National Driller articles from May 2005

National Driller archives from May 2005

There might be hope for the future after all.(For Openers)
May 1, 2005... It's press time--at least I think so; I probably should check first with the Senate or Supreme Court just to make sure. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] My disdain of politics, politicians and political processes--necessary evils all--is such...

Constant pressure systems.(Tech Topics)
May 1, 2005... During the last several years, our industry has seen a lot of hype about constant pressure systems. Some of the information has come from the manufacturers of pump systems with variable speed motors, and some from manufacturers of constant...

Let's stop yakking ourselves to death: friends don't let friends mix phone calls with driving.(Smart Business)
May 1, 2005... Aw, c'mon, don't be such a killjoy. Let your drivers have a few belts while making job site runs. It would help their working days fly by faster! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I'm kidding, of course. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Nobody in...

Coming events.(Calendar)
May 1, 2005... MAY 2-6 GEFCO Resource Drilling Fundamentals Seminar Enid, Okla. Phone: 580-234-4141 www.gefco.com 5-7 Florida Ground Water Association Convention And Tradeshow Orlando Phone: 863-293-5710 www.fgwa.org ...

Recollections: drilling, blasting and hydrofracturing.(From the "Green Jackets")
May 1, 2005... Editor's note: This is the inaugural column for the master ground water contractors--also known as the "green jackets." During the coming months, the "From the Green Jackets" column will host the articles of different drilling contractors who...

Dual-capacity compressor.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Keystone Drill Services presents its dual-capacity compressor. Providing 1,350 cfm/350 psi to 1,150 cfm/500 psi, this unit is packaged with a Caterpillar C-16 Engine, heavy-duty oil field skid, field-repairable Mesabi compressor oil cooler,...

Hydraulic planetary winches.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Pullmaster Winch Corp. presents hyd-raulic planetary winches with a bare drum line pull range of 1,100 pounds to 85,000 pounds. The "Plane-matic" range of hydraulic planetary drives provides an output torque range of 50,000 pound/inches to...

Well drilling lubricant.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Merrill Mfg. Co. offers Bestolife Copper Lube well drilling lubricant. Product features include 10 percent to 11 percent copper flake, pressure and corrosion additives, anti-wear additives, and a low temperature brushability of -49 degrees F....

Well rehabilitation system.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... The Model WF-3K65 Well-Frac from Flatwater Fleet is a self-contained well rehabilitation system providing the capability for hydrofracturing, jet nozzle development and rehabilitation, air lift pumping, acidizing, test pumping and water...

Water level stabilizer.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Subgard International manufactures subgards, mechanical products to be installed in line above submersible pumps. Used to stabilize water level and increase product recovery, subgards should require no adjustments, wires or maintenance....

Clay and shale stabilizer.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Baroid Industrial Drilling Products Introduces EZ-MUD GOLD clay and shale stabilizer. EZ-MUD GOLD beaded polymer, when added to a Baroid gel slurry, is said to yield an inhibitive drilling fluid system while maintaining manageable and effective...

Well cleaning brush.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Cotey Chemical Corp. offers a brush designed to be used with its well cleaning products. It is an all-purpose brush for use in casing and screen and can be used on cable or pipe as well. Self-cleaning, the brush allows scale particles to flush...

Mats feature slip-resistant finish.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... AlturnaMats' Ground Protection VersaMats feature a new slip-resistant finish designed to provide worker protection when the mats are used in muddy or wet conditions. The MacroGrip mat finish is said to virtually eliminate slipping. AlturnaMats...

Inflatable packers.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... The inflatable packers from Kyle Equipment Co. are available from 4 1/2-inches O.D. to 7 1/2-inches O.D. and cover a range of well diameters from 4 1/2 inches to 12 inches. Each inflatable packer will inflate to 1.5 times the original packer...

Air/N2 booster.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... The 6T-276-44B/4000 Air/N2 booster from Hurricane Compressors is available in two-, three- or four-stage configurations with capacities from 500 scfm to 1,000 scfm. With an operating speed of 1,200 rpm to 1,800 rpm, it provides suction...

Pick-up pump.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... The Sand Guzzler is a submersible, hydraulic-driven, pick-up pump designed for the mud drillers. This pump will lift 1 gpm to 500 gpm of return drilling mud to a shaker or tank. It will lift solids in the mud as large as 1 inch, and it won't...

Thermally conductive grout.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... CETCO's Geothermal Grout is a blend of high-solids bentonite that can be mixed with sand in a two-part thermally conductive grout. Developed to heighten the performance of ground source heat loop applications, Geothermal Grout is suitable for...

