Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/451364
on land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. California's regula- tions and EPA Tier 4 Final emissions requirements also influenced AZCA owner Larry Siddall to upgrade to an Atlas Copco TH60 DH. The TH60 DH gives AZCA crews 70,000 pounds of pullback and 30,000 pounds of pulldown. Siddall notes the rig comes with modernized features as well. The technology helps reduce what Siddall referred to as the "high scrutiny" factor. "On sites like this, you have the en- vironmental monitors observing opera- tions 24/7," he says. "What might seem like a minor malfunction to us drillers can be alarming to them. Good equip- ment causes less drama when you're op- erating in front of non-drillers like that." Drilling Operations Job specifications limited Siddall to mud drilling, though he says he would like to have used a hammer in this for- mation. The driller encountered frac- tured granitic rock at about 350 feet, which continued to total depth at 500 feet. The drilling site surfaces were sealed off with plastic lining. Drilling fluid brought onto the site included only approved additives. All fluid was con- tained and hauled away for treatment and disposal, as was initial development water. External pits were not allowed. All fluids were contained in AZCA's shale shaker box. Solids from the shaker box were also contained and hauled away for treatment and disposal. One well site allowed AZCA a drilling area of about 2500 square feet. Pad dimensions were crowded by the TH60, a pipe trailer, water storage tanks, a shale shaker, and a treaded loader, in addition to AZCA's preferred off-board mud pump. The TH60 accom- modates off-board pumps with quick connects at its hydraulic manifold. Another site, however, was just too small. So instead of setting up its water storage tanks, AZCA cycled in a water truck as needed. Water production wells were drilled in two passes: first with a 12⅝-inch hard rock tricone bit, followed by a hole opener with 12-inch PDC pilot and 17½-inch tricone bit third reamer. The 4-inch monitoring wells were drilled single pass with 4-inch hard rock tri- cone bits. 28 February 2015 WWJ The harsh Mojave Desert was the site of an interesting job for AZCA Drilling & Pump. A drill tower is visible in the left side of the photo. The drill site was to the right. TORTOISE from page 27 Tortoise Distress Mitigation Tortoises commonly symbolize endurance and long life. Some eastern Native American tribes portray the world as being carried upon a tortoise's shell. In the mythology of tribes living in the deserts of the Southwest, the desert tortoise also represents life-giving water. The Mojave Desert tortoise is listed as a threatened species under the U.S. Threatened Species Act. Its habitat includes California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and north- west Mexico. The densest popula- tions occur in western sections of the Mojave Desert. Biologists refer to the desert tortoise as a threatened keystone species. Other animals rely on the tortoise's ability to burrow as far as 6 feet beneath the desert floor. The tortoise shares its tunnels with these animals, protecting them from the harsh daytime environment above with access to humidity and cooler temperatures underground. Before drilling crew members could enter the California Desert Conservation Area, they underwent Workers Environmental Awareness Program training. WEAP training makes workers aware not just of the tortoises but of all sensitive biological, cultural, and paleontological resources they may encounter at the site. waterwelljournal.com A tortoise lies near exclusion fencing that was laid out carefully around a path that led to the drill site. All access points were plotted out and monitored throughout the project.