National Driller articles from November 2008

National Driller archives from November 2008

Geothermal tax credit signed into law--is widely commended.(News and Notes at Press Time)
November 1, 2008... The recent federal legislation signed into law to avert a national financial crisis also includes expansion of tax credits for homeowners and businesses installing qualified geothermal heat pump systems. The National Ground Water...

In memoriam.(News and Notes at Press Time)
November 1, 2008... Drilling industry veteran Mike Cowell died Aug. 18 in Limerick, Ireland, surrounded by his family; he was 68. Cowell is survived by his wife, Joan, daughters Linda and Debbie, son Alan, son-in-law Gary, and granddaughters Hayley and Alex. ...

Water treatment conference.(News and Notes at Press Time)(Conference news)
November 1, 2008... Treatment Approaches for Water Reuse 2008, offering a comprehensive overview of the latest technologies and treatments for water reuse and reclamation, as well as for compliant disposal of industrial wastewater, takes place Nov. 12-14, at the...

We've got mail--from Ernie Cook.(News and Notes at Press Time)
November 1, 2008... I have read your magazine for a good many years. Mostly, I drool over the big rigs, but I really enjoyed the articles on the old-time drilling (John Schmitt's recent "Let Me Tell Ya" columns), because for us, it sure wasn't old-time. It's down...

For the water treatment side of things.(SOFTWARE & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... WaterFlex for Windows from Nevada Computer is created for managing the water treatment side of your business. Features of the program include customer billing, service management, equipment tracking and histories, service reminders and...

Software for the ground water industry.(SOFTWARE & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... WellMagic software is a system designed specifically for the ground water industry. A single system manages customers, service locations, estimates, work orders and all accounts-receivable functions. In addition, it tracks all well maintenance...

Directional calculation and well planning package.(SOFTWARE & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... PathTracker is survey calculation software from Onscreen Software Solutions Ltd. This directional calculation and well planning package is said to offer simplified well planning with straight-line segment, two-dimensional segment and...

Software for well drillers and pump installers.(SOFTWARE & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... WellBiz from Hermit Software is designed exclusively for water well drillers and water pump system installers. The software is meant to complement your existing accounting system. Using a flexible template system, WellBiz can create well and...

Ground water modeling.(SOFTWARE & FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... GMS 6.5 software from RockWare Inc. provides software tools for every phase of a ground water simulation, including site characterization, model development, calibration, post-processing and visualization. The program's modular design enables...

Master the art of asking questions: gathering information is one of the most important business tasks.(Smart Business)
November 1, 2008... Most people think of being smart as knowing a lot of stuff. I have a different definition of smart - that is, knowing what it is that you don't know. Although the world is filled with self-styled know-it-alls, the truth is that nobody...

Coming events.(Calendar)
November 1, 2008... NOVEMBER 9-11 Association of Equipment Manufacturers Conference Scottsdale, Ariz. 414-274-0659 www.aem.org 11-12 Franklin Electric FranklinTech Single-Phase Seminar Wilburton, Okla. 800-348-2420 www.franklin-electric.com 11-12...

Rehabilitation of injection and extraction wells.
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] When performance monitoring data suggest decreases in injection or extraction well efficiency below acceptable levels, the well will require rehabilitation by chemical and/or mechanical means to return it to optimal...

What's up with drill bits?
November 1, 2008... I recently had the chance to speak with a couple of key players in the drill bit supply industry, and I asked them for a brief update on market conditions. Checking in from Benton, Ill., Eli Cox of KS Bit Inc.'s sales team, tells us that...

Google.org invests in geothermal technology.(GEOTHERMAL DRILLING TOPICS)
November 1, 2008... In the continuing effort to develop electricity from renewable energy cheaper than from coal, Google, through its philanthropic arm Google.org, announced $10.25 million in investments in a breakthrough energy technology called enhanced...

Geothermal drilling begins at Toledo Zoo.(GEOTHERMAL DRILLING TOPICS)
November 1, 2008... Geothermal drilling has begun on grounds of the Toledo Zoo in Ohio, as part of its commitment to keeping its energy costs down and employing sustainable technology in its building and renovation. The drilling, which began in September, will...