Ground cover mats.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... SVE Sales Inc. offers TrakMats ground cover mats. UV-protected and said to be impervious to heat or cold, these mats are composed of 1/2-inch thick polyethylene, are designed to withstand the weight of heavy work trucks, and come with hand...

Hydraulic-drive duplex mud pump.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Centerline Manufacturing offers the Centerline 7 1/2-inch by 10-inch hydraulic-drive duplex mud pump. This mud pump is said to pump twice the rated flow at more than twice the rated pressure. There are three models available: monopumps, rated...

Self-contained viewing system.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... The Well Vu by Nature Vision Inc. is a self-contained viewing system for well or other downhole applications that reads to 1/10 of a foot. Features include a 1 1/2-inch diameter camera, rheostat-controlled lights on the camera, on-screen...

Pipe centralizer system.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... The kwik-ZIP centralizer system uses fully adjustable segments designed to be easy to store and transport. The system comes in two sizes: 155-series for pipe 2 inches and larger, and 380-series for pipe 6 inches and larger. kwik-ZIP USA, Card...

DC welder/AC generator.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... This hydraulically driven DC welder/AC generator from Fabco Power is a two-generators-in-one package. The unit is rated at 240 amps DC, 6,000 watts AC, and requires 11 gpm at 2,500 psi to operate. Measuring 15 inches by 15 inches by 27 inches,...

New 4-inch water pressure tank.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... In-Well Technologies Inc. presents the No Tank. This 4-inch water pressure tank is designed to be installed directly into a 4-inch well casing or larger, replacing conventional style tank installations. The No Tank eliminates the need for...

Safety hook.(Product Showcase: "Drilling Accessories")
May 1, 2005... Rockford Rigging Inc. offers the BKLK Safety hook made by Gunnebo Johnson Co. The BKLK has built-in features like the ball-bearing eye that allows the hook to swivel under a load. The safety latch closes automatically under load, making the...

Removing arsenic from drinking water supplies.(Water Treatment Topics)
May 1, 2005... Few U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decisions have caused as much controversy as the adoption of the new standard for arsenic in drinking water. Some say the new standard is not low enough, given the health impacts of arsenic, while...

Looking for a few good people.
May 1, 2005... The sentiment, "They just don't make good people anymore," has been expressed by every succeeding generation since Adam and Eve complained about Cain and Abel. The next generation always is--in the eyes of their elders--less motivated, less...

Environmental responsibilities of drilling contractors.
May 1, 2005... For drilling contractors who perform their work in remote, untouched locations and environmentally restrictive sites, an environmental management system is critical. From site set-up through the drilling operation and teardown, a drilling...

ISO 14001 certification.
May 1, 2005... In today's global marketplace of increased competition, government regulation and community expectations, the need to maintain a comprehensive quality system is a major focus of any forward-thinking company. This focus on quality is broadening...

Another strong show in Virginia.
May 1, 2005... It was fast-paced and business-like at the Virginia Water Well Association's Winter Conference and Trade Show earlier this year in Roanoke, Va. Nearly 450 well drillers, pump installers and exhibitors attended--another record turnout for the...

Water crisis looms as glaciers retreat.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... Himalayan glaciers are among the fastest retreating glaciers globally due to the effects of global warming, and this will eventually result in water shortages for hundreds of millions of people who rely on glacier-dependent rivers in China,...

Mountain Hydrofracture joins the party--Part 1.
May 1, 2005... Describing the division of responsibilities at the three-person operation known as Mountain Hydrofracture, managing partner Mike McGinn tells us, "I run the rig. I don't have a CDL nor do I intend to get one. We have a guy who drives the rig...

New CSDA officers.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association (CSDA) elected Susan Hollingsworth the first woman president in the organization's 33-year history at its recent annual convention. Hollingsworth is a veteran of both the industry and the...

Boost to private ownership.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... The case for private ownership of water systems was strengthened recently in Pekin, Ill., when the Appellate Court of Illinois upheld the Illinois Commerce Commission's (ICC) decision that the continued ownership of the water system in Pekin by...

A successful show for IAGP.
May 1, 2005... Drilling contractors from all over the state of Illinois converged on Peoria, Ill., this past February 17-18 for the Illinois Association of Groundwater Professionals' 2005 Annual Meeting and Expo. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The historic...

Water is key to disaster response.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... If there have been no major outbreaks of disease in areas hit by this past winter's tsunami, it is largely as a result of the rapid deployment of specialist water and sanitation teams in the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the...

