Water Well Journal
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/740475
The driller will notice this occurring and typically adjust the rate of penetration or the weight on the bit in order to reduce the torque on the drill string. Next, he or she will monitor the return flow for a sign of the material that was intersected and for loss of returns or a change in the discharge rate. For some wells this is as far as it goes, just a bump in the road. But if there is a continuation of problems during drilling or the sudden change in the type, volume, or odor of the well discharge, it may warrant stopping the drilling and reviewing the drill site situation. It could potentially require sampling the water quality and running a video or caliper log of the well to better understand the subsurface environment. Remember it doesn't hurt to reach out to another profes- sional for help or advice. It is better to plug a bad boring than to complete a harmful well. Parting Thoughts At times, business people and contractors can get caught up in the business of being in business and forget to consider the real consequences of setting that next well. Many times, external forces such as a customer's desire for a specific loca- tion or only adhering to the minimum regulatory requirements weigh on determining a well's location. But remember, regardless of the situation, the final location and completion is up to the groundwater professional who is ultimately responsible for the quality and safety of the final product. References Bates, Robert L., and Julia A Jackson. 1984. Dictionary of Geological Terms–Third Edition. New York: Anchor Books. Freeze, R. Allan, and John A. Cherry. 1979. Groundwater. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc. Raymond L. Straub Jr., PG, is the president of Straub Corp. in Stanton, Texas, a Texas-registered geoscience firm and specialized ground-water services firm. He is a Texas- licensed professional geoscientist and holds master driller licenses in Texas and New Mexico and a master pump installer license in Texas. He can be reached at raymond @straubcorporation.com. WWJ DACUM Codes To help meet your professional needs, this article covers skills and competencies found in DACUM charts for drillers and pump installers. DO refers to the drilling chart. The letter and number immediately following is the skill on the chart covered by the article. This article covers: DOA-4, DOB-1, DOC-5, DOE-3, DOE-6 More information on DACUM and the charts are available at www.NGWA.org. WWJ November 2016 29 Twitter @WaterWellJournl