National Driller articles from November 2006

National Driller archives from November 2006

Latest research produces a chlorine-friendly RO system.(News and Notes at Press Time)
November 1, 2006... The problem of separating salt from water has long been solved by forcing the water through a polyamide membrane in a process called reverse osmosis (RO). However, the water can't be disinfected with chlorine because it degrades polyamide...

Quickie legislative report.(News and Notes at Press Time)
November 1, 2006... Here we offer the Reader's Digest-version of our usual "Legislative Update" department, compiled by the versatile and talented Caroline Mims. Safe Water Goal Lowered -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) water officials are...

Upcoming industry events.(News and Notes at Press Time)(Calendar)
November 1, 2006... November 1-3 Groundwater Foundation Annual Conference East Lansing, Mich. 800-858-4844 www.groundwater.org 2-4 California Groundwater Association Convention & Trade Show Lake Tahoe, Nev. 707-578-4408 ...

Needs some work.(News and Notes at Press Time)
November 1, 2006... Derelict water well drilling rig near Estancia, N.M. Photo courtesy of laphroaig.uhnet.net. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

New drill bit technology--the Deep Trek program.
November 1, 2006... Rate of penetration (ROP) is a major issue in deep wells. Low ROP (e.g., 3-5 ft./hour) primarily is a result of the high compressive strength of the highly overburdened formations encountered at greater depths. Initially, the tricone bits with...

Hiring and retaining good employees: is it ethical to "steal" people from competitors?(Smart Business)
November 1, 2006... Year after year, company after company, industry after industry, I keep hearing business owners tell me the biggest problem they have is finding good employees. I don't have any magical solutions to offer, but a little common sense might...

Sealing the wellhead: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
November 1, 2006... One of the most important aspects of installing a water well system is to provide a method of protecting the wellhead so that surface water, debris, insects and vermin do not enter the well. There are two primary methods used to provide...

Innovation keys sound barrier project.(Project Profile)
November 1, 2006... In order to construct a concrete sound barrier around Interstate 695 (the Baltimore beltway), JTE Inc. of Lorton, Va., was required to drill 300 pile holes 24 inches and 30 inches in diameter. To accomplish this, a two-step drilling procedure...

What influences the quality of ground water? "Pure" water does not exist. All natural water contains some dissolved gases and minerals. Ground water quality is influenced by the chemical make-up of the geologic formations in which it occurs, and the length of time that it has been underground.(Water Conditioning)
November 1, 2006... Overall, ground water is cleaner and purer than surface water. Most ground water moves very slowly, and its long travel time in a dark, cool environment means that it has few, if any, of the millions of microorganisms that virtually always are...

Deck engine-powered drill.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: AIR ROTARY RIGS)
November 1, 2006... Laibe Corp. introduces its new Versa-Drill model V-1040DP, a compact deck engine-powered drill (CAT C15 540 HP) that is light in weight (46,000 lbs). And provides 40,000 pounds of top-head pullback. It also features an Ingersoll-Rand HR2...

Rig with programmable controls.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: AIR ROTARY RIGS)
November 1, 2006... Schramm Inc. offers the T455i Rotadrill equipped with i-Control. The "i-Control" is a programmable drilling control that features a digital display to monitor drilling performance, engine operation, and diagnostic and maintenance requirements....

New drill features.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: AIR ROTARY RIGS)
November 1, 2006... The LEGEND series of drills from REICH-drill now boasts new features. These new features are said to include more user-friendly hydraulic controls, a digital fan-speed controller and display module for electronic engines. They are designed to...

Customizable drill rig.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: AIR ROTARY RIGS)
November 1, 2006... The GEFCO SpeedStar 50K has equipment options to handle several types of drilling methods. The rig can be customized with options such as casing hammer packages, mud pumps, etc. Standard features include a single pipe loader, six-pod carousel,...

Truck-mounted, top-drive drill.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: AIR ROTARY RIGS)
November 1, 2006... Sandvik Mining and Construction presents the T25KW. This air rotary drill is a truck-mounted, top-drive drill with a 1,000-cfm/350-psi air package. Coupled with Sandvik hammers and bits, this rig is designed to provide maximum performance and...

Dual Rotary rig.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: AIR ROTARY RIGS)
November 1, 2006... Foremost Dual Rotary (DR) rigs feature two independent rotary drives. This means that the drill string can advance ahead, behind or flush with the casing. Simultaneous drilling and casing occurs with no need for casing hammers, under-reamers or...

Sizing a well pump.
November 1, 2006... Editor's note: This article from the Water Systems Council, while rather basic in approach for water professionals, serves as a good overview, presented in a way that many of your residential customers would find helpful to understand. ...

Selecting a pump for seawater reverse osmosis.
November 1, 2006... Reverse osmosis (RO) has become a significant process used in the purification of water. Selecting the correct pump is a significant step in a well-designed and properly operating system. Although the pump is a relatively small part of the...

Water well casing and screen selection: Part 5 of this article series addresses common well screen designs, including an overview of their use and their advantages and limitations.
November 1, 2006... Torch-cut Slots This is casing with vertical slots perforated by a cutting torch. Fortunately, this practice has fallen into disfavor, and is infrequently used today. The only reason for inclusion of such material in a water well is lack...

Carr-Dee gets to the bottom of it: more than half a century of site investigation and soil instrumentation.
November 1, 2006... Content not to mess with a good thing, Carr-Dee Corp. in Medford, Mass., has been going about its drilling business--serving the same market with the same professionalism--just like it did when it first started. Steve DeSimone, Carr-Dee's...