Michigan hosts a solid convention.
May 1, 2005... Contractors from the Great Lake State gathered in Lansing, Mich., earlier this spring for the 77th Michigan Ground Water Association (MGWA) Convention. The MGWA hosted more than 600 people for this year's event. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

McDermott celebrates 60th dealer meeting.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... A. I. McDermott Co.'s annual customer meeting is held the second Tuesday of February in Oshkosh, Wis. The objective of the annual event is to bring together McDermott's dealers--the professional water well, on-site wastewater, water treatment,...

Your company's image in the community.
May 1, 2005... Carefully conceived community relations programs generate local awareness and positive images of your company. Successful programs increase your personal stature in the community, too. That'll pump up your own feelings of achievement. A good...

Ground Water Protector Awards.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... United States Senator Richard Durbin (D-Illinois) and U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-Missouri) have received the 2005 Ground Water Protector Award by the National Ground Water Association (NGWA). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The...

Atlas Copco strengthens presence.(NewScope)
May 1, 2005... Atlas Copco has received approval from the Chinese authorities to convert its 92 percent equity joint venture, Nanjing Atlas Copco Construction Machinery Ltd., into a 100 percent Wholly Foreign Owned Enterprise (WFOE), owned by Atlas Copco...

Moving from monitoring to prediction: national assessment of nitrate in ground water.
May 1, 2005... Sampling water from wells is undoubtedly the most direct and reliable method for collecting information about the quality of ground water. To successfully manage our nation's ground water resources, however, we cannot rely on monitoring alone....

Nitrate contamination model.
May 1, 2005... In the U.S. Geological Survey model of nitrate contamination in shallow ground water across the United States, increased likelihood or risk of nitrate contamination is associated with increases in nitrogen inputs (or "how much nitrogen is...

The used rig market.(The World According to Wayne)
May 1, 2005... Buying a rig always has been a fairly stressful occasion for the average driller. I can think of the rigs I've bought over the years and I always wondered if I was buying the right rig, if I was paying too much, if the rig would do the work I...

Water analysis instrument.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... LaMotte Co. introduces its compact water analysis instrument designed for precision measurements of turbidity, chlorine and color. The TC-3000 is equipped with a microprocessor to drive an optical system that permits EPA- or ISO-compliant...

Adsorption treatment technology.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... MEDIA G2 from Sunshine Water Treatment is an iron-based adsorption treatment technology for removing arsenic from ground water for potable use. The technology involves adsorption of arsenic onto the MEDIA G2 filter media as water passes through...

4-inch submersible motor.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... Franklin Electric offers 4-inch stainless submersible motors that do not require a flow-inducer sleeve in water up to 86 degrees F for motors through 2 HP. Two-wire motors are split-phase designs with integral starting components and on-winding...

Replacement cartridge filters.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... The Murdock Co. produces a full line of continuous-wound cartridge filters for any fluid. Available in lengths between 3 inches and 72 inches, the cartridges offer micron ratings from 0.5 to 350. The two materials of construction (core and...

Full line of pumps.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... A wide range of sump, sewage and utility pumps manufactured by Superior Pump are available from American Granby Inc. The comprehensive line includes submersible utility pumps, submersible sump pumps, pedestal sump pumps, submersible sewage...

Sulfur odor removal.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... The Simplus System from Master Water Conditioning Corp. uses a manganese-based filtration media to oxidize and then trap the precipitated sulfur. The system automatically starts a regeneration process of backwashing and then rinsing to remove...

Submersible pump cable.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... Type THW-twisted unjacketed submersible pump cable from Service Wire Co. features solid or stranded copper conductors individually insulated with a type THW polyvinyl chloride (PVC) compound. The product is intended for use within the well...

Filter bodies.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... The K-Series filter bodies from Omnipure Filter Co. feature Quick-Connect compression fittings. This series offers an expanded selection of body sizes, including a corresponding housing for reverse osmosis membranes. K-Series bodies are...

Inflatable packers.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... Inflatable packers for hydrofracturing from TAM International feature a 4.75-inch O.D. inflation element, which utilizes a steel cable reinforcement laid on a bias to the tool axis. The cable reinforcement is wound in both directions for the...

Downhole tools offered.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... Tube Technologies manufactures a complete line of downhole tooling for all makes and models of water well drilling rigs. Our drill pipe and tooling is manufactured to OEM specification or custom-designed, if preferred. The products are...

Pipe spinning.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... The Model 41B spinner from Rauch Manufacturing Inc. features two hardened--steel, serrated power rollers. One idle roller is designed to handle sizes 7/8-inch to 4 1/2-inch drill pipe, casing and galvanized pipe. This spinner handles 1,000 psi...

