WorldWide Drilling Resource

45 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® SEPTEMBER 2014 SIMCO Drilling Equipment, Inc. Going Green Adapted from Information by SIMCO Drilling Equipment, Inc. SIMCo ® has been known for manu- facturing drill rigs for customers around the world since 1969. Based in osceola, Iowa, the company began considering replacing their outdated heating and cool- ing system from the 1970s, in 2002. While at the IGSHPA (International Ground Source Heat Pump Association) expo and speaking with a WaterFurnace representative, they decided to use a geo- thermal system to reduce their carbon foot- print and save money on utility costs. It just made sense to switch to geo- thermal. After all, they have licensed well drilling profes- s i o n a l s a n d make some of the best drilling rigs in the busi- ness. The com- pany decided to take the project a step further by working within the industry to host courses on the entire pro- cess, including mud and grouting schools. This forward-thinking attitude gave drilling professionals the opportunity to learn about the geothermal process through firsthand experience. over several years, the company put on drilling demonstrations showcasing its drills and replacing each of the old units with a new geothermal unit one phase at a time. They closely monitored how each one performed and conducted BTU tests on the geothermal loops. By installing the units one at a time, maintenance will be easier, and when it is time for maintenance, only one system will need to be shut down, instead of shut- ting down the entire system. Completed earlier this year, the com- pany’s closed-loop geothermal system cur- rently heats and cools over 30,000 square feet. They have seen at least a 50% drop in their monthly utility bills. The loopfield consists of 42, 200-foot boreholes with one of the loopfields located under one of the company’s parking lots. To help in- crease the efficiency of the project, an insulated foam roof was also added to the building. SIMCo ® honors their commitment to the industry by working with local trade schools to incorporate geothermal training into their programs. SIMCo ® continues to lead the way by investing in the future.