Sonic Drill Corp. wins award.(GEOTHERMAL DRILLING TOPICS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sonic Drill Corp. has won a national competition for the "best new drilling technology." The competition, hosted by the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition, examined a variety of geothermal drilling technologies. In...

Record-breaking ice core.
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A nearly 500-foot ice core recently pulled from the McCall Glacier in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge may offer researchers their first quantitative look at up to two centuries of climate change in the region....

Water level instruments.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... Water level instruments from In-Situ Inc. handle demanding well drilling projects - from intensive aquifer pumping tests to long-term monitoring. High-accuracy Level TROLL 700 and 500 instruments are designed for aquifer characterization,...

Probe rods and accessory tooling.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Geoprobe Systems offers 2.25-inch probe rods and accessory tooling, designed to provide stronger, longer life when used under Geoprobe 66 and 77 series subsurface machines. They are designed for added durability for...

Water level indicator.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... The Water Tape water level indicator from Heron Instruments Inc. is designed especially for drillers. With length options of 100 feet to 1,500 feet, this water-level indicator measures the depth of water in wells, boreholes and standpipes. It...

New style of hollow-stem augers.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AMS Inc. now provides the new G3 21/4- and 41/4-inch series hollow-stem augers. These augers feature a new inner hex and connection design that helps eliminate the chance of losing the timing of the auger alignment....

Direct-push multilevel monitoring system.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Suitable for direct-push installations, Solinst 3-Channel CMT Multilevel Systems provide assessors with depth-discrete soil-gas and ground water data in narrow applications. Bentonite cartridges fit over the 1.1-inch...

Magnetostrictive liquid level transmitters.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... K-TEK's AccuTrak AT100 and AT200 are magnetostrictive liquid level transmitters certified for operation in SIL 2 environments. Certified to the IEC 61508 standard, they help reduce risk in such applications as water/wastewater and refining....

New digital inclinometer system.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Coupled with the use of RST Instruments' inclinometer casing, the company's Digital MEMS Inclinometer System measures lateral earth movement, slope stability, landslides and embankments. Additional measurements can...

For measuring sand and other particulates.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whitewater Well provides a new portable, stand-alone monitor for measuring sand and other particulate concentrations in water lines. Designed for continuous operation without the need for routine cleaning or...

Satellite-direct communication.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Automata Inc. introduces the MINI-SAT field station, satellite-direct communication that provides remote monitoring and control. It can be centrally located in the field, at a pump station, or at a water-level...

Probes with built-in data-logging.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... Instrumentation Northwest Inc. manufactures the AquiStar family of Smart Sensors with built-in datalogging. These low-power, 0.75-inch-diameter down-hole probes feature software with built-in calibration wizards and flexible recording...

Rechargeable level loggers.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Keller offers the DCX-ECO, a rechargeable, autonomous liquid-level logger. It is available in absolute, sealed and vented versions that can be ranged to your specific level requirement. The DCX-ECO also features a...

Water level monitoring.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The WL16 Water Level Logger is suitable for monitoring water levels or for making drawdown tests. The USB or serial unit is telemetry-compatible, has automated barometric compensation, multiple measurement ranges...

Stand-alone datalogger.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Model LC-2 from Geokon Inc. is a stand-alone, single-channel datalogger, which, when used with the Model 4500 vibrating wire piezometer, automatically records water elevations inside boreholes, observation wells...

New level and pressure transducers.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... Pressure Systems Inc. has added a wireless-compatible model to its waterMONITOR line of KPSI transducers. Suitable for remote or difficult-to-access locations, the new waterMONITOR is configured for environments where the transducer is...

Multi-level water monitor.(PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MONITORING & SAMPLING TOOLS)
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Multi-Level VW Piezometers from Durham Geo Slope Indicator are used to monitor pore-water pressure at different zones in the borehole. The multi-level system consists of VW piezometers in multilevel housings and PVC...

Stormwater-relief project.(Civic Projects)
November 1, 2008... The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) has an ongoing program to mitigate flooding in the southern section of the city of St. Louis. A part of the program includes a stormwater-relief tunnel installation. Recently, MSD contracted with...