Wagon drill available.(Product Info)
May 1, 2005... TEI Rock Drills offers the WD100 wagon drill. It is a gas/hydraulic-powered drill that has hydraulic third-wheel tramming. The WD100 is designed for installation of geothermal loops, blast holes in small quarries and small water wells. This...

Mexico to pay its water debt.(Legislative Update)
May 1, 2005... U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced that an agreement has been arranged for Texas to receive billions of gallons of water it is owed by Mexico. The accord ends a 12-year water-rights dispute that, in the past, has...

Senate votes to open Alaska to oil drilling.(Legislative Update)
May 1, 2005... The U.S. Senate recently voted to open the Alaska Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Drilling supporters acknowledged after the vote that for the refuge development to get final approval, Congress still must pass a final budget with the...

Florida lawmakers look at alternative treatments.(Legislative Update)
May 1, 2005... In Florida, legislation has been proposed to put emphasis on creating alternative water sources and to clarify the role of water management districts in helping to pay for and build water treatment plants. Alternative water treatments in...

Plan: farmers getting paid for not irrigating.(Legislative Update)
May 1, 2005... Nebraska officials have devised a plan to conserve water by reducing ground water and surface water irrigation. Under the program, Nebraska farmers living along the Republican and Platte rivers from the Wyoming border to central Nebraska will...

Lee Electrical Construction rises to the challenge: this North Carolina company pushes ahead in horizontal directional drilling.(Drilling Fluids)
May 1, 2005... As the horizontal directional drilling industry matures, contractors are accomplishing projects that are longer, larger in diameter, and increasingly complex. Many projects accomplished today by mid-size rigs (50,000 pounds to 100,000 pounds of...

Small and mini-drills.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
May 1, 2005... Many people laugh at the small mini-drills and the manufacturers that build them, however, they do fill a great need. When it is impossible to get a large machine into a backyard, up a mountain, into isolated locations, on a small island or in...

Acker delivers at trade show.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... Doug Walker (left) of M & R Soil Investigations, Egg Harbor, N.J., takes delivery of an Acker XLS at the Maryland/Delaware water well show. With Walker is Tom Miller of Acker Drill. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Please send Trading Post...

Earth Matters receives a SIMCO.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... Mike Willey and Paul VanDoren at Earth Matters, Baltimore, accept another new SIMCO EP200 at the Maryland/Delaware water well show. Equipped with a long-stroke mast and mounted on a John Deere Pro Gator, this unit will be used for probing and...

Bill Van De Yacht purchases new Flatwater Fleets.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... Bill Van De Yacht Drilling, De Pere, Wis., has purchased its second and third units from Flatwater Fleet Inc. Both units are 2,500-gallon RTT-Rig Tenders equipped with internal coating, cargo winches, custom deck options and custom mud track...

Horner buys from Higgins.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... Rick Horner of Horner Well Drilling, Madera, Calif., has purchased this 1980 Midway 13M from Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky. His unit is equipped with a 256S2 Leroi compressor, 3-by-4 mud pump, four hydraulic jacks and is mounted on 1980...

Goold buys sixth Flatwater Fleet.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... W. Gordon Goold Inc., Valatia, N.Y., has purchased its sixth unit from Flatwater Fleet Inc. This 2,100-gallon RTT-Rig Tender came equipped with internal coating, the standard 230-gallon divided fuel tank with optional air-operated fuel pump,...

McCarty gets a Smeal.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... Brett McCarty (right) of McCarty Drilling & Pump of Rathdrum, Idaho, picked up his new Smeal 6T hydraulic pump hoist at the NGWA convention in Las Vegas. Brent Thiemer of Mitchell Water and Waste, Wilsonville, Ore., sold the unit. ...

New Schramm for Geothermal EarthWorks.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... Geothermal EarthWorks Inc., Bowling Green, Ky., takes delivery of a new Schramm T450WS Rotadrill. Shown with the rig: Schramm sales representative Chuck Dolby, along with Les Miller, Mike Corbin and Brad Cross of Geothermal EarthWorks. ...

Higgins sells to Fisch Environmental.(Trading Post)
May 1, 2005... David Fisch, Fisch Environmental, Valley Springs, Calif., purchased this 1998 Ingersoll Rand T3W from Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky. Fisch's rig, mounted on a 1999 International truck, is equipped with a 900/350 compressor, 3-by-4 mud pump...

Atlas Copco marketplace.(PREOWNED EQUIPMENT)
May 1, 2005... 1998 IR T4W S/N 6314 Mounted on CCC powered with a Cummins 300 HP LT10 engine, 8 speed Fuller transmission, jake brake, QSK 19C 600 HP deck engine, HR2.5 1070/350, worm gear head, std pullback, 18 GPM Bean water injection pump, 4-1/2" X...