The Driller
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
  • EDUCATION
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
  • SUBMIT
  • ABOUT
  • SIGN UP
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • NEWS
  • Water
  • Geothermal
  • Construction
  • Environmental
  • Mining
  • All Industry News
  • EQUIPMENT
  • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
  • Consumables
  • Pumps
  • Featured Products
  • VIDEOS
  • Newscast
  • Drill Talks
  • Ask Brock
  • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
  • Drilling Business Insights
  • Reference Desk
  • Sponsored Insights
  • EVENTS
  • Conferences & Demo Days
  • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
  • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
  • Contact
  • Advertise
The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP

Drilling Fluids: Revitalizing Existing Water Wells

By Bob Oliver
Bob Oliver
July 6, 2011
"When the housing bubble burst in late 2008 and early 2009, the domestic water well drilling industry also took a big hit, especially in certain areas of the country. .... Fortunately, for some, there were other markets to explore."

When the housing bubble burst in late 2008 and early 2009, the domestic water well drilling industry also took a big hit, especially in certain areas of the country. For a number of years, as the housing market was booming, there was a great need for water wells to service many of these homes. Water well drillers became accustomed to sizable backlogs every year. That ended with the coming of the recession, and these same drillers were faced with looking for other ways to sustain their businesses. Fortunately, for some, there were other markets to explore. Some of these included:

  • Drilling irrigation wells and municipal wells,

  • Environmental drilling,

  • Ground source heat pump installations,

  • Horizontal directional drilling,

  • Mineral exploration drilling,

  • Well rehabilitation of existing wells.

Today, all of these markets still are viable, and can be ways for drillers to diversify to maintain their businesses during lean times.

It is the last category above that will be the focus of this article. Well rehabilitation is a great market for drillers and pumps installers to consider as part of their marketing. There are many wells in the United States that are not yielding the gallons per minute (GPM) that they did when they were originally drilled and placed into production. In many cases, well rehabilitation can help these situations and return the wells to their original production.

There are some unique products that have been developed over the last several decades to combat well-yield problems. Some reasons for the decline of well yield include:

  • A build-up of clays or bentonite drilling mud in screens and gravel pack,

  • Accumulation of sands and silts in the screened area of wells,

  • Bio-fouling from bacteria,

  • Mineral scale build-up.

There are some indicators to determine what may be causing problems in the well. Sudden decline of well yield can indicate the presence of bacteria fouling. Slime, oily film or an odor also are indicators of bio-fouling.

A slow, steady decline of production over time can indicate mineral scale. Changing chemistries and scale build-up on the pump or pump column also can be signs of mineral scale build-up.

Downhole cameras can be used to study problems in wells. If the well water is not clear enough to see with the camera, there are flocculants available, which drop the solids out of the water to enable the contractor to see the problem with the camera.

A couple of common well-cleaning products that have been used extensively for well rehabilitation include hydrochloric acid and chlorine. These two products have some definite disadvantages. Both are highly toxic and dangerous to handle. Hydrochloric acid reacts violently to calcium carbonate scale. Chlorine does not have the ability to penetrate bacteria colonies, and treatment with chlorine usually lasts only a short time and has to be repeated – often. Neither product has chelating properties for suspension of scale or bacteria once it has been dislodged.

As was mentioned above, there have been some really good well rehabilitation products developed in recent years that are safer to handle and more effective than hydrochloric acid or chlorine. These include acids for scale removal, acids for treating bio-fouling, and products for clay, sand or silt removal.

There are several companies that have taken the lead with these products; they include:

  • Cotey Chemical Corp.

  • Johnson Well Screen

  • Design Water

  • CETCO

  • Baroid IDP

The products of these companies have been proven to be user-friendly and effective against mineral scale, bio-fouling and problems relating to the accumulation of clays, sands and silts. It is important to follow each manufacturer’s specifications for its product in order for that product to perform effectively. Mechanical cleaning also is necessary to use, along with chemicals, to ensure successful rehabilitation.

There are some other practices that help guarantee the success of a well rehabilitation project. Some of these include:

  • Give the product time to work.

  • Include agitation a couple of times per day during the treatment to ensure that the chemical reaches all affected areas of the well.

  • Select the right product to fix the well problem.

  • Work safely, using protective equipment and proper ventilation while using the products.

When the well treatment has been completed, and the manufacturer’s instructions have been carried out, the products need to be disposed of properly. The chemical should be pumped out of the well into a pit or tank. Acids then can be treated with soda ash or baking soda to neutralize them. Contractors need to check local, state and federal regulations for disposal of the product. These regulations help ensure the health and safety of everyone involved, as well as the ground water.

