WorldWide Drilling Resource

Tales from the Field by Jeremy C. Wire Geoconsultants, Inc. Drilling Ahead with Steam and Strong Coffee The “steam age” had long since passed, but many decades ago, I worked for an oil company in southwest Louisiana, which was still operating at least one rig that was powered entirely by steam and occasionally hired a drilling contractor. The owner of this operation, although a professional contractor, was also a “wildcatter”, a type of independent individual who, even then was becoming part of a bygone era in the oil fields. To begin the drilling process, the first activity was to build a board road into the location so the equipment, including the boilers, would not sink into the soft ground during move-in. Additional planks were placed together around the rig to form a stable working surface. The second operation was to drill a shallow water well. Although surface water was usually plentiful from a nearby bayou, shallow groundwater was the preferred filtered source for boiler feed. Once the drilling machinery was rigged up, drilling commenced. With several boilers employed, the steam rig had suitable horsepower and torque to drill some relatively deep wells for that era. In addition, a steam source was handy for such tasks as cleaning oily work clothes, heating the “doghouse”, and drying the drill cuttings from the ditch. It was my task from time to time to arrive at the rig to collect the drill cuttings so other geologists could identify microfossils in them and thereby determine what part of the geologic column we were drilling in. The drill crew carefully placed the cuttings in small cloth bags which were tied together in bunches, like bananas, and hung by one of the boilers to dry. In this manner, they were already dried and ready for examination. In retrospect, however, what I remember most from this operation is the one-gallon coffee pot placed close to one of the boilers to keep the coffee hot and available around the clock. The coffee was very strong to begin with and contained chicory for additional strength as was the custom in the region (and still is, as far as I know). The first time I arrived at the rig, being the “new kid on the block” so to speak, the crew offered coffee from this pot, and of course this show of hospitality couldn’t be refused. I thought the coffee pot had probably been near the boiler for at least 12 hours, and most likely the coffee would be very hot and strong by that time. The crew was stand- ing around waiting for a reaction, and by the grimace I probably made when drinking it, they got one, but all in good humor! I soon learned when the coffee in the pot had boiled down to a tar-like consisten- cy and was thrown out, and a fresh batch made, the crew called it as BS&W or “basic sediment and water”, which is generally a component of crude oil and might be found in the bottom of oil storage tanks. Some good memories from a long-ago drilling operation, which was somewhat unique in that it was probably one of the last steam dr i l l ing r igs operat ing in the region at that time. Jeremy Jeremy Wire may be contacted via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com STINGER ® White Water from BESTOLIFE ® is an all-season compound developed for low environmental impact, and is recommended for use on water well drill pipe. Formulated from nonmetallic lubricants, rust and corrosion inhibitors, and antiwear additives, STINGER White Water provides maximum protection against thread damage while enhancing breakout, make- up, and sealing. It will not stain clothing, resists wash off, and is easily brushable in a wide range of temperatures. BESTOLIFE ® is a Valued WWDR Advertiser G&O 29 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JANUARY 2019