Volume 17 September 2021
Single & Double Hopper Rose-Wall Grouters 2515 Highway 70 SW Hickory, NC 28602 E-mail: jeffj@ drillingequip.com Mudslayer M 350 Pulstar P12000 Pulstar P12000 Rose-Wall Water Truck Pulstar P10000 Pulstar P7000 Pulstar P10000 Mtd. on a Dodge 5500 Mudslayer 500
Are you planning to go?...................................................32 Breaking News..................................................................13 Classified Section: WorldWide SUPER MART™..................42-56 Education Connection......................................................14 Fun Page............................................................................29 Hot Off the Press.................................................................9 Obituary: Hair, Bobby Joe “Bob”.....................................16 Obituary: Miller, Ricky G. “Rick”......................................16 Product Spotlight..............................................................37 Who’s in the News.............................................................13 WorldWide Association Memberships................................26 WorldWide .........6 Acker Drill Company.............................................................4 Allegheny Instruments........................................................28 Armstrong Machine Co., Inc. (AMCI)..................................33 Atlantic Screen & Manufacturing, Inc. (ASI)........................25 Baker Water Systems.........................................................37 Better Water Industries Inc..................................................14 Bit Brokers International.....................................................31 Bitco, Inc.............................................................................10 Drilling Equipment Sales, Inc. (DES)....................................2 Drilling Supply & Mfg (DSM)...............................................35 DRILLMAX®..........................................................................1 Eastern Driller Manufacturing Company Inc. (EDM)...........27 Eijkelkamp/SonicSampDrill.................................................41 Environmental Noise Control..............................................19 Foremost Industries..............................................................7 GEFCO (BAUER Equipment America, Inc.)........................55 GeoPro, Inc.........................................................................18 Geothermal Supply Company, Inc. (GSC)..........................34 Halco Rock Tools..................................................................7 Heron Instruments, Inc.......................................................38 Hole Products.....................................................................15 Horizon Hoist......................................................................11 Infinity Tool Manufacturing....................................................3 Infinity Tool Manufacturing....................................................8 Keystone Drill Services, Inc................................................54 Lifewater Drilling Technology (Winchester Tool).................30 Merrill Mfg...........................................................................40 Mills Machine Company, Inc...............................................36 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation........................................13 N&N Drilling Supply.............................................................39 National Drilling Association (NDA) Convention…....….…....8 Palmer Bit Company...........................................................53 Rothenbuhler Engineering..................................................17 SEMCO, Inc........................................................................56 Specialty Rig Sales.............................................................22 Star Iron Works, Inc. - Construction....................................20 Star Iron Works, Inc. - Water Well.......................................21 TDH Manufacturing Inc.......................................................29 TerraRoc.............................................................................23 Well-Vu, Inc.........................................................................12 Advertisers Featured Editorial C&G - Construction/Geotechnical ENV - Environmental G&O - Shallow Gas and Oil MIN - Mining DIR - Horizontal Directional Drilling EXB - Exploration/Blasthole GEO - Geothermal WTR - Water WorldWide Business Directory™ Focus for September - Pipe / Packers C&G DIR ENV EXB G&O GEO MIN WTR Packer Options for a Variety of Jobs............................9 Storkson, Britt: Common Sense Isn’t All That.........22 Who Ya Gonna Call? PIPE BURSTERS!.....................7 Directional Drilling in Louisiana’s Austin Chalk..............25 Wilson, Jr., Robert Evans: The Un-Comfort Zone II...40 Kwader, Thomas: Environmental Monitoring.............8 Don’t Let It Go to Waste............................................24 Legacy Cleanup Mission Makes Significant.........33,36 Kuebelbeck, Jim: Through the Back Door!..............14 Battle North Gold’s Regional Exploration Program..20,21 Better Drilling & Blasting Operations.........................31 Groningen ~ An Energy Giant Shuts Down...............10 Battersby, Mark E.: Drilling Into Money Not Boring..28 Flexible Pipe for Onshore Pipelines..........................30 Canada’s First Nations’ Clean Energy Initiative....15,18 “Smith, Billy Bob”: The “Idiots” Corner...................32 Moose Jaw Geothermal on the Horizon....................39 Packers Essential to Methane Degassing in Coal.....16 Establishing a Human Presence on the Moon...........17 Connor, Tim: Emotional Deadwood.........................38 Multi-Application uPVC Pipes and Fittings................12 Packers to Ensure Reliability.....................................18 Rasmussen, Tim: Water For Life International.........19 Pitless Units Provide Advantages..............................23 Peterson, Ronald: Marsh Funnel Viscosity..............34 Aardvark Packers..............16 Acker Drill Company..........16 Baker Water Systems........16 Bill Johnson Equipment.....17 Bit Brokers International....17 Bitco, Inc...........................17 Centerline Mfg. Co.............20 ChemGrout®......................20 Diedrich Drill......................20 Drill King International.......21 Drill Pipe, Inc.....................21 Drilling Equip. Resources..21 Eastern Driller Mfg. (EDM)...24 Eijkelkamp / SonicSampDrill...24 Flomatic Corp....................24 Groundwater Supply Co....25 Heisey Machine Co...........25 Hole Products....................25 Horizon Cable Service, Inc..28 Mitsubishi Materials Corp..28 Numa Hammers................28 PennDrill Mfg.....................29 Rex McFadden..................29 Rich’s Bit Service...............29 Simmons Manufacturing....32 Solar Power & Pump Co....32 Star Iron Works, Inc...........32 T&T Carbide, Inc...............33 TerraRoc............................33 VMAC................................37 WellMaster.........................36 Windmill 702, LLC.............36 WWDR.............................37 Wyo-Ben, Inc.....................36 5 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
