WorldWide Drilling Resource

45 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JUNE 2017 Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Drilling Permits ~ Why Do We Need Them? My first job out of college was working for a Water Management District (WMD), in the late 1970s. We had just begun permitting of all water wells. The reaction to water well permitting, with a fee, ranged from cooperation from drilling businesses to those refusing to get permits, and even some contractors drilling wells on weekends to avoid being caught. Ironically, the well permitting idea itself was started by a small group of well drilling professionals in the 1950s, who were concerned “ungrouted” rotary drilled wells in our coastal areas were causing salt water to move upward from continued zones into potable water table aquifers. These drilling contractors realized if these wells were not grouted, they soon would cause widespread contamination, and they would eventually be putting themselves out of business. Permitting was a way of helping ensure every well casing was properly grouted, from the top of the producing zone to land surface. The permit required the drilling contractor to call the WMD 24 hours prior to grouting, so an inspector could observe the method used. Drilling professionals by nature are a lovable but highly independent group of contractors who (most) do not want or need to be supervised. Besides being “made” to do something “new”, the cost of grouting a well would add 20- 40% more to the total cost of the well. Some were actually drilling wells without permits, on weekends, in remote areas, charging less money, and stealing business from the honest law-abiding ones. They even banded together to try to get the law taken off the books. My job was also operating the borehole geophysical logging truck to map the geology of the 16-county area. We could actually require any well we wanted to be logged by making it a condition of the construction permit. Although I tried to get along with all the drilling businesses, some never were cooperative. It was rumored I could tell whether the well casing was grouted and where it was not. This was true to some degree (with a temperature log), but not very reliable. I’m pleased to say, 40 years later, the Well Permitting Program is alive and “well” and the groundwater resources are also in pretty good shape considering groundwater use has more than quadrupled. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com