WorldWide Drilling Resource

Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Are You Drilling Efficiently? One of my favorite sayings is: “You can have your job completed: fast, cheap, or good - pick any two, but you cannot have all three.” We could probably add the word “safely” to this list which, in the long run, is the most important aspect of all. This article is meant to discuss how we can maximize our profits, work safely, and have satisfied clients and employees. This is a difficult juggling act. I don’t pretend to be an expert in any of these areas - except to say I have been involved in the water well and environmental drilling business as a professional hydrogeologist, with the government and in the private sector since 1976. I have spent thou- sands of hours at sites using the smallest drilling rigs to the largest oilfield drilling rigs. I try to observe what the most successful businesses do to thrive for long periods of time; the following is what I have observed. Efficiency and Organization - Everyone must have clear responsibilities as to what their job is and how they fit into the company. Tasks are made clear to each employee and no one person is com- pletely in charge of everything, everyone is responsible for seeing the work contin- ues smoothly and efficiently all the way to the end. Efficiency is defined as work- ing fast and safely. This is accomplished by working as a team, doing repetitious activities quickly, correctly, and safely. Teams who have worked together for a long time know what everyone else is doing and often communicate nonver- bally. Efficiently also means doing it right the first time. Redoing one step takes three times as long (undo what you did and redoing it again). Work smarter, not harder; also have the right tools and per- sonnel for the job. Make sure you are offering a service or product which is needed in your area. What is the most practical and popular type of well in your area? Find out what your product is selling for in your area and price it accordingly. If your price is too low and you are losing money or breaking even, you will be out of busi- ness before you know it. Safety and Employee Satisfaction - Train your employees to work safely, en- courage safety - a tailgate meeting every morning is recommended to go over the work plan for the day and hazards to be aware of. Yes, it is possible to work safely, have satisfied employees, work efficiently, and make a good profit while growing your business. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com 52 APRIL 2017 WorldWide Drilling Resource ®