6 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Proudly Made in the United States of America - delivered WorldWide! WorldWide Drilling Resource WorldWide Drilling Resource® The complete magazine for the drilling industry worldwide, owned by drilling industry associates dedicated to bringing the most up-to-date technology and information to subscribers. Covering construction-geotechnical, directional, environmental, explorationblasthole, shallow gas & oil, geothermal, mining, water well, irrigation, wastewater; from bits, to pumps, to rigs, to tanks, through wire, and more - whatever it takes to get the drilling job completed! Managing Publisher/CEO/President: Veronica I. “Ronnie” Jones Vice President: Troy Cunningham Chief Marketing Officer: Ed Moranski Office Administrator: Michele Stevens Editor: Bonnie Love Associate Editor: Amy White Public Relations Professional: Sheryl Day Public Relations Professional: Jan Allen Representative: Marie Cunningham Editorial Contributors for this month: Mark Battersby Tim Connor Jim Kuebelbeck Thomas Kwader Ron Peterson Tim Rasmussen “Billy Bob Smith” Britt Storkson Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. Hyd/Eng Consultant: Thomas Kwader, Ph.D.,P.G. Consultant: Mary Ann Pelletier *Editorial contributions & advertisements include statements of fact and opinions that are the sole responsibility of the author and/or companies and do not necessarily imply any opinion of the owners, management, or staff of WorldWide Drilling Resource®. Images may have been altered for clarity. Complete advertising information may be found at: www.worldwidedrillingresource.com or by calling 850-547-0102. WorldWide Drilling Resource® makes every effort not to place advertisements for “like” products on the same page in our publication; this may occur however, due to size and space within the publication. We regret any inconvenience this may cause our advertisers. WorldWide Drilling Resource® is published monthly by: WorldWide Drilling Resource, Inc., a Florida Corporation, independently owned and operated. PO Box 660 (3089 Northride Lane) Bonifay FL 32425-0660. Telephone: 850-547-0102 Fax: 850-547-0329 E-mail: wwdr@worldwidedrillingresource.com Website: www.worldwidedrillingresource.com Copyright 2021, WorldWide Drilling Resource, Inc. Seen by countless WorldWide. Publication Agreement No. 40892520. Back issues may be requested. Cost per issue $10.00 USD. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the strict written consent of the publishers. Advertising rates furnished upon request. Editorial contributions are welcome subject to editorial review.* WorldWide Drilling Resource® reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. We Recycle Standing with our Drilling Industry Yesterday ~ Today ~ Tomorrow See you on the trail . . . NEXT UP - MINExpo, Las Vegas see you there Booth #29802; The Utility Expo in Louisville; and NDA in Concord. With Pen - Computer in hand . . . Veronica I. “Ronnie” Jones, 850-547-0102 ronnie@worldwidedrillingresource.com The past few months have been a challenge to say the least. But, without challenges, we certainly don’t grow. They actually make us stronger, like growing muscles when we physically do something we have never done before, or don’t do often. How, and why? Well, think about it. Challenges make the muscles in our brains work harder. The reason being, they make us stop and figure out the right courses (routes) to take to either go around the problem (challenge); or dive in and face it head on and really build muscles in our brains to accomplish what we felt was not accomplishable. Don’t take failure for granted. YOU don’t have to fail at anything. YOU are powerful. As a child, I was a Brownie Scout in New Jersey. I don’t even know now if they still have Brownie Scouts, it’s been so long ago. We learned many things, one of which was how to make a bed properly. Believe it or not, to this day, every time I make my bed and tuck the foot of the bed sheets in, I think of when and where I learned that. Okay, I know, “Ronnie, get on with the reasons here.” We learned the Scouts’ Motto; part of which is BE PREPARED! We may not be prepared for everything, but God gave us the brains to work on being prepared for whatever comes our way. AND, not only for that reason - but how to decide “I’m going to make a mouse trap.” and then “Now, I’m going to make a better mouse trap.” Get it? God gave us the power to think for ourselves and make our futures whatever we want them to be. Don’t take everything you receive for granted, for someone had to work very hard to be sure you had the knowledge to build your own future, and then to give to someone else, whether that be family, friends, charities, strangers; you name it. Why am I saying all this to you? Because I / WE believe in YOU and want you to know WE support your and this great industry and are hopeful you will continue to work hard for those who depend on you for water, gas, oil, mining products, environmental protection, heating and cooling, building, and oh, so much more. WorldWide is not quitting ~ it will be here for you. Drop us a line now and then and let us know how you are doing and what you would like to see in this great magazine. Featured Articles for September Pipe / Packers Packers for Degassing Mines Page 16 Flexible Pipe for Onshore Pipelines Page 30 uPVC Pipes Page 12 The Advantages of Pitless Units Page 23 Packer Options Page 9
