Volume 20 July 2023 Drill & Chill October 17-19 Happy Independence Day!
PO Box 1174 7595 US Hwy 50 Lamar CO 81052-1174 719-336-9006 719-336-2402 Fax semcopumphoist@gmail.com semcooflamar.com SEMCO S12,000H Pump Hoist, 48’ derrick, two-speed winch with grooved drum, sand reel, hydraulic oil cooler dual fans, hot shift PTO automatic transmission, LED light kit for mast, auxiliary hydro valve, power tong hookup to the rear, hydro breakout cylinder, heavy-duty custom cage and toolbox, 18’ steel flatbed, factory mounted on 2014 International 4300. Thank-You to another SEMCO customer, Pump Doctors LLC in Saint Anthony, Idaho 2023 JUBILEE Booth 1001
2023 JUBILEE Booth 1116
Are you Planning to go?...................................................20 Breaking News..................................................................13 Classifieds: WorldWide Buyers’ Guide™...................51-64 Education Connection......................................................36 Fun Page...........................................................................38 Hot Off the Press.................................................................9 Obituary: Beeman, Nickolas Todd “Nick”.......................21 Obituary: Rios, Manuel Gomez........................................14 Obituary: Robertson, Douglas Warne “Doug”...............14 Obituary: Schmidt, Daniel “Dan”....................................14 Photo Page...................................................................24,33 Product Spotlight..............................................................17 Retirement Announcement..............................................31 Who’s in the News............................................................13 WorldWide Association Memberships................................22 WorldWide DownHome DrillFest™ 2023...........................50 WorldWide .........6 WorldWide JUBILEE Pinpointer Map..............................30 Acker Drill Company.............................................................4 Allegheny Instruments........................................................44 Armstrong Machine Co., Inc. (AMCI)..................................10 Atlantic Screen & Manufacturing, Inc. (ASI)........................23 Baker Water Systems.........................................................15 Better Water Industries Inc..................................................36 Bit Brokers International.....................................................39 Bitco, Inc.............................................................................12 Central Mine Equipment Company (CME)..........................19 Drill King International.........................................................61 Drilling Equipment Sales, Inc. (DES)..................................64 Drilling Supply & Mfg (DSM)...............................................62 Eastern Driller Manufacturing Company Inc. (EDM)...........32 Eijkelkamp North America.....................................................7 GEFCO (BAUER Equipment America, Inc.)..........................1 GeoPro, Inc...........................................................................8 Geoprobe Systems®............................................................63 GeoRocFor, Inc...................................................................47 Geothermal Supply Company, Inc. (GSC)..........................29 Heron Instruments, Inc.......................................................49 Hole Products.......................................................................9 Horizon Hoist......................................................................13 Infinity Tool Manufacturing....................................................3 Infinity Tool Manufacturing..................................................23 Infinity Tool Manufacturing..................................................33 Infinity Tool Manufacturing..................................................34 KS Bit, Inc...........................................................................27 Merrill Mfg...........................................................................11 Mills Machine Company, Inc...............................................17 N&N Drilling Supply.............................................................34 Palmer Bit Company...........................................................48 SEMCO, Inc..........................................................................2 Specialty Rig Sales (SRS)..................................................46 Star Iron Works, Inc. - Construction....................................42 Star Iron Works, Inc. - Water Well.......................................43 T&T Carbide Inc..................................................................40 TDH Manufacturing Inc.......................................................45 TerraRoc.............................................................................25 The Utility Expo...................................................................37 Triflo International, Inc........................................................38 Well-Vu, Inc.........................................................................41 Wyo-Ben, Inc......................................................................35 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 Focus for July 2023 - Technological Advances C&G DIR ENV EXB G&O GEO MIN WTR Avoid These Common Safety Mistakes on the Jobsite...12 Battersby, Mark E.: Drilling Into Money Not Boring..15 Sensor System Monitors Integrity of Structures........34 Wilson, Jr., Robert Evans: The Un-Comfort Zone II....18 Crossing the Sabine Neches Waterway with HDD....24 Overcoming Advanced Work Site Challenges..............49 Analysis of Drilling into the Nankai Earthquake Fault.....8 Storkson, Britt: The Right to Repair is Now Law......23 What Can Core Samples from Mars Teach Us?........43 “Smith, Billy Bob”: The “Idiots” Corner...................33 A New Partner in Exploration Drilling - the EXPLORA®.....35 Blasting Basics....................................................................47 First American Oil