High-yield bentonite clay with additives.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
November 1, 2006... Hydraul-EZ from CETCO Drilling Products is high-yield 200-mesh bentonite clay with additives designed to maintain borehole integrity in unstable, poorly consolidated geological formations. These special additives are said to enhance the quality...

Mud system available.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
November 1, 2006... ProDrill Systems offers the MS 1000 mud system. The MS 1000 provides a 300-gpm scalping capacity and a 200-gpm desanding capacity. Featuring a 1,300-gallon system capacity, a John Deere engine and Gorman-Rupp pumps, this mud system is capable...

Variable-speed piston pump.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
November 1, 2006... The ChemGrout Rugged Series features a single-acting, variable-speed 3-inch piston pump that handles polymer bentonites, cement and geothermal grouts. A 45-gallon mixing tank, large holding hopper and centrally located controls allow a single...

High-yielding Bentonite viscosifier.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
November 1, 2006... Wyo-Ben Inc.'s Extra High Yield Bentonite is designed for use in mineral exploration, water well, and directional drilling operations. Extra High Yield Bentonite is said to be an efficient viscosifier that performs well in a variety of water...

Hydraulic mud pump.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
November 1, 2006... Centerline Manufacturing Co. offers a CLM 7 1/2-inch-by-10-inch duplex hydraulic mud pump. This piston mud pump provides 300-gpm displacement at 1,000 psi at 40 strokes per minute. Features include matched displacement ratios, a hydraulic...

Certified clay and shale stabilizer.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SOLIDS CONTROL)
November 1, 2006... Baroid Industrial Drilling Products' EZ-MUD GOLD clay and shale stabilizer is NSF/ANSI Standard 60-certified. EZ-MUD GOLD beaded polymer, when added to a QUIK-GEL or BORE-GEL slurry, is said to yield an inhibitive drilling fluid system while...

The three Ps of fishing.(The World According to Wayne)
November 1, 2006... Editor's note: This column originally appeared in the December 2005 issue. It covers some important safety and prevention aspects of the drilling business, and generated such a response that it seemed wise to run it again. I have been in...

Rough and Tumble--Part 2.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
November 1, 2006... Editor's note: This column is the second in a two-part series on the Rough and Tumble Engineers Historical Association exposition in Kinzers, Pa. The first installment appeared in the October 2006 issue. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It was...

ReBearth Products approaches geoexchange system loops from a different angle.(Drilling Fluids)
November 1, 2006... After several decades of technological improvements, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) has become one of the quickest and most cost-effective methods of installing anything from underground utilities to soil remediation systems, and the use...

Goulds awards college-bound scholars.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2006... They want to become a nurse, a doctor, a veterinarian, a teacher, an engineer, a missionary and a soldier. Some want to study abroad, work in the family business, start their own companies, raise a family, or "just do something special to help...

Pentair appointments.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2006... At Pentair Water Fluid Solutions Group, Neil Desmond has been named senior vice president and general manager; Linda Evans has been promoted to director of human resources; and Al Hamdan joins as director of marketing. [ILLUSTRATION...

HydroTech takes delivery.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... HydroTech of Anderson, Ind., recently obtained a new 9500-VTR AMS PowerProbe, which came complete with a mast-mounted auto drop hammer and a 1,200/2,400-ft.-lb. auger drive-head assembly. Shown taking delivery (l-r): John Flowers, Andy Rogers,...

Sandvik delivers to Virginia Well Drilling.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... Jerry Sherman of Sandvik Mining and Construction delivered a new T25K5W to long-time customer Virginia Well Drilling, Harrisonburg, Va., at the 2006 South Atlantic Water Well Drillers Jubilee in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Pictured in front of the rig:...

A SEMCO for Crowell Water Well Service.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... SEMCO Inc.'s James and Shirley Laurent, present at the 2006 South Atlantic Water Well Drillers Jubilee, are set to deliver a new pump hoist to Crowell Water Well Service, Claude, Texas. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Higgins sells to Quabbin Well Drilling.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... Scott Grondin from Quabbin Well Drilling, Belchertown, Mass., purchased this 1999 REICH-drill T650WII from Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky. This unit is equipped with 900/350 Sullair compressor, 3406 Cat deck engine, eight-rod carousel, and is...

Ohio Testbor chooses SIMCO.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... Don Hepner of Ohio Testbor Inc., Hinckley, Ohio, takes delivery of a new SIMCO 2800 HS (HT) drill rig. This PTO-powered unit is mounted on an F-550 4-by-4 and includes a 7,500-ft.-lb./0-670 RPM drillhead, a CME automatic hammer and a 3L8 moyno...

United Well acquires a SEMCO.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... A representative of United Well Completion, out of London, Ky., picks up the company's new S30,000 SEMCO pump hoist. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Preferred Drilling works with Rig Source.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... Rig Source Inc. delivers a truck-mounted Diedrich D-50 Turbo drill rig to Preferred Drilling Solutions in Clearwater, Fla. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Acosta does business with Higgins.(TRADING POST)
November 1, 2006... Higgins Rig Co., Hodgenville, Ky., sold this 1972 CME 45B to Randy Acosta, Cocoa, Fla. His rig is equipped with a 2L6 moyno mud pump, deck engine, and is mounted on 2000 Ford F550. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Global R & D Center in Singapore.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2006... GE Water & Process Technologies will invest $82 million over the next 10 years to establish a world-scale research and development center in Singapore. Comprising five Centers of Excellence, this R & D center will employ 100 top-tier...

African rig distributor tabbed.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2006... Terex Reedrill has named Diamond Motors Ltd. as the new distributor for all of its drilling product lines in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Diamond will represent Terex Reedrill by selling and supporting hydraulic track drills, the rotary drills,...