7 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Who Ya Gonna Call? PIPE BURSTERS! Adapted from Information by TT Technologies, Inc. The scene is the Lower Rhine town of Korschenbroich, lying between the metropolitan areas of Mönchengladbach, Krefeld, Neuss, and Düsseldorf in the west of Germany. Korschenbroich retains its countryside character in spite of a growing population, with approximately 68% of the total area used for agriculture, and just under 22% for residential, commercial, and transport areas. The rest is recreational, forest, and water areas. Sounds idyllic - but there were problems. The public corporation Erftverband operates a sewage pumping station (pump house and rainwater overflow basin) in the Korschenbroich region of Liedberg. The pumping station transports dirt and rainwater through an approximately 2800-foot-long pressure pipe along the main road, then via a canal to the wastewater treatment plant in Glehn. But after about 40 years in operation, the pressure pipe urgently needed renewal. Due to aging and strong roots growing into the pipe, it had rough cracks, connection and socket damages, as well as damages caused by corrosion. Increasing leakages regularly caused flooding on the adjacent properties of local residents. There was something weird happening in the neighborhood, but Erftverband knew who to call: Pipe Bursters! After consulting with an engineering firm for a pipe renewal plan, they contracted to complete the job using the following guidelines: utilize the closed, trenchless construction method of pipe bursting and upsize the diameter of the pipe by two nominal widths. There were two main reasons for the plan, said Gerhold Alfes, managing director of the pipe bursting company . . . “an old asbestos-cement pressure pipe ND 150, where it would make great sense to leave this in the ground, [and] secondly, a larger diameter was required in the course of the renewal for hydraulic purposes, which is part of the technology and easy to implement with pipe bursting.” With the first section previously completed, the team placed the GRUNDOBURST® 800G in the nearly 15- by 7-foot-wide starting pit along with the magazine of Quicklock bursting rods, ready to continue the renewal. The rig pushed the rods smoothly and quickly through the old pipeline, using Quicklock link coupling and positive force transmission to prevent the rods from slipping back. Pulled by a hydraulic pipe bursting unit, the cutter head’s unique bladed cutting wheel design actually split the host pipe instead of ripping or tearing it like single fin-type static pipe bursting systems. An attached expander spread and displaced the split pipe into the surrounding soil, while simultaneously pulling in the new pipe. The existing bore path was expanded to about 10 inches to accommodate the new nearly 8-inch pipe. After four and a half hours, the second section of the pressure pipe was renewed. With success on these sections, finishing the job with the application of the static pipe bursting method using the GRUNDOBURST 800G proved to be the correct remedy for this leaky, old pipe-renewal task. DIR
8 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Register Today! 2021 NDA Convention September 28-29 Embassy Suites by Hilton CharlotteConcord Golf Resort & Spa, North Carolina For more information, call 877-632-4748 or visit nda4u.com Keynote Speaker - Richie Parker Grouting for Offshore Wind Farms The Hard Lessons of a Workplace Tragedy The Operational Limits of Measuring While Drilling for Geotechnical Site Characterization Drilling Aspects of the TDEC Order Project Underground Utilities: Increasing Safety Through Better Understanding of Utility Locating Practices and Geophysical Methods Growing Your Business by Adding CPT Don’t Kill Your Golden Goose - Protect & Perpetuate Your Business Presentations include: Golf Outing President’s Dinner Awards and Entertainment Exhibits and More! Come join the fun! Environmental Monitoring by Thomas Kwader, Ph.D., P.G. Owner, Qwater Well Developer and WorldWide Drilling Resource® Hydrogeologist Are We Running Out of Groundwater? This is a difficult question to answer. In many cases, we are running out of good quality, clear surface water (lakes, rivers, and streams) and groundwater. Groundwater has historically been plentiful, easy to tap, and a reliable source of potable water. The need or demand for groundwater is constantly growing, including water for drinking, irrigation, manufacturing, cooling, etc. As we pump more water out of the ground and lower the local water tables, we also impact the surface water bodies by reducing flows into streams, rivers, lakes, and ponds. Groundwater is often the ”preferred” source of water for drinking and water supply because of its low turbidity, consistently good quality, constant temperature, and availability. Groundwater levels tend to decline when rainfall or snowmelt are “less than normal amounts”. We are seeing many reservoirs and lakes reaching historic low levels, especially in the western United States. Some of the contributing factors include lower annual rainfall and snowmelt amounts. However, overpumping from lakes, rivers, and wells are also clearly a major factor. Increase in population increases pumping rates, which in turn lowers water levels. Since it is unlikely we will be seeing large population declines, we need to evaluate how we maximize the use of groundwater and surface waters. Climate changes also contribute to increased evaporation, forest fires, etc. We have made great strides in how we irrigate plants and crops, one of the highest users of all sources of surface and groundwaters. More progress needs to be made in this area with “smart” technologies that adjust water consumption to optimum needs of plants and crops. Also, we need to evaluate and implement injection of excess stormwater into our declining aquifers to reverse the decline of our stressed aquifers wherever conditions are favorable. We must use our groundwater resources wisely to extend their availability for use “well” beyond this generation. Tom Tom Kwader may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