Exports..........................................20 Connor, Tim: Is Stress Getting in Your Way?...........36 How Much Do You Know About Natural Gas?...........38 First Commercial Eavor-Loop™ Geothermal Project in...7 It’s Demonstration Time for Wells2Watts Consortium...29 Bringing Gas and Oil Technology to the Geothermal....41 New Underreamer System for Greater Drilling Depths..10 New Technology May Help with Critical Mineral........16 Robot Dog Training...................................................46 Peterson, Ronald: Technological Advances.............11 New Water Source for McNeil Island.........................25 Rasmussen, Tim: Water for Life International..........26 E-News Flash Readers’ Choice Readers’ Choice: New Injection Well..44 Aardvark Packers..............16 Acker Drill Company..........16 Bit Brokers International....16 Bitco, Inc...........................17 Centerline Mfg. Co.............17 ChemGrout®......................17 Colton Bit...........................20 Diedrich Drill......................20 Drill King International.......20 Drill Pipe, Inc.....................21 Drilling Equip. Resources..21 Eastern Driller Mfg. (EDM)...21 Eijkelkamp North America...24 Flomatic Corp....................24 Heisey Machine Co...........24 Hole Products....................25 Mitsubishi Materials Corp..25 PennDrill Mfg.....................25 Star Iron Works, Inc...........28 T&T Carbide, Inc................28 TerraRoc............................28 VMAC................................29 Western Drilling Tools........29 Windmill 702 LLC...............29 5 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
6 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Proudly Made in the United States of America - delivered WorldWide! 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 Office Administrator: Michele Stevens Editor: Bonnie Love Public Relations Professional: Jan Allen Public Relations Professional: Linda Peterson Public Relations Professional: Sheryl Kevilly Representative: Marie Cunningham Editorial Contributors for this month Mark Battersby Tim Connor 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 2023, 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 WONDERING if anyone really knows you? . . . Well, I found someone very close to me that actually hit the nail on the head with this year’s Mother’s Day Card . . . I just had to share it with you. As we roll into July, the summer is hot, the work goes on, and those of us who know what makes the world go round, dig in and keep on working ever harder to make this life we have been given worth living, not only for ourselves but for our children, their children, neighbors, friends, coworkers, associates; and most of all to let our parents and other relatives know we actually did listen and understand what they went through to make this life we have today better for us than they had it. We have to be sure we do the same for those who will take charge after us. I realize this crazy world a few have made so difficult for the good people who do so much, is hard to overcome at times, but if you keep that ever necessary Smile on your face and in your heart, this too shall pass, and the world will be bright and smiling back at each of us. Since the founding of this company in 2003, we have seen many come and go. Once again, a very valuable friend and colleague is moving on. This time to retirement. Please read Ed’s . . . See you on the trail, and join us in wishing him the very best. RONNIE’s REAL WORLD . . . with its ups and downs ~ but always positive thoughts, hopes, and dreams. See you on the trail . . . NEXT UP ~ South Atlantic Well Drillers JUBILEE JUBILEE - Myrtle Beach With Pen - Computer in hand . . . Veronica I. “Ronnie” Jones, 850-547-0102 ronnie@worldwidedrillingresource.com John Richard Allen - American Greeting Cards Featured Articles for July - Technological Advances Robot Dog Training Page 46 New Partner in Exploration Drilling - the EXPLORA® Page 35 Germany’s New Geothermal System Page 7 New Underreamer Page 10 New Way to Recover Rare Earth Elements Page 39
7 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® 2023 JUBILEE Booth 1006 First Commercial Eavor-Loop™ Geothermal Project in Germany Adapted from Information by Eavor Technologies, Inc. The next chapter of the energy revolution is being written in Geretsried, Bavaria, Germany. The world’s first commercially operated Eavor-Loop™ system is being built using new and innovative closed-loop geothermal technology. Andreas Gahr, comanaging director of Eavor Erdwärme Geretsried GMbH said, “This lighthouse project is intended to serve as a pioneer for a massive expansion of Eavor’s closedloop geothermal energy in Germany and Europe, with the potential to make a significant contribution to energy security and climate neutrality.” The construction of these drilling sites with the simultaneous use of two deep drilling rigs is unique and marks the beginning of the use of this technological innovation. The Eavor-Loop uses the natural heat of the earth like an underground heat exchanger. An environmentally neutral heat medium is heated by the earth via conduction and circulates in a closed network of boreholes. This is unique in geothermal energy and provides a reliable and consistent source of energy. Eavor’s technology eliminates the exploration risk and is also predictable, baseload capable, and safe. This system can be installed almost anywhere at the point of need and provide reliable power and heat. In the first construction phase, an Eavor-Loop will be built for power generation. Eavor is thus demonstrating the feasibility and predictability of its technological concept for the first time in Europe. As the project continues to develop, the plant will be expanded to include several Eavor-Loop systems with the aim of being able to supply the region with clean and safe heat sustainably and economically. “I am delighted that Eavor has chosen Geretsried as the site for its first commercial project worldwide. Having experienced two failed attempts with traditional geothermal technology, we are eager to see how this project progresses. For our region and for Bavaria, the use of geothermal energy is an essential step for the success of the energy transition and locally for the regional supply of climate-friendly heat,” commented Geretsried’s First Mayor Michael Müller. “We are proud to be noticed far beyond our region with this largest renewable energy project in the district and to be technologically at the forefront of the energy transition with Eavor’s Closed Loop,” said District Administrator of the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen District Josef Niedermaier. The ceremonial groundbreaking of the drilling site in Geretsried in late 2022 marked the official start of construction for the world’s first commercial geothermal project using Eavor-Loop™ technology. GEO
8 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Analysis of Drilling into the Nankai Earthquake Fault Adapted from Information by University of Texas Back in 2018, scientists drilled deeper into an undersea earthquake fault than ever before - some two miles into the tectonic plate beneath the seafloor. Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin conducted a study on the data collected from the expedition and discovered the tectonic stress in Japan’s Nankai subduction zone is less than expected. The findings are puzzling because the fault is known to produce a great earthquake nearly every century and it was thought to be about time for another big one. “This is the heart of the subduction zone, right above where the fault is locked, where the expectation was that the system should be storing energy between earthquakes,” said Demian Saffer, director of the University of Texas Institute for Geophysics (UTIG) who co-led the research and scientific mission that drilled the fault. “It changes the way we’re thinking about stress in these systems.” Although the Nankai fault has been locked for decades, the study indicates it is not showing major signs of pent-up tectonic stress. According to Saffer, this shouldn’t change the long-term outlook for the fault, which last ruptured in 1946. This led to a tsunami which killed thousands, something researchers expect to happen again during the next 50 years. The findings from this study will help scientists to focus on the link between tectonic forces and the earthquake cycle and could potentially lead to better earthquake forecasting for the Nankai, as well as other megathrust faults such as Cascadia in the Pacific Northwest. “Right now, we have no way of knowing if the big one for Cascadia - a magnitude 9 scale earthquake and tsunami - will happen this afternoon or 200 years from now,” said Harold Tobin, a researcher at the University of Washington who is the first author of the paper. “But I have some optimism that with more and more direct observations like this, we can start to recognize when something anomalous is occurring and that the risk of an earthquake is heightened in a way that could help people prepare.” Megathrust faults and the tsunamis they generate are among the most powerful and damaging on the planet. Unfortunately, scientists currently have no reliable way of knowing when and where the next big one will hit. The hope is by directly measuring the force felt between tectonic plates pushing on each other - tectonic stress - scientists can learn when a great earthquake is about to happen. However, the nature of tectonics means the great earthquake faults are located deep in the ocean, miles under the seafloor, making them incredibly challenging to measure directly. Saffer and Tobin’s drilling expedition is the closest scientists have come so far. The 2018 record-breaking drilling project took place aboard a Japanese scientific drilling ship, the Chikyu, which was forced to stop drilling a mile short of the fault because the borehole became too unstable to continue. Yet, researchers gathered invaluable data about subsurface conditions near the fault, including stress. They measured how much the borehole changed shape as the earth squeezed it from the sides, then pumped water to see what it took to force the walls back out. This told them the direction and strength of horizontal stress felt by the plate pushing on the fault. Contrary to predictions, the horizontal stress expected to have built since the most recent great earthquake was close to zero, as if it had already released its pent-up energy. Researchers have a few possible explanations: It could be the fault simply needs less pent-up energy to slip in a big earthquake than originally thought. Perhaps, the stresses are lurking nearer to the fault than the drilling reached. Or, it could be the tectonic push will come suddenly in the coming years. Either way, researchers said drilling revealed the need for further investigation and long-term monitoring of the fault. One of the dozens of risers used to drill into the Nankai earthquake fault. Photo by Demian Saffer courtesy of UTIG. ENV
9 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® New Center for Concrete Research Maria Konsta-Gdoutos is a civil engineering professor and associate director for the Center for Advanced Construction Materials at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). The Center is receiving a $10 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to create the Tier 1 University Transportation Center for Durable and Resilient Transportation Infrastructure (DuRe-Transp). She and others are looking to develop a new age of greener and more energy-efficient concrete with 30% lower manufacturing, operational, and maintenance costs, targeting a 50% extended lifetime and negative net greenhouse gas emissions in transportation infrastructure. “We will improve the durability, extend the life, and make for cleaner transportation infrastructure,” Konsta-Gdoutos said. “This research will spearhead a holistic program to revitalize the nation’s transportation infrastructure, improving the current “fair” category of U.S. bridges and pavements to “good.” This center will drive the development of standard guidelines for the formulation and deployment of the next generation of resilient and durable construction materials.” The center comprises a consortium of researchers from UTA, Howard University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Oregon State University, Purdue University, and the University of Puerto Rico - Mayagüez. DOT’s Robert Hampshire said the projects conducted at UT Arlington could transform the concrete industry. UTA Engineering Dean Peter Crouch; Panagiotis Danoglidis, UTA assistant professor of civil engineering; Maria Konsta-Gdoutos, civil engineering professor and director for the DuRe-Transp; Robert Hampshire, U.S. DOT deputy assistant secretary for research and technology; and Kate Miller, UTA vice president for research and innovation. 2023 JUBILEE Booth 1811
10 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Nitrate Coated Premium Liners 5x6, 5x8, & 5x10 Gardner Denver 5-1/2x8 & 5-1/2x10 Gardner Denver 7-1/2x8 & 7-1/2x10 Gardner Denver Rods Heat-Treated & Chromed 5x6, 5x8, & 5-1/2x8 Gardner Denver 5x10 & 5-1/2x10 Gardner Denver 7-1/2x8 & 7-1/2x10 Gardner Denver New Pumps In Stock Gardner Denver 4x5 TEE Triplex. Gardner Denver 5-1/2x5 TEE Triplex Gardner Denver 4x5 or 4-1/2x5 Duplex Gardner Denver 5x6 Duplex Gardner Denver 5x6 Air Drive Duplex Gardner Denver 5x8 Duplex Gardner Denver 5-1/2x8 Duplex Gardner Denver 7-1/2x8 Duplex Gardner Denver 7-1/2x10 Duplex Gardner Denver 5-1/2x5 THE Triplex Gardner Denver 5x8 PAH Triplex Call for Prices. We Have a Variety of Brands of Mud Pump Parts and Power Units in Stock. Special or Obsolete Parts Made to Order. Cash for Surplus Mud Pumps. Rebuilt Mud Pumps 4-1/2x6 Gaso Duplex 4-1/2x6 Oilwell Duplex Gardner Denver 4-1/2x8 PA-8 Triplex Gardner Denver 5x6 Duplex Gardner Denver 5x10 Duplex Gaso 5x10 Duplex OVER 300 PUMPS IN STOCK Armstrong Machine Co. Inc. Pocahontas, IA 50574 USA 712-335-4131 ~ 24 Hours 7 Days a Week • Fax: 712-335-4565 800-831-4527 USA & Canada (8AM to 4PM Monday-Friday) armstrongmachine.com amci@armstrongmachine.com Hydraulic Grout Pumps 5”, 6”, & 7-1/2” New Underreamer System for Greater Drilling Depths Adapted from Information by Mitsubishi Rock Tools Mitsubishi has been in the mining industry since 1871, when Tsukumo Shokai leased a coal mine from the Shingu clan in Kishu, Japan. From 1871 to today, Mitsubishi has made many advancements in mining and drilling technologies. Most notably are their casing advancement underreamer systems and down-the-hole (DTH) tools. In 1992, Mitsubishi Rock Tools developed the Super Max Bit “SMB” underreamer casing advancement system. The SMB has carbide buttons solely on large bit heads that rotate out when the drill string is turned to the right. In 2003, the company redesigned it and started manufacturing its SMB-G model underreamer system. The SMB-G model system is the original wing bit system and has carbide buttons incorporated into the guide device body. Instead of large bit heads, it has smaller bit wings. The redesign has allowed companies to complete drilling projects to greater depths and through harder formations than the original SMB system. Although many other manufacturers have tried to duplicate the company’s wing bit, NO ONE comes close to the quality and service provided by Mitsubishi. In 2018, just before the COVID nightmare, Mitsubishi started manufacturing MD DTH hammers and bits right here in the USA with American steel. The company currently manufactures 3.5-inch all the way up to 8-inch hammers and 4- to 12-inch bits. Their hammer cases are reversable and the 5-inch and larger hammers all have back out buttons on the top sub. Fast forward to 2023, and Mitsubishi Rock Tools is proud to announce the development of a new wing bit underreamer system. The New Max Bit or NMB-G for short, incorporates a completely redesigned guide device, more robust bit wings, bigger retaining pins, and larger diameter bit wing shanks. Their NMB-G is up to 40% stronger than the SMB-G device and will allow for even greater drilling depths than earlier underreamer models. But wait, there’s more! Not only will the NMB-G be stronger than before, but the prices will be the same as the previous SMB-G model. Stronger tools for better drilling without a price hike, who does that? Mitsubishi Rock Tools does! Reach out to your drill tool distributor for more information on any of Mitsubishi’s casing advancement or DTH tools. MIN
11 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Technological Advances by Ronald B. Peterson Drilling Products Specialist, Mountainland Supply Company Technological advances are not always phenomenal or mind-blowing, sometimes they are subtle and simple changes in the way we do things. They can also give a better understanding of products and processes to help achieve better results. The drilling industry, specifically drilling fluids, has always focused on the proper order of addition: (1) Good quality water, (2) Soda ash to adjust ph and remove calcium, (3) Bentonite - properly sheared, (4) Polymers - dry products first and then liquids - again properly sheared, (5) Surfactants, and other specialty products, last with adequate but minimal mixing. This was due to the functions and properties of each additive. Bentonites and polymers are hard to mix and require adequate shear or extended time to fully yield. Polymers are typically selected to keep additional solids, which include any dry additives, from being dissolved into the drilling fluid. You could add bentonite and dry polymers to the system, but it requires aggressive shearing and adequate time to yield, which slows down the drilling operation. Excessive shearing also tends to break down the PHPAs (long chain polymers) and reduces their effectiveness. Drilling contractors are the mothers of invention. They have taught me through the years that there are two words you should never use in the drilling industry - always and never. If you use those words in the drilling industry, you will at some point find you were incorrect. Drilling fluid companies have come out with blended dry products in a single bag. They have done this to help ensure products are added in the proper concentration initially. We must remember, drilling fluid additives are used up during the drilling process. To compensate for the depletion of drilling fluid additives, you must add more product. With a single-sack product, this will maintain the level of the used-up product, but it may also increase the concentration of products which are not used up as aggressively. Blended products take the focus off the order of addition; but make sure you have an adequate mixing system to ensure full and complete yield. Mixers and mixing systems have improved over the years, providing more aggressive shear, which speeds up the mixing process and improves the drilling operations. New products are almost always more expensive than the old standard products. Be careful and evaluate your options to make sure the improved results more than offset the higher price and effectively improve your drilling operations and profitability. Get with your provider of products and equipment and make sure you are aware of what is new and may improve your operations. Try it; maybe it will help you avoid being stuck in a rut and you can enjoy the benefits of new products and methods. Always remember, “A man has to know his limitations,” but he doesn’t have to be defined by them. He can raise the bar. Working together, it is amazing where we can go. Enjoy the trip. If you have any questions on drilling fluids or if you have another topic you would like addressed, please remember this column is ours. Help me make it of value to you. It needs to be an interactive tool. I need your feedback. Please send your suggestions to Michele (below) and she will get them to me. Ron Ron Peterson may be contacted via e-mail to michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com WTR 2023 JUBILEE Booth 403 & 405
12 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Avoid These Common Safety Mistakes on the Jobsite Adapted from Information by CONEXPO/CON-AGG You may have heard it before, but take a minute to let it sink in. More workers die in construction than in any other industry. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 985 workers lost their lives in the construction industry in 2021. Only by understanding how these accidents happen can we address solutions. Safety Mistake #1: Failure to ensure equipment is safe - A study looking at the factors contributing to accidents involving heavy equipment found contributing factors were nonfunctioning seat belts, malfunctioning backup alarms, and poorly maintained equipment. Additionally, many employees are injured or killed when the equipment they are working on is turned on by a coworker or when energy is released from the equipment. Inspect equipment daily and follow lockout, tagout procedures. Equipment inspections are not just about keeping an eye on worn parts or productivity-related issues, they’re also about safety. Some equipment components which should be checked daily are the brakes, couplers, horns, seat belts, mirrors, lights, tires, and steering. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires power sources be deactivated when mobile equipment is being maintained or repaired. Label the equipment with tags on the controls as required by OSHA to prevent accidental use of unsafe equipment. The lack of lockout/tagout equipment-specific procedures is one of the most cited OSHA violations. Safety Mistake #2: Failing to protect workers on foot around heavy equipment - Operators of large heavy equipment simply can’t see people who are on foot in the blind spots of their vehicles. This creates a dangerous situation for people working on the ground nearby including surveyors, spotters, and grade checkers. There are several new technologies to boost visibility, making it safer for employees to work near heavy equipment. Features like 360-degree cameras and backup alarms on the equipment itself. Proximity detection technology sends alerts when an individual or object is within close proximity to another object. Personnel on the ground can be equipped with an electronic tag that emits lights, vibration, and sound when any equipment is too close. Similarly, equipment operators can view the location of the worker from the cab. Safety Mistake #3: Failure to plan ahead to prevent struck-by incidents - Struck-by accidents are a leading cause of death among construction workers. Since 1992, it has been the leading cause of nonfatal injuries in the construction industry. Actively investigate the jobsite both ahead of when the work will be completed, and again just before beginning work. Look for changes in the environment and inspect the equipment and loads to identify any changes from the plan. Employee training should emphasize staying out from under suspended loads and outside of the swing radius of backhoes and cranes, lowering the bucket before exiting the cab, and following the manufacturer’s instructions for operating couplers. Employers should use zones and barriers to separate workers from heavy equipment. Safety Mistake #4: Failure to adhere to OSHA trenching standards - Excavating contractors need to pay more attention to safety standards for trenches. In 2021, OSHA announced enhanced enforcement initiatives after a rise in trench-related accidents. In one incident in June of last year, two workers suffered fatal injuries in Texas, when an unprotected trench more than 20 feet deep collapsed on them as they worked. Sadly, the trench shields which could have saved their lives, sat unused beside the excavation. Remember to slope it, shore it, shield it. Slope It by cutting back the trench wall at an angle inclined away from the excavation. Shore It by installing aluminum hydraulics or other types of supports to prevent soil movement. Shield It by using trench boxes or other types of supports to prevent soil cave-ins. Equipment-related accidents are among the deadliest in the construction industry. The vast majority of deadly accidents would be preventable if everyone followed these simple tips for safer work sites. C&G 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 Happy 4th of July ~ Celebrate Independence Day in a BIG WAY!