There is plenty of opportunity and potential growth in this field of well rehabilitation. There are safe, effective products to use for cleaning wells and protecting our precious ground water. If you have any questions regarding these products or their applications, please contact your supplier or manufacturer. You also can contact me through National Driller.
ND

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Bob oliver 200px
Bob Oliver is regional manager for CETCO Drilling Products.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • geotechnical drilling rig

    6 Onsite Phrases Environmental Drillers Hate

    Here are six phrases that highlight common frustrations...
    Markets
    By: Jeff Garby
  • Wayne Nash

    Pipe Stuck? Common Causes and Solutions for Drillers

    If you have drilled for any length of time, sooner or...
    Oil & Gas Drilling
    By: Wayne Nash
  • submersible pumps, water well pumps

    Selecting and Sizing Submersible Pump Cable

    This article helps pump installers and servicers decide...
    Equipment
    By: Bob Pelikan
You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • Manage My Preferences

The Driller Newscast: New York Geo Talks 2025 Conference with Hands-on Driller Education

The Driller Newscast: New York Geo Talks 2025 Conference with Hands-on Driller Education

The Driller Newscast: 21st Century Drillers | Part 1 DEMAND

The Driller Newscast: 21st Century Drillers | Part 1 DEMAND

The Driller Newscast: Coiled Tubing Drilling and the Future of Geothermal

The Driller Newscast: Coiled Tubing Drilling and the Future of Geothermal

The Driller Newscast, Episode 147: Global Geothermal Collaboration at NY-GEO 2025

The Driller Newscast, Episode 147: Global Geothermal Collaboration at NY-GEO 2025

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the The Driller audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of The Driller or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • demo of a DM450 drilling rig during a customer factory visit
    Sponsored byGeoprobe

    Built for You: Smarter Drill Rigs, Stronger Support, Bigger Opportunities

Popular Stories

MainPhotoTwoBrothers.jpg

Two Brothers' Journey Through the Drilling Industry

demo of a DM450 drilling rig during a customer factory visit

Built for You: Smarter Drill Rigs, Stronger Support, Bigger Opportunities

AI and Drought Concerns

AI’s Growing Thirst for Water and Power

The Driller Classifieds

COMPRESSORS

EAST WEST MACHINERY & DRILLING IS BUYING AND SELLING AIR COMPRESSORS, AIR BOOSTERS, AIR ENDS & PARTS
Company: East West Machinery

DRILL RIGS

LOOKING FOR LATE MODEL TOPHEADS & DRILLTECH D25'S
Company: Spikes’s Rig Sales

DRILL RIG PARTS

MEETING DRILLERS NEEDS AROUND THE WORLD
Company: East West Machinery

ELEVATORS

SEMCO INC. PIPE ELEVATORS
Company: Semco Inc.

GROUTERS

GROUTING EQUIPMENT - GROUT PUMPS & GROUT HOSE REELS
Company: Geo-Loop Inc.

PUMP HOISTS

SEMCO INC. - BASIC PUMP HOISTS
Company: Semco Inc.

WELL PACKERS

LANSAS PRODUCTS - INFLATABLE WELL PACKERS
Company: Vanderlans Lansas Products

WELL SCREENS

WELL SCREENS & SLOTTED PIPE
Company: Alloy Screen Works

Products

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

Water Quality Engineering: Physical / Chemical Treatment Processes

By carefully explaining both the underlying theory and the underlying mathematics, this text enables readers to fully grasp the fundamentals of physical and chemical treatment processes for water and wastewater.

See More Products

Subscribe to The Driller Newscast

Related Articles

  • Bob Oliver

    Drilling Fluids: Drilling and Grouting Products for Monitoring Wells

    See More
  • Bob Oliver

    Drilling Fluids: Grouting Wells with Dry Sealants

    See More
  • Bob Oliver

    Tips for Better Drilling Fluids Management

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • drilling.jpg

    Clay Science in Drilling and Drilling Fluids

  • fracturingwells.jpg

    Fracturing Horizontal Wells

  • M:\General Shared\__AEC Store Katie Z\AEC Store\Images\ND\new site\a-builders-guide-to-wells-a.gif

    A Builder's Guide to Wells and Septic Systems, Second Edition

See More Products

Related Directories

  • Alberta Water Well Drilling Assn.

    Non-profit organization supporting the interest and welfare of the water well industry in all of its phases.
  • Water Systems Council

    Water Systems Council (WSC) is the only national nonprofit organization with programs solely focused on private water wells and small, shared wells serving more than 13 million households nationwide. WSC's mission is to protect and promote well water systems. WELL WATER - NATURALLY BETTER®
  • Jentech Drilling Supply

    Let Jentech Drilling Supply assist you in supplying and implementing a drill string to match your drilling requirements. We inventory a full range of drilling supplies, fluids, cement and grout. We also manufacture our own line of coring tooling.
×

Dig deeper into the drilling and water supply industry!

Build your knowledge with The Driller, covering the people, equipment and technologies across drilling markets.

SIGN UP NOW
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Classifieds
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eNewsletters
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing

The Driller
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
The Driller
  • NEWS
    • Water
    • Geothermal
    • Construction
    • Environmental
    • Mining
    • All Industry News
  • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EQUIPMENT
    • Rigs & Heavy Equipment
    • Consumables
    • Pumps
    • Featured Products
  • SAFETY
  • VIDEOS
    • Newscast
    • Drill Talks
    • Ask Brock
    • Emerging Drillers
  • EDUCATION
    • Drilling Business Insights
    • Reference Desk
    • Sponsored Insights
  • SOURCEBOOK
  • EVENTS
    • Conferences & Demo Days
    • Newscast LIVE
  • SUBMIT
    • Drillers @Work
  • ABOUT
    • Contact
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP