with bodies and blades of steel, which are hardcased for durability. Customers can choose replaceable cutting blade inserts of hardfaced...

Drag bits. (Product Showcase - Drill Bits/Augers/Hammers).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Palmer Bit Co. makes step and chevron type one-piece drag bits in three- or four-wing styles. Available sizes range from 3 7/8 inches to 26 inches. These bits are designed to have excellent rates, low cost per foot and high durability in...

Fostering Independence.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... I recently have become involved in a project that illustrates why dependence on big government ain't such a good idea. Especially when it comes to government water systems. You probably remember the story in the news concerning the...

It's ok to get mad. (Portfolio: The business management files).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... People who think anger in the office is unprofessional can seriously sabotage themselves and their company. That's the word from Dr. Gilds Carle. Since anger is a natural response to certain situations, burying it inside can lead to even bigger...

No-cost marketing. (Portfolio: The business management files).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Marketing communications expert Pete Silver offer some no-cost marketing ideas that you might be able to put to use at your firm. * When preparing brochures and Web site content, highlight problems and present solutions. You'll be seen as a...

Workout for the brain. (Portfolio: The business management files).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... If you want to keep your brain fit, it isn't enough just to do the Jumble puzzle in the newspaper. Researchers believe that the most effective way to keep the old noodle in top shape is to do activities that pull you out of routines and expose...

MIT investigates water treatments.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) project that aims to help provide clean drinking water for people in developing countries began with an extraordinary conference, which had participants who included an MIT engineer, the queen of...

Tap water study criticized.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A recent report that says some tap water in cities across the nation contains chlorine byproducts that could be harmful, particularly to pregnant women, continues to draw comment from the water industry. The American Water Works Association...

Combine leadership and management skills.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... To be successful in today's industry, a combination of both leadership and management skills is required. That sounds easy, but there is one problem -- leadership and management are two separate skills. Leadership is changing for better...

It's time to give back. (As I See It).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Those of us who have been fortunate enough to spend our lives in the drilling industry often sit around trade shows and meetings bemoaning the fact not enough young people are coming into the industry. The way most of us see it, when we're...

"Just typical winter conditions". (Out in the Field).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A homeowner in the northern Illinois town of Wadsworth had a problem with his existing well and a contractor of dubious professionalism chose to remedy the problem through continuous dumping of chlorine into the well. In the short amount of...

Watersheds to receive grants. (Legislative Update).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... President Bush will include $21 million in his 2003 budget for a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiative to protect, preserve and restore waterways across the county. EPA Administrator Christie Whitman announced the effort during a...

Percholrate risks assesed. (Legislative Update).(by EPA)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The EPA recently released a revised draft risk assessment of ammonium perchlorate, a component of solid rocket fuel. The EPA recommended limiting perchlorate in drinking water to nearly undetectable levels earlier this year, determining the...

Bush signs Brownfields bill. (Legislative Update).(The Brownfields Reform and Small Business Liability Relief Act)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... President Bush recently signed a bill to reform the laws governing redevelopment of brownfields. The Brownfields Reform and Small Business Liability Relief Act is intended to encourage the cleanup and redevelopment of lightly contaminated...

Cryptosporidium standards are strengthened for small systems. (Legislative Update).(EPA recently strengthened drinking water requirements)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... EPA recently strengthened drinking water requirements to protect an additional 18 million Americans served by 11,000 small drinking water systems from crystosporidium and other disease causing microorganisms. For those smaller drinking water...

Ballot to include water projects. (Legislative Update).(the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Metropolitan Water District's board of directors has endorsed a campaign to place a $3.4-million water bond on the November ballot to provide funds for water-related projects throughout California. If it qualifies for the ballot and is...

States reach tentative agreement. (Legislative Update).(Alabama, Georgia and Florida agree on sharing water)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Alabama, Georgia and Florida have reached a tentative agreement for sharing water from the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river system. Officials said it appears to meet their future growth needs through 2050. The AP reported the...

Funding opened to NY nonprofits. (Legislative Update).(lead by New York Governor George Pataki)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... New York Gov. George Pataki is expanding the state's Clean Water State Revolving Fund to provide nonprofit organizations with a low cost way to fund land acquisition projects that protect water quality. The fund's low interest rate financing...

Runoff rules proposed. (Legislative Update).(to Wisconsin's Department of Natural Resources)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, new rules proposed in Wisconsin for keeping polluted stormwater runoff out of lakes and streams recently went for final review by the state's Department of Natural Resources (DNR). DNR...

EPA, MDEQ reach agreement. (Legislative Update).(Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the EPA form standards)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The state of Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the EPA recently reached an agreement on protecting waterways from manure and other wastes from concentrated animal feeding operations, known as CAFOs. Under the plan,...

Official stresses need for Water Legislation. (Legislative Update).(Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David E. Hess)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Department of Environmental Protection Secretary David E. Hess recently appeared before the Joint Legislative Air and Water Pollution and Conservation Committee's monthly issues forum to stress the need for new legislation to protect water...

Show returns after three years. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Get ready to experience the largest trade show in the Western Hemisphere for the construction, aggregates and ready mixed concrete industries. Taking place in Las Vegas from March 19-23, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2002 will be the gathering place for...

State debates security discussions. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Missouri lawmakers. are debating a proposal that would close water supply and sewer security plan meetings to the public. In response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Rep. Randall Relford proposed a bill that would allow public agencies,...

Polluted drinking water suit. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Residents of Camden, NJ., who were supplied drinking water from a contaminated well field that is now a federal Superfund site are gearing up for legal action. Attorneys sent letters to Camden officials and the Pennsauken Sanitary Landfill --...