WHO’S IN THE NEWS Additional announcements from Service Wire, Brown and Caldwell, and GTI Energy can be found by clicking this box in our online issue at: worldwidedrillingresource.com Epiroc Purchases Schramm Australia Epiroc, a leading productivity and sustainability partner for the mining and infrastructure industries, has agreed to purchase the key assets of Schramm Australia, a leading manufacturer of products for reverse circulation (RC) drilling. Since February 2023, Schramm Australia, based in Perth, has been in voluntary administration, and Epiroc will now continue the business to the benefit of the customers. The assets include intellectual property as well as two production facilities near Perth and two service centers located in Queensland and South Australia. Employees with Schramm Australia will be offered employment at Epiroc. “The Schramm products and brand are well known as a global leader in reverse circulation technology,” stated Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s president and CEO. “We look forward to welcoming the strong team at Schramm Australia to the Epiroc Group.” Send your Breaking News to bonnie@worldwidedrillingresource.com Alberta Water Well Drilling Association (AWWDA) Sheena Larson, office secretary for AWWDA, awarded Chris Gerritsen with an Honorary Membership at the 2023 Convention and Trade Show. Kelly Topilka, AWWDA past president, presented an Honorary Membership to Kelly Nurcombe. 13 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource®
14 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® In Memoriam Manuel Gomez Rios (1960~2023) Manuel Gomez Rios, 63, ended his earthly journey on April 14, 2023. Born in Santo Tomas, Mexico, he emigrated to the U.S. as a young man. He persevered to learn English and carve a place for himself with determination and a strong work ethic. He initially worked for Landford Drilling, then went to Continental Drilling and Service in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1984. Manuel excelled at the company over his 39-year career, eventually holding the lead drill operator position for over 26 years. The days sped by with Manuel’s sense of humor and camaraderie; and his knowledge and skill were respected by fellow workers, customers, and engineers alike. He always saw the best in people, trying to find the good in life and see the positive in any situation. His greatest passions were family and work, but he also enjoyed collecting vintage firearms, hot rod cars, travel, and looking for deals - every pawnshop in North Louisiana knew him by name. Spending time on the beach with his wife was a favorite place. He led an amazing life, becoming a father, grandfather, U.S. citizen, farm owner, mastering his craft of drilling, and so much more. Manuel left behind his wife Tammy; sons Derrick (Katie), Damon, Christopher, Derrick (Brittni), Brandon (Nicole); sisters Nina, Martha, Olivia, and Juanita; brother Humberto; grandchildren Taylor, Christian, Jayde, Abigail, Connor, Anora, Bella, Camilla, Jonah, Maddox, Macie, Noah, Beckett, Presley, Harper, Brennan, Braylon, and Aiden; and numerous nieces and nephews. He will be missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his parents Manuel and Elaina Rios, and company owners Oscar and Christine LaBorde whom he thought of as his second parents. Douglas Warne “Doug” Robertson (1936~2023) Douglas Warne “Doug” Robertson, 87, passed away April 14, 2023, in Dallas, Texas, from complications of dementia. Born in Vivian, Louisiana, his family moved to Shreveport where he graduated from high school, lettering in baseball and basketball, and supporting football as a cheerleader. He attended Louisiana Tech University and the University of Oklahoma, studying petroleum engineering. After a stint in the U.S. Air Force, Doug went to work as a petroleum engineer for Standard Oil Company of Texas, then Delta Drilling Company in Mississippi, then back to Texas at Tesoro Petroleum. During this time, he earned his masters degree. In 1983, he formed Robertson Onshore Drilling, starting with one workover rig which grew to 17 rigs with three offices in five states. A former member of Royal Oaks Country Club, Cherokee Club, Kappa Alpha Order, he was also a longtime member of the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Board. He was a scout leader, T-ball coach, fine furniture builder, guitar player, chalice bearer, lay reader, teaser, jokester, big golfer, devoted father, and faithful husband. Doug is survived by his wife Verna; sons Trent and Drew (Raeann); daughters Keon and Chase (Antoine); and grandchildren Phillip, Sophie, Taylor, Celeste, and Felix. Daniel “Dan” Schmidt (1935~2023) Daniel “Dan” Schmidt, 88, of Waldheim, Saskatchewan, Canada, passed away unexpectedly on April 24, 2023. Born in Shell Lake, he was the second youngest of 11 children. In 1964, Dan married his beautiful bride Hilda. They had five children: Ira (Kari), Iris (Brad), Carla, Helinda, and Patricia; and eventually 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He looked after his family by working on the oil rigs. Later, he worked for multiple drilling companies learning various jobs such as drilling soil samples, putting in piles, and water well drilling. In the early 1980s, Dan went out on his own. Working alongside Hilda, with the help of their son Ira, they drilled water wells in the community and area for many decades. In 2014, at the age of 79, he retired. Dan loved old country western music and excelled at playing the guitar and singing. He was known to have an incredible memory, remembering songs, artists, and lyrics. As an outdoorsman, he liked nature and trees, and found simple beauty in rocks. He also enjoyed watching hockey games and was very passionate about studying his family history. He journaled every day in a notebook - noting the weather and what he did that day. Lest we forget . . . Let us honor your loved one(s) who are no longer with us. This Editorial is prepared and published at NO COST. michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
15 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Drilling Into Money Not Boring by Mark E. Battersby Managing Cash and Avoiding Bank Failures Although most small businesses face little risk of a failed bank, the recent wave of bank failures has put a new focus on the security and stability of financial institutions. Even with protections in place, a bank’s failure can be disruptive, causing delays and confusion regarding access to funds. Now that the panic from the recent bank collapses appears to be diminishing, small businesses should continue to examine their accounts to determine their level of risk and protect their deposits from potential future bank failures. Diversifying accounts is a good idea. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insures deposits of up to $250,000 - an amount far more than the $12,100 balance for most small businesses revealed in a recent JPMorgan Chase Institute survey. Remember, however, the FDIC insures each depositor at each institution - not separate accounts at one institution. Surprisingly, it is banks which may offer the most protection from failure. The IntraFi Network, a system that can split a customer’s large deposits into small chunks that are below the $250,000 cap, sends those chunks to other banks in the system. The result? Customers have multiple FDIC-insured accounts without having to open each account. The first option involves the bank chopping a customer’s money into certificates of deposits (CDs) of less than $250,000 before placing those accounts in other institutions. While the CDs earn interest, the money can’t be withdrawn before the CDs mature. A second option involves a so-called “sweep account” where a customer’s balance in excess of $250,000 is “swept out” to other banks periodically, in smaller blocks. With both options, deposits are protected by the FDIC because, technically, they are sitting elsewhere. Although free, banks usually limit the service to only businesses with uninsured deposits. Even if eligible, however, a drilling business owner may not want to utilize either option, leading to copying bigger operations by creating a treasury strategy. Although, in the short term, bank accounts remain safe because regulators have shown a willingness to step in when needed, the experts advise it’s probably a good idea for small businesses to diversify their funds while cementing their relationship with the drilling operation’s banker or bankers. Coping with the potential of a bank failure is something which should be done today. In addition to being prepared, many strategies reducing the risk of exposure to a bank’s failure can be quite profitable for the drilling business. Mark Mark E. Battersby may be contacted via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
16 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® New Technology May Help with Critical Mineral Production Adapted from Information by the University of Texas at Austin New mining technology pioneered by researchers at The University of Texas at Austin has the potential to reduce the amount of energy needed to access critical minerals while capturing greenhouse gases. Modern technology uses tremendous amounts of lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other critical minerals. These minerals exist in low concentrations in the earth’s crust in ultramafic rocks. Mining those elements takes a great deal of energy and produces waste which can negatively affect the environment and create significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions such as carbon dioxide (CO2). The plan is to use these emissions as a tool to weaken the ultramafic rocks, reducing the amount of energy needed for mining. The ultimate goal is to significantly reduce the emissions produced during mining by storing them safely in the rocks, and potentially even make mining carbon negative - storing more carbon than is produced - by piping in and storing CO2 emissions from other industrial operations. Storing CO2 is possible because of the way ultramafic rocks react with carbon. The CO2 chemically reacts with the rock to mechanically break its structure, making the minerals easier and less energy intensive to mine. This reaction also partially turns the rock into a limestone, incorporating the carbon dioxide into the mineral structure and storing it permanently. “Mining processes create a lot of CO2 as a by-product,” said Estibalitz Ukar, a research scientist at the Bureau of Economic Geology at the UT Jackson School of Geosciences. “If you can capture what is produced at the mine, then you can come up with a low-emission operation, which is good, but we want to use the CO2-reducing properties of ultramafic rocks to help eliminate even more CO2.” Ukar and his team of scientists are working to perfect the technology, which is supported by a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy. The threeyear project will work to refine the method in the lab for two years before trying a full-scale field test in partnership with Canada Nickel Company. The field test is planned to take place in one of 20 newly discovered ore bodies near the U.S.and Canadian border forecast to be an important new source of critical minerals in North America. Development of this technology may lead to an increase in the domestic supply of several critical minerals by making low-grade deposits more economically viable. “The demand is high now, but we will see a huge increase in the next three to five years as we transition into lower emission technologies, such as electric vehicles,” Ukar said. “We need to meet the demand by finding creative ways to reduce costs and emissions, find new sources of metals, and make the mines of the future more sustainable. And we need to do it fast.” This is part of the DOE’s Mining Innovations for Negative Emissions Resource Recovery program, a new initiative to develop market-ready technologies for increasing the domestic supply of critical elements necessary to transition to low-carbon or carbon-free energy. MIN Recipe Corner Courtesy of the Texas Ground Water Association Ladies Auxiliary - Women of Water Chocolate Chip Fudge 3 Cups Chocolate Chips Pinch of Salt 1½ Teaspoons Vanilla ½ Cup Nuts 1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk Melt chocolate chips in a double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and add milk. Then add remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour into 11 x 8 inch pan and chill for 2 hours. ~ Sherri Taylor Friona, TX
17 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® TMG Manufacturing’s injection underpinning push piers are the perfect union between compaction grouting and standard push piers. The piers are initially pushed to bedrock, sufficiently supporting the weight of the structure. Grout is then pumped through the machined, threaded hole in the bracket top plate and into the patented perforated pipe, allowing grout to flow out, filling voids and compacting surrounding soils, securing the pier in place. The company’s extensive line of helical, push, and auger piles, along with foundation repair products, are built to the highest industry standards and manufacturing processes. Got Something New? Go ahead, let the cat out of the bag in WWDR’s Product Spotlight michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com - 850-547-0102 850-547-0102