9 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Newest Edition of Best Practices Guide Available The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) released their Best Practices Guide 18.0, the newest edition of the preeminent resource in underground damage prevention, which is regarded as the trusted guide to protect vital underground infrastructure and improve safety during excavation activities conducted in the vicinity of underground facilities. The latest edition includes over 160 Best Practices established by a consensus of CGA’s 16 stakeholder groups providing damage prevention recommendations based on practices currently being utilized, and categorized by six key industry areas to provide guidance along the entire safe digging process: One Call Center, Facility Owner, Excavator, Locator, Project Owner, and Designer. “Since CGA was founded 20 years ago, the Best Practices Guide has continued to be the go-to resource for effective damage prevention practices that help stakeholders protect underground utilities, and keep the people who work and live near them safe,” said Sarah K. Magruder Lyle, president and CEO of CGA. “As technology continues to advance in ways that simplify and enhance the damage prevention process, we look forward to working as an industry to identify Best Practices - and improve upon existing ones - to help us reach our shared goal of zero damages.” For a link to this website, visit this page at: worldwidedrillingresource.com Packer Options for a Variety of Jobs Adapted from Information by QSP Packers, LLC Quality packers are crucial to getting jobs done and are an essential component of grouting, mining, environmental, geotechnical, and water well industries. Packers are used in projects such as dam construction; tunnelling and deep foundations; and wireline core drilling and coal. A wide variety of packer options are available depending on the job at hand. Inflatable Packers - Typical grouting jobs use inflatable or mechanical packers. The choice is based on the condition and depth of the borehole while also considering available support equipment. Inflatable packers come in various lengths ranging from ten inches up to five feet or more. They are specifically designed for depths common to grouting jobs. A sliding-head design allows them to double in size from their run-in diameter and usually provides a longer seal than a mechanical packer. Mechanical Packers - Mechanical packers are sometimes called surface set packers. They are typically made to be set anywhere from 12 inches to 20 feet in depth. The length is determined by where the seal will be located downhole. Mechanical packers work well for surface plugging applications or surface setting for low-pressure grouting. They can also work in cased holes, but in irregular holes, mechanical packers may not expand adequately to seal washed out zones properly. Mechanical packers may be used for freeze plugs, low-pressure injection, grouting, air sparging, and to control flows from artesian wells. Wireline Packers - Wireline packers can save time when conducting permeability testing during core drilling. Testing is carried out with the drill string in place, which reduces the time required to test in open or unstable formations. Wireline packers incorporate a bumper that rests inside the throat of the drill bit to position the packers and protect the drill bit. Environmental Well Packers- Environmental packers are fixed-end style packers. They are designed for use in projects such as groundwater monitoring, methane gas control or collection, vacuum sampling, formation pressure monitoring, and zone sampling and injection. Environmental packers are designed for use in cased wells and may be used residing above or below the applicable pump. Miscellaneous sizes of grout packers. C&G
10 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Groningen ~ An Energy Giant Shuts Down Compiled the Editorial Staff of WorldWide Drilling Resource® Groningen, a medium-sized town in the northern Netherlands, is quite famous within the European energy community, for this small municipality is home to the largest gas field in western Europe and one of the largest in the world, with 22 production locations and 258 wells. The Groningen gas field is gigantic with initial recoverable gas reserves of roughly 100,000 cubic feet. The field spreads over 15 by 21 miles, and the reservoir is located in Northwest Europe’s Southern Permian Basin at depths between 8530 and 10,500 feet, while its thickness ranges from 328 feet in south-southeast to 984 feet in north-northwest. Just imagine a balloon the size of Barcelona or Mt. Everest. Discovered in 1959, it has been producing natural gas since 1963, with 93% of the country’s population using gas from the field. What makes the natural gas from Groningen unique is its special quality, a low-calorific gas ideal for domestic consumption. In fact, it is now the standard for gas stoves and boilers in central Europe. But every giant has its weakness, and Groningen is no exception. After the massive gas withdrawals of the 70s, the first earthquake as a result of gas extraction occurred. More than a thousand earthquakes have taken place since the 90s. Most of them were light, while others were clearly felt by the population. Then, in August 2012, a 3.6-magnitude earthquake shook the village of Huizinge - the largest earthquake in the country’s recorded history - damaging buildings and infrastructure. Within three years, the government imposed production restrictions. But the tremors continued. In January 2018, a 3.4-magnitude earthquake hit Zeerjip, the largest quake since the one in Huizinge. Following this quake, production was again reduced with plans to shut down the field completely by 2030. Then another even larger earthquake happened in May 2019, near the village of Westerwijtwerd. In total, there were over 320 induced earthquakes. Groningen is positioned in a tectonically inactive zone, populated by about 600,000 people whose dwellings and other structures never needed to be earthquake proof. Since 1963, the steady depletion of natural gas led to increasing compaction and an ever greater seismic response to further extraction. A steady growth of seismic activity per unit of gas extraction was determined to be the cause. Meanwhile, thousands of residents had been suffering from advanced building damage, diminishing property values, disturbing home reinforcement, and various stress-related health complaints. As a result, in 2019, the Dutch government decided to reduce NAM’s (Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij’s) production, and gradually phase out the giant field with complete closure and well decommissioning by 2022. NAM began the first phase of the permanent closure of the Groningen Field by decommissioning the surface facilities in Ten Post, a small village in northeast Groningen and one of the 20 production sites to be decommissioned. Production at Ten Post stopped in February 2018, and plugging of the gas wells was completed in March 2019. By mid-2020, NAM had begun the work of removing the ten gas wells from the Uiterburen site, marking the start of the decommissioning process, which included surface infrastructure. Restoration of the sites and surroundings in line with the requirements of landowners and relevant legislation was also included in the closure plans. The Groningen field has a low-calorific gas due to its high nitrogen content, and home appliances in the residential sector and the industrial consumers in northwest Europe had adapted to using low-calorific gas. To meet the continuing demand for the low-calorific gas after production from Groningen is phased out, the government is working on expanding nitrogen production capacity to convert highcalorific gas by building a new nitrogen plant in Zuidbroek. This quality conversion facility is scheduled to open in 2022. Production of low-calorific gas is also expected to come from a newly discovered field, north of the island of Schiermonnikoog. The NAM joint venture with ExxonMobil (Shell interest 50%) in partnership with the Dutch government operates the Groningen gas field. NAM continues to help people living in Groningen, who regrettably, have been affected by earthquakes linked to gas production. Station Wildervank of the Groningen natural gas field. G&O eranhenderson@gmail.com New & Used Tricones PDCs Drag & Claw Bits Drill Collars Bit Tipping Subs & Stabilizers HDD Bits & Reamers DTH Hammer & Bits Custom Fabrication Junk Mills / Fishing Tools Rod Henderson 661-201-6259 Eran Henderson 661-330-0790
11 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
12 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Multi-Application uPVC Pipes and Fittings Adapted from Information by Vinyl Pipes Vinyl Pipes, a leading ISO 9001 certified water management, pipe manufacturing brand, takes care of a variety of water management needs. Four generations of a family have worked with a single mission to enable access to water in the remotest and roughest terrains across the globe. Founded by Jaychand Jain and now under the direction of his son Hukum Chand Jain and grandson Vitul Jain, the company demonstrates outstanding competence and extraordinary team spirit. With operational excellence, customer focus, and product differentiation as their core values, the company offers the widest range of uPVC pipes and fittings for dewatering, irrigation, sanitation, housing, and drainage projects. This includes high-quality well casing, pressure, column, and screen pipes with their respective fittings. What sets Vinyl Pipes apart? Product differentiation and quality is reflected in vinyl column pipes equipped with a patent lock. Made with an aerospace engineering plastic grade, this power lock works as a restraining component between pipes and couplings. It keeps the pipes 100% load, leak, and jerk proof, ensuring the pipes are in perfect alignment. Vinyl uPVC pipes contain no metals, making them rust-free and designed to offer minimal friction to water. This results in a lesser load on submersible pumps and saves electricity, yielding cleaner water while increasing output from the well. Their BI axial orientation makes the pipes thicker at the threading end to compensate for material removal due to thread creation, providing much higher strength. All vinyl pipes are put through an annealing process, which uses heat to alter the pipe’s microstructure to strengthen its mechanical properties, adding years to its projected morethan-50-year life. With more than 100 distributors worldwide, Vinyl Pipes has multiple certifications, emphasizing their adherence to quality standards. Lending credibility to their products, the company also uses third-party inspections to ensure consistent quality. Their focus on sustainability is driven by a two-pronged approach: the green cycle and blue cycle. While the green cycle method revolves around the recycling of polymers, the blue cycle is focused on the judicious reuse of water. Through constant innovations, creativity, and diverse processes, Vinyl Pipes uses recyclable polymers for the complete water cycle, delivering an environmentally-friendly result. With stringent controls beginning with the procurement of raw materials to the manufacturing process, Vinyl Pipes ensures high-quality, cost-effective solutions for water piping. WTR
13 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® New Dates for Latin American Mining Shows Kallman Worldwide organizes the U.S. presence at some of the world's most influential international mining events. Recently, the company announced new dates for several Latin American trade shows. For more information, click on this box in our online issue. Breaking News WHO’S IN THE NEWS Additional announcements from Central Mine Equipment Co., Deep Foundations Institute Educational Trust, Glencore, and Enteq Upstream can be found by clicking this box in our online issue at: worldwidedrillingresource.com SIMCO is excited to introduce Dave Wagner as the newest member of its sales team. He will head up North American sales and is looking forward to traveling with the sales team to learn the ropes and experience the excitement of upcoming trade shows. “I am always looking to learn and to take on fresh challenges,” said Wagner. “SIMCO Drilling Equipment is the perfect change of pace at the perfect time for me. I’m thrilled to learn from this team and use my experience . . . to serve clients and help customize the perfect drilling rig for each customer.” EXPOMINA 2021will be held in Lima, Peru, April 27-29, 2022. EXTEMIN/PERUMIN 2022 is scheduled to take place in Arequipa, Peru, September 26-30, 2022. EXPONOR 2021 in Antofagasta, Chile, has been postponed until June 20-23, 2022.