Drilled shaft foundations.(Civic Projects)
November 1, 2008... Anderson Drilling, headquartered in Lakeside, Calif., was contracted to construct medium-diameter drilled shaft foundations to support a new bridge over the Otay River. The new structure is supported by 110 72-inch-diameter shafts (85131 ft....

Bridge conditions evaluated.(Civic Projects)
November 1, 2008... EBA Engineering Inc. provided materials testing and geotechnical engineering for the evaluation of the Nicodemus Road Bridge in Baltimore County, Md., to facilitate the rehabilitation or replacement of the bridge. The bridge is approximately...

Geotechnical investigation at Lake Shelbyville Dam.(Civic Projects)
November 1, 2008... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contacted Brotcke Well & Pump, headquartered in Fenton, Mo., to perform geotechnical drilling at Lake Shelbyville Dam West in Illinois. A round, straight hole had developed near a park shelter, which posed a...

Celebrating CGA's 60th Anniversary.(Guest Column)
November 1, 2008... The California Groundwater Association (CGA) is a non-profit organization representing all segments of the ground water industry in California. Our members include water well drilling and pump contractors, geologists, hydrologists,...

The search for the best vadose zone grouts.(Drilling Fluids)
November 1, 2008... The Nebraska Grout Task Force Unsaturated Zone Grout Study is well underway. All of the wells in this study were installed by the first week in August, and these wells were installed in the same three geologic areas of the State of Nebraska as...

Some not-so random thoughts.(The World According To Wayne)
November 1, 2008... The last couple months have been tough for a lot of us in the drilling industry. It seems that the house well market has been hit the worst because of the housing crisis. Since I'm always curious about the world around me, especially when it...

Be proud to wear a hardhat.(Porky's Hole Thoughts)
November 1, 2008... Many people aren't going to like or agree with this month's story, but it's my story and I'm stickin' to it! When I go to drilling sites, I seldom see the employees wearing hardhats. A hardhat primarily is to protect a person from...

Infrastructure technology innovations: courtesy of the hard-working folks at Northwestern University's Infrastructure Technology Institute (ITI).
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) is a remote-sensing electrical measurement technique that has been used for many years to determine the spatial location and nature of various objects. A coaxial cable is placed in the...

Amthor is honored.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2008... Amthor International, the nation's largest manufacturer of tanks for trucks and distributes tanks all over the world from its manufacturing factory in Gretna, Va., has been named to the 2008 Inc. 5000. The Inc. 5000, published annually by Inc....

PVC pipe certification.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2008... Recent requests have prompted NSF International to expand services for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) water piping products. NSF's new services evaluate and certify PVC pipes that meet UL 1285: Pipe and Couplings, PVC for Underground Fire Service's...

Water table depth tied to droughts.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2008... Will there be another Dust Bowl in the Great Plains similar to the one that swept the region in the 1930s? It depends on water storage underground. Recent modeling results show that the depth of the water table, which results from lateral...

Well tank video.(BULLETIN BOARD)
November 1, 2008... Flexcon Industries, a manufacturer of diaphragm expansion tanks for water well systems, has released a video, which demonstrates how diaphragm well tanks work. The three-and-a-half-minute video is said to be the first in the water well industry...

Trading post.
November 1, 2008... Please send Trading Post submissions to National Driller, Attn: Lisa Schroeder, 1050 IL Route 83, Suite 200, Bensenville, IL 60106 E-mail: SchroederL@bnpmedia.com. [Entries will be run on a space-available basis.] Elsner Purchases a...

A Parting Shot.
November 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Jay College in Manhattan currently is undergoing a $457 million expansion. The project began in May 2007, and includes the construction of more than 100,000 square feet of structural concrete, involving more...

In a hurricane's aftermath: EPA recommends water well precautions and actions.
November 1, 2008... Water well owners need to take special precautions and actions in the aftermath of hurricanes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a statement concerning the steps that should be taken to ensure a safe return to water well...

Submersible pump cable splicing: the fundamentals of pumped water systems.(Tech Topics)
November 1, 2008... Splicing submersible pump cable is part and parcel of every submersible pump installation, because every submersible pump installation has at least one splice, between the motor leads and the pump cable. Although it sometimes is necessary to...