Get more out of your day. (Portfolio).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... We've all said it: "There just aren't enough hours in the day," or "I can't believe it's 4 o'clock already." It's that frustrating feeling that we never have enough time to accomplish everything we need to do, let alone the things we really...

Effective coaching today. (Portfolio).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Simply supervising by command doesn't work too well anymore. Organizational and personal development consultant Harry Gaines tells us that it's best to be coaching, empowering and supporting team members. Some of Gaines' recommendations: *...

Get out those calendars. (Portfolio).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... While St. Patrick's Day certainly is among the calendar's most elite dates (March 17); it does not qualify as a legal holiday. Perhaps someday March 18 will legally be declared National Recovery Day, but for now, the sad fact is that March is...

Drillers can help ease contamination anxiety.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... After seeing recent media accounts about TCE tainting private wells in DuPage County, Ill., MTBE polluting the water supply in Pascoag, RI., and arsenic levels reaching 500 times the federal standard in East Helena, Mont., it's easy to figure...

Seven offbeat marketing ideas: Defy conventional wisdom, and you just might break from the pack.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... When competition is ruthless and everyone offers more or less the same services and abilities, it's hard to separate from the pack. So once in a while, it just might pay to do something that defies conventional wisdom. Here are some ideas. ...

Meat processing discharge. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Evironmenta1 Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing new wastewarer discharge limits for poultry processing facilities and revised wastewater discharge limits for large meat processing facilities. These limits would reduce pollutants, particularly...

Consolidated association elects its 2002 officers. (Newscope).(Association of Equipment Manufacturers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Gerard Geraghty, president-speciality equipment of IR Co., Annadale, NJ., and Gary MacDonald, executive vice president of MacDon Industries, Winnipeg, Manitoba, have been elected co-chairmen of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM)....

Martians in Idaho hot spring? (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist Frank Chapelle and his colleagues from the USGS and the University of Massachusetts have discovered a potential analog for life on other planets. The scientists discovered a unique community of...

Customers can sue utilities. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... A recent state Supreme Court decision said that Californians can sue state-regulated water companies for damages, but only if they can prove the companies violated state or federal drinking water standards. According to an article in the...

Economical public-private water purchase arranged. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The San Diego water department has made a deal with Richmond, Calif.-based Western Water Co. to transfer more than 6,400 acre-feet of water (an acre-foot is approximately enough water to supply two families of four for one year). The water...

New contaminant shuts wells. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Nine drinking water wells have been shut down in Orange County because of state concerns over a new contaminant, though levels detected so far are too low to present a public-health threat, according to an Orange County Register report. ...

Accepting on behalf. (Newscope).(Lori Tindle of Gestrin Well Drilling)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Shawn Foster, representing Atlas Casing Drivers and FOSTCO, presents Larry Tindle, husband of Lori Tindle of Gestrin Well Drilling (Donnelly, Idaho), a pearl necklace, bracelet and earrings that Lori won in a drawing at the 2002 Idaho...

Putting water back in the ground. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The water supply for the city of Wichita in south-central Kansas currently comes from two primary sources -- the Wichita well field in northern Sedgwick and southwestern Harvey Counties and Cheney Reservoir in southeastern Reno County....

D&L Thomas joins up with Schramm. (Newscope).(D and L Thomas Equipment Corp.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The D&L Thomas Equipment Co. is proud to announce that it has joined with Schramm Inc. as its exclusive New York and New England states distributor for all Rotadrill machines, parts and accessories. D&L is a large dealer of drilling...

Underground water is contaminated by corpses. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Scientists studying a graveyard in Wolverhampton, England, have found that water is being contaminated underground by bacteria from decaying bodies, according to an article from the BBG's Web site (www.bbc.co.uk). The discovery is the result of...

A little mud history. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... In 1900, while drilling an oil well in Spindletop, Texas, workers ran a herd of cattle through a pit filled with water. The mud that resulted was pumped into the borehole. While drilling fluids still are called mud, engineers no longer rely...

Water for New England Patriots. (Newscope).(Applied Water Management Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Applied Water Management Inc. (AWM) has been awarded a 20-year contract to operate the wastewater treatment and recycling system for CMGi Field, the new home of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots., being constructed in Foxboro, Mass.,...

Children's Festival. (Newscope).(Groundwater Foundation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Festival Expedition, a conference to teach people how to host a children's water event, will be March 18-19 in Grand Island, Neb. Expedition is a wraparound conference associated with the Children's Groundwater. Festival. Both events are hosted...

Submersible Water Pump Manual. (Newscope).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Water Systems Council announces the release of the 4th edition of its "Large Submersible Water Pump Manual." First released in 1986, the manual is a prime reference book for agricultural, municipal and industrial specifying and consulting...

Neat and orderly pays dividends.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Contractor offices are not known for their neatness or orderliness. Since you typically visit your customers at their homes or businesses, maybe that's OK. Or is it really OK to have a messy, disorganized office? What are the consequences;...

EPA amends coal mine regulations. (Newscope).(United States Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... EPA is releasing new effluent guidelines to reclaim abandoned mine sites and to better protect environmental quality around mines in the western and Appalachian states. The guidelines for these sites will provide incentives to remine abandoned...

Pesticides in drinking water. (Newscope).(National Water-Quality Assessment Program)(United States Environmental Protection Agency)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently completed a two-year pilot monitoring program for assessment of pesticide concentrations in drinking water. The program was designed as...