14 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Through the Back Door! by Jim Kuebelbeck The fear of ridicule is a common human trait. No one wants to be laughed at or subjected to any level of derision. It is simply a part of our human nature. How well I remember the words of my late father saying to me, “Jim, I'm not going to tell you what to do or what not to do. I know you can somehow sense the presence of underground water sources, and I don't have any credible explanation for how you are able to do this. And I know you get a lot of personal satisfaction out of being able to locate good water wells in areas where only dry holes have been previously drilled. But, Jim, people are kinda funny about things they don't understand, or what doesn't fit into their way of thinking. What you're doing is one of those things that people don't understand, me included. If you continue doing this, I'm sure you're going to have to put up with a lot of unwanted ridicule and skepticism along the way. No one wants to be ridiculed for something they're doing, or have done, but in your situation, I guess it's up to you to decide if you're willing to put up with some of the ridicule you're likely to encounter because of what you're somehow able to do. Maybe you want to give this some serious thought.” If I had taken my father’s suggestion more seriously at the time, I could have avoided some of the ridicule I did encounter, but I guess I was too stubborn to heed his advice. Now, after locating hundreds of documented satisfactory water wells in areas where all previous efforts had failed, any kind of ridicule I might encounter in this regard no longer matters to me. Jim Jim Kuebelbeck may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com EXB Construction by: Concrete Sawing & Drilling Assn Sawing & Drilling 101 Class October 18-22 ~ Olathe, KS GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) Certification Course / Advanced Training for GPR Technicians October 22 ~ Olathe, KS phone: 727-577-5004 www.csda.org Irrigation by: Rain Bird Academy Training October 4-8 ~ Fort Myers, FL October 4-8 ~ Memphis, TN October 11-15 ~ Fremont, CA October 11-15 ~ Sacramento, CA October 18-22 ~ Tallahassee, FL October 18-22 ~ Atlanta, GA October 25-29 ~ Palmdale, CA phone: 800-498-1942 E-mail: training@rainbird.com Tunnelling by: Colorado School of Mines Tunneling Fundamentals, Practice and Innovations October 18-21 ~ Golden, CO phone: 303-384-2690 www.csmspace.com More education opportunities during events can be found by clicking here online at: worldwidedrillingresource.com Education Connection November Issue Deadlines Space Reservat ion: September 25 th Di spl ay & Cl ass i f i ed Ad Copy: October 1 st
15 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Canada’s First Nations’ Clean Energy Initiative Compiled the Editorial Staff of WorldWide Drilling Resource® Canada’s government and First Nations groups are collaborating on a project to use a depleted natural gas field in northeastern British Columbia (B.C.) to produce geothermal energy for electricity generation. Seamus O’Regan Jr., Canada’s minister of natural resources announced nearly $40.5 million in federal investments for the Clarke Lake Geothermal Development Project to develop one of the first commercially viable geothermal electricity production facilities in Canada. The First Nations Major Projects Coalition and other First Nations organizations will own and lead the Clarke Lake Geothermal Project near Fort Nelson, British Columbia. O’Regan said, “The Clarke Lake Geothermal Project is Indigenous-owned and Indigenous-led, showcasing Indigenous communities’ leadership in building a low-emissions future. Geothermal will help northern and remote communities use less diesel and more of this new clean energy technology.” A 2019 feasibility study showed the tapped-out natural gas field in the area could provide power generation and heat. With development in the existing Clarke Lake gas field, the project will use the mid-grade geothermal heat resources deep within its reservoir, conducted to the power generator using existing infrastructure. Developers also expect to demonstrate the value of geothermal energy as a viable clean energy technology for rural, Indigenous, and northern communities. Although electricity generation will be the primary source of revenue, additional opportunities could include the sale of waste heat generated by the facility. Excess heat could also power other activities in local industries, such as timber drying in the forestry sector and greenhouse food production in the agriculture sector. Along with job creation and other economic opportunities for the community, the geothermal facility will provide capacity building and training for workers from other industries who are transitioning into the renewable energy sector. Illustration courtesy of GeoScience BC prefeasibility report. GEO 74082 htooB ta su tisiV Initiative continued on page 18
ZZZ DFNHUGULOO FRP PNYDVV#DFNHUGULOO FRP 16 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® In Memoriam Bobby Joe “Bob” Hair Bobby Joe “Bob” Hair, 81, of Knoxville, Tennessee, passed away July 16, 2021. He was the founder of Hair’s Pump Service, which opened in 1976. A member of the South Knoxville Masonic Lodge #769, he was also a dedicated drill lieutenant of the Kerbela Motorcycle Unit since 1982. Bob loved the outdoors and fishing where he was considered “The Crappie Professor”. He was everyone’s good friend. Bob is survived by his wife of 22 years, Peggy; sons Danny (Ann), Sterling (Tabatha), Noah (Joy), Robert (Carol); daughters Leah (Kenneth), Peggy (Randy); grandson Wesley (Jana); 17 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; sister Bridgett; and his dog and loving companion PJ. Ricky G. “Rick” Miller (1944~2021) Ricky G. “Rick” Miller of Plainview, Michigan, left this life July 7, 2021. He proudly served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps with two tours in Vietnam, earning a purple heart. For over 37 years, he owned and operated Rick Miller Well Drilling until his retirement in 2006. He would go out of his way to help others, often drilling wells for the elderly free of charge if they couldn’t afford his services. He enjoyed gardening, being outdoors, hunting, ice fishing, and looking for mushrooms. His favorite was spending time with family, teaching his children to shoot, and pulling a sled for kids behind his