Water Well Journal
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/1330849
facebook.com/WaterWellJournal WWJ February 2021 n 23 on hourly usage," explains Nic Sprowls of Beinhower Bros. Drilling, "whereas with sampling, I have a better idea on how to gauge when to perform service. I feel it maximizes the life you get out of each fluid and doesn't allow you to change too early or wait too long. "This doesn't replace the hourly interval by any means, but it will modify your process/intervals and detect problems long before a costly repair." Sprowls shared how analysis of the compressor oil came back with an irregular amount of water in the sample. He made an immediate call to the manufacturer on how to pro- ceed. A copy of the results had already been sent to the man- ufacturer and it determined the water needed to be drained more often. "Where I would've normally gone by footage drilled be- fore doing this simple task, I've since changed to every use," Sprowls says. "That simple change because of sampling saved a costly repair down the road. Every rig is different to where the sampling will give you an idea of what your rig needs." Sprowls, president of the Ohio Ground Water Association, also shared how hydraulic oil in the GEFCO 40K came back with elevated metal content. He says nothing indicated that the hydraulics were acting up, but the oil sample prompted further investigation which revealed a hydraulic pump failed prematurely. "It saved our entire hydraulic system by just testing the oil," Sprowls says. Since oil sampling isn't standard operating procedure in the industry, Sprowls suggests contractors give it a try. He says the first steps may entail contacting their oil supplier. "I've heard most of them will do oil sampling," he says. "If their rig manufacturer or rig mechanic knows of a place to get this done, it works well for us to have results go to them also. If they get this far with it, definitely consult the operator on their thoughts. It's only as effective as the person taking the sample. "Oil sampling may make sense to some guys, and others may laugh at the idea. I know we will never advance in the in- dustry by doing things the same way it was done in the past." Sprowls stresses that maintenance needs to be intentional where time is made for it. He makes a point that being proactive is less stressful than reacting to an engine replacement in a cus- tomer's front yard. After all, it's much easier to work on the ma- chines in a climate-controlled shop or gravel lot with no mud. "What I've done for routine items is put a value on them that is relevant to our industry," he shares. "Most drilling is accounted for by the foot, so I will analyze what kind of drill- ing I'm doing and put a footage on it. For example, I grease the rig every so many feet of overall drilling. If I'm mud drilling, the mud pump and swivel get greased very well, no matter the footage. Air drilling may be more frequent on the swivel due to the temperatures. "Overall, the entire rig gets greased on a footage basis. That way I have several reminders that it needs done—from billing to inventory to filling out a well log—I have several tools that are reminders to grease." In addition to these built-in reminder tools, Sprowls keeps a folder with a piece of paper stapled in the inside cover on each piece of equipment. Within that folder is a copy of every- thing that's been done to it—whether in-house or outsourced. "Some items I track are hydraulic pressures, oil changes, and even if the design of a pipe wrench gets changed," he says, because "the more you write down the better. Time gets away from us so fast, you'd be surprised at what gets written down and forgotten about." Take Pride in the Equipment National Ground Water Association President-Elect Brian Snelten, PG, area manager at Layne Christensen, A Granite Company, in Aurora, Illinois, advises contractors to take pride in the equipment they're operating because it's what makes the revenue. "The main reason Layne is dedicated to a robust equip- ment inspection/maintenance program is the safety of our employees," Snelten says. "If we can keep our equipment safe to operate, it reduces the hazards to our employees and helps prevent injuries. They go home to their families at the end of the day in the same condition they came to work. "We've made incredible strides in our safety performance over the past four years, and we see equipment maintenance as a required component to our continued safety evolution to not just maintain industry leading safety performance, but achieve true world-class safety." Beyond improved safety, Layne sees additional benefits of an aggressive maintenance and repair program achieving increased employee engagement, client appreciation and rec- ognition, decreased maintenance costs, decreased downtime, NEXT GEN PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE continues on page 24 DAILY M T W T F M T W T F M T W T F M T W T F Engine oil level coolant level fan belts Compressor oil level WEEKLY 1 2 3 4 Hydraulic oil level Pump gearbox oil level Grease compressor driveline Tophead gearbox oil level Lube lift cables Welder oil level Drain water from air tanks Lift sling inspection Service truck inspection oil level coolant level power steering oil level tires/air pressure lights MONTHLY Rig inspection tires/air pressure lights power steering fluid grease shives inspect cables/hooks/safety catch differencial oil #4 Trailer inspection tires/air pressure inspect lights/plug Service truck miles Rig miles hours Welder hours NOTES hours to oil change hours to oil change DATE MONTHLY MAINTENANCE CHECK LIST - RIG 4 80 psi 115 psi 80 psi miles to oil change Apex Drilling's maintenance checklist. Image courtesy Baker, Apex Drilling.