18 JULY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® The Un-Comfort Zone II by Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. A Case Against Spanking Last month, I wrote about searching for the source of my introversion by mentally backtracking my childhood history. I noted I was bullied in elementary school by older kids because I was attracting them by the low self-esteem they could read on my face, and how my self-esteem was low because my mother bullied me at home. I concluded by sharing I was learning how to re-parent my inner child to overcome the limiting beliefs acquired back then which continue to control me today. I have continued my inner child healing work by recalling as many details of my childhood as possible. I had two related epiphanies. I remembered how my parents frequently yelled at me to hold my shoulders back. It made me wonder why my posture was so bad, and through my research, I found depression can cause it. I found in a Doctor Andrew Weil article this powerful quote by Psychologist Bo Forbes from her book Yoga for Emotional Balance: “When we’re depressed the body may have what I call ‘Closed Heart Syndrome,’ a postural pattern that illustrates the helplessness, hopelessness, and self-protective withdrawal of depression. In this syndrome, the chest sinks and the heart area collapses (making) the breath shallow and slow.” In addition, she says “the upper spine and shoulders round, as though to protect the heart from further disappointment.” The bullies at school were not reading low self-esteem in my face; they saw from a block away my stooped and bentover posture as I walked to school every day. As I approached, my defensive posture signaled the bullies that someone weak and powerless was coming their way. And, like hyenas finding a wounded gazelle, they attacked often and viciously. My second epiphany came when I wondered why I dreaded school so much it made me depressed, but I didn’t just dread going to school, I was terrified of going to school. It began in the weeks before I started elementary school when kids in the neighborhood told me I should prepare for getting spanked a lot by my teachers and the principal. They said all the teachers had paddles, and the principal had a spanking machine in his office he loved to use. The neighborhood kids enjoyed teasing me with these tales because I believed them, and they could tell how easily I was frightened - but it wasn’t all fiction. In 1963, my first grade teacher controlled the behavior of 30 rambunctious six year olds by wielding her paddle. She never actually spanked any of us, but she threatened it almost daily. If a child in the room was doing something she didn’t like, she would pound her paddle on the desk of the offending student while screaming at him or her to stop or she would take them into the hallway and spank them. An alternative punishment was to send us out into the hall, to stand with our nose against the wall by the door, where if we were caught out there by the principal, he would paddle us. Reinforcing this was the frequent sound of the principal spanking some defenseless child. “WHACK, WHACK, WHACK, WHACK” echoed down the hallways, through the open transoms over classroom doors, sending shudders into young minds . . . and focusing their behavior. The principal patrolled the hallways and lunchroom with his large wooden paddle sticking out of his back pocket; it had several holes drilled into it to reduce air resistance so he could swing faster and harder; the holes also removed the cushion of air made by solid paddles that could reduce the impact and pain. Being sent out into the hallway was a more frightening punishment to me than being spanked by the teacher. There was many a day when I would stand in the hall with my nose against the wall shivering, shaking, and praying the principal wouldn’t be making his rounds while I stood there. I was terrified of school for my first three years. In fourth grade I stopped being afraid, because for the first time I had a teacher who did not control behavior with harsh discipline, but with kindness, caring, and compassion instead. As I thought back to those days, I also recalled former schoolmates writing in a Facebook forum for my elementary school how much they loved my first, second, and third grade teachers, as well as the principal. This made me question my fear. What made me so afraid? Clearly I was afraid of being spanked, but why was I so afraid? It was because my parents spanked me often and severely. My mother would spank me with a switch, and my father with a belt. I either had a hard time learning what I was not supposed to do, or my parents were abusive. Then I recalled when I was a teenager my father telling me that on the night he got home from having his kidney transplant he couldn’t sleep because I wouldn’t stop crying, so he spanked me until I stopped crying. I don’t recall the event, but that evening was the first time I’d seen my father in six months. My sister and I were sent to a faraway city to live with a stranger - a friend of my mother’s who we’d never met before - while my mom and dad went to Boston with his twin who was donating a kidney. I was four years old, and my sister only a few months old, when we were essentially abandoned for the duration of my father’s illness. I was dumbfounded as my father revealed this story to me - mostly because he told it as if he still felt justified in what he did. It must’ve been a pattern with my parents because I then recalled many times when my mother would scold me into tears, and then tell me to stop crying or she would give me something to cry about - implying she would spank me. I was terrified of school because I was so afraid of spankings. I had been traumatized by my parents’ abuse. I wasn’t just depressed; I think I was suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It was no wonder I had low self-esteem. My parents had taken my power away from me - my power to face life unafraid. Boy, do I have a lot of re-parenting work to do with my inner child. Robert Robert is an innovation/change speaker, author, and consultant. He works with companies that want to be more competitive through innovation and with people who want to think more creatively. Contact him via e-mail to michele@worldwidedrillingresource.com
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