truck. Rick is survived by his wife Suzie; his children Tammy (Dan), Stephanie (Kevin), Lance (Bobby Jo), Tina (Mike), and Leon (Laura); grandchildren Daniel, Gil, Arianna, Ian, Mehl, Mari, and Caroline; and numerous extended family members. Lest we forget . . . Packers Essential to Methane Degassing in Coal Mines Adapted from Information by Aardvark Packers Packers are used in coal mines to enhance operations and safety. They are used to degas, vent, and direct methane gas away from new mine faces to ensure safe work environments before mining operations begin. Typically, a 4½-inch-diameter hole is drilled into the face or ribs of the mine, and gel is sometimes injected into the borehole to isolate the gas. An inflatable packer is inserted into the hole and inflated. The gas and related pressure can then be manifolded and directed out and away from the mine. Degassing boreholes can reach ten to 20 feet in length. When a packer is used to isolate the hole and vent the gas, a common setup uses a short packer with a 1¼-inch ball valve threaded on the end. The packer is placed in the borehole and inflated to around 150 psi. This pressure may vary. Usually, 9 psi to 55 psi are the norm. The most pressure ever recorded in a mine was 250 psi, and took place in a Pittsburgh seam several years ago. Coal mine operations. MIN
17 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Establishing a Human Presence on the Moon Begins with Drilling Adapted from Information by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, better known as NASA, has been working with several American companies to deliver science and technology to the lunar surface through its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. Through this initiative, NASA’s commercial partners are able to quickly land scientific instruments and technology demonstrations on the moon, with the first flights set for next year. One of those partners, Intuitive Machines of Houston, is scheduled to deliver a drill combined with a mass spectrometer to the moon by December 2022 for the PRIME-1 (Polar Resources Ice Mining Experiment) project. This project will search for ice at the moon’s South Pole and hopefully harvest ice from below the surface for the first time. “We continue to rapidly select vendors . . . to land payloads on the lunar surface, which exemplifies our work to integrate the ingenuity of commercial industry into our efforts at the moon,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA’s associate administrator for science. “The information we’ll gain from PRIME-1 and other science instruments and technology demonstrations we’re sending to the lunar surface will inform our Artemis missions with astronauts and help us better understand how we can build a sustainable lunar presence.” PRIME-1 will land on the moon and drill up to three feet below the surface. It will use the mass spectrometer to measure how much ice in the sample is lost as it turns from a solid to a vapor in the vacuum-like lunar environment. Versions of PRIME-1’s drill and the mass spectrometer observing lunar operations (MSolo), will also fly on VIPER, a mobile robot set to search for ice at the lunar South Pole in 2023. NASA plans to land the first woman and next man on the moon’s South Pole the following year. “PRIME-1 will give us tremendous insight into the resources [on] the moon and how to extract them,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s space technology mission directorate in Washington. “Sending this payload to the moon is a terrific example of our scientific and technology communities coming together with our commercial partners to develop breakthrough technologies to accomplish a range of goals on the lunar surface.” Not only will the data from PRIME-1 help scientists understand the resources on the moon and contribute to the organization’s search for water at the moon’s poles, but it will also support the agency’s plans to establish a sustainable human presence on the moon by the end of the decade. MIN
18 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The Clarke Lake geothermal facility is expected to produce between seven and 15 megawatts of clean electricity from a consistently available resource, which is equivalent to powering up to 14,000 households. By displacing fossil fuel generation in northeast B.C., it is also expected to reduce almost 28,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to taking more than 5000 cars off the road. Sharleen Gale, chief of Fort Nelson First Nation said, “The Clarke Lake Geothermal Project represents Fort Nelson First Nation’s drive toward creating a sustainable economy for our People; one that strikes a balance between the environment and the economy. Our work to get this historic project off the ground demonstrates what Indigenous leadership toward net-zero project development looks like.” Initiative continued from page 15 Packers to Ensure Reliability Adapted from Information by Inflatable Packers International High-quality well construction for our most valuable underground resource requires innovative and reliable products. Packers are some of those devices providing water well solutions. Inflatable Packers International (IPI) produces a variety of inflatable packer systems along with a water well completion system to minimize problems during installation. Two problems often occur during completion of deep production water wells using gravel-packed, telescopic screens: releasing the screen without damaging it and sealing the screen to the casing. Using more common methods such as a Jlatch can lead to doubts about whether or not the screen is properly released. Failure to release may lead to accidental lifting of the screen or damage if the screen is already gravel-packed. Many J-latch systems do not permit pushing, which limits installation options. Sealing of the screen to the casing is fundamental to producing an effective well. Failure of the seal will lead to sanding of the well and/or loss of gravel pack. For these areas, IPI’s water well completion system completely eliminates the associated problems. The IPI Grab Packer is used for installation of the well screen and supporting it throughout gravel placement. The Grab Packer is a heavy-duty inflatable packer with external, high-tensile, grit-coated, steel strips running the full length. When the packer is inflated in a screen or pipe, the coated strips provide very high frictional anchoring capacity. This packer offers the following features: k Specially designed for screen installation k High frictional grip capacity at low inflation pressures k Through pipe for circulation - direct or reverse k “Top hat” for gravel packing k Inflated by control tube run to surface k Simple deflation of the packer to release the screen Sealing of the top of the screen to the casing is then achieved using a retrievable IPI slip-over screen sealing packer. Two options are available for this application: IMR - Inflatable, Mechanical, Retrievable packer or MMR - Mechanical, Mechanical, Retrievable packer. Both the IMR and MMR are designed to slip over the top of the well screen riser pipe, which must be centralized to accommodate this, and to seal back into the casing. The MMR type offers an MPacker for sealing into the casing. This is superior to a standard K--pipe and offers far more sealing lips or fingers. The IMR type provides an inflatable packer seal in the casing, which has a number of advantages: no danger of damaging the sealing rubber while installing, 100% seal to the casing, and anchoring of the slip-over packer in place. It is installed using a special short straddle packer running tool, which enables inflation of the casing sealing packer after the mechanical packer is installed onto the top of the screen riser pipe. Both the IMR and MMR are retrievable, with the IMR being retrieved using the straddle packer running tool to isolate and pressure shear a deflation port on the casing packer. Both types use the same kind of mechanical sealing packer to seal onto the well screen riser pipe. IPI packer technology incorporates elastomers, reinforcement layers, and external anchoring surface finish within a single, vulcanized composite element. This innovation eliminates typical inflatable packer components, such as unreinforced elastomeric inflation bladders, exposed reinforcement layers, and separate rubber covers. IPI’s true composite inflatable packer design eliminates issues commonly associated with ordinary alternatives, while increasing reliability. IPI Water Well Completion System. WTR
by Tim Rasmussen Fortunately, the damage was not quite as severe as we had first believed on the breakdown of the Mayhew rotary rig upon which rests all our hopes of really making progress bringing water to remote villages in the Peten region of Guatemala. With careful disassembly, cleaning, readjustment of the pinion and ring gear clearances and reassembly, the crew in Guatemala (under the able leadership of Edgar aided by careful counseling and consultation with Jon and Gary) were able to get the table working again. They are being very careful with the rig and hope nothing else goes wrong; it is up and running again. Meanwhile, Gary, Jon, and Seth scoured the country and found suitable repair parts from a drilling contractor in Minnesota. He had a rebuilt table at a fair price, which included an upgrade of the transmission to a five-speed with reverse, which will be better than the original three-speed, so we made a deal. Some of our generous donors got together and made it possible. The table was shipped to us and is now sitting in Gary’s yard with various pallets of pipe and other supplies. Materials and equipment were just gathered for shipment. I have been reading about delays in container shipping to and from the U.S., but our shipping agent assures we do not need to worry a great deal about it. At any rate, we are hoping the container will arrive near the end of the month. Another mystery related to the container was last year’s need for a license for the bentonite chips we use in drilling. After 15 years of no issue, suddenly they almost refused to let the container enter because we did not have a license to import this environmental product. Somehow, Berny and Henry got around this issue and they let the container in. (I do not use the word “bribe”, but words like “special fee” or “special permission” come to mind.) Anyway, Henry tells us there is now no need for a license to import the bentonite. Go figure. If you would like to help, contact Gary Bartholomew at 208-907-0010 or 509-939-1941 Tim Tim Rasmussen may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com WTR 19 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
20 SEPTEMBER 2021 WorldWide Drilling Resource® www.starironworks.com 257 Caroline Street Punxsutawney, PA 15767 800-927-0560 • 814-427-2555 Fax: 814-427-5164 SERVINGTHECONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Serving the Drilling Industry Battle North Gold’s Regional Exploration P Adapted from Information by Battle North Gold Corpo Battle North Gold Corporation is a Canadian gold mine developer in the renowned Red Lake Gold District in northwestern Onta pany’s 2021 exploration plans: “We are pleased to finally start drilling on our Red Lake Properties and are excited by the potential fo North has committed up to $5.5 million on exploration of its Red Lake Properties and its key String of Pearls targets - the McFinley an Red Lake Properties consist of more than 100 square miles of contiguous, prime exploration land in the Red Lake Gold District, the The McCuaig and Humlin South Targets are in close proximity, with the McCuaig target its top priority because historical drilling program was activated on the McCuaig target with the first hole logged and sent for assaying. Drilling will commence at the Humlin plan to drill around 8200 feet for McCuaig and around 9800 feet for Humlin South. Several other targets will see drilling exploration, with data compilation, digitization, field mapping, sampling, interpretation, an drilling to test this target. The Slate Bay Target has historical identification of various types of gold mineralization, so they plan about geochemical sampling. The company expects to complete 9800 feet of drilling to test these targets. Other highly-prospective targets, including Adams Lake and some on the Post Narrows Trend, will also see exploration work. Th of drilling is planned, focusing on testing the depth extensions of these zones, potentially expanding current McFinley Mineral Resou The region has already produced more than 28 million ounces of gold, but this marks the first time in more than ten years the co “The regional program will supplement our existing mine site exploration activity which has yielded positive results over the past few EXB
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