Can you imagine casing a well with galvanized tin? What about terra cotta? Sounds unimaginable to modern ears, but the industry employed these types of materials not all that long ago — during the lifetimes of some of the more-veteran drillers out there.
Contractors, of course, now have great options for casing and other well materials. From PVC with easy locking connections to high-tech composites, the materials contractors use in 2023 have plenty of advantages over earlier materials when it comes to minimizing corrosion, scaling and microbial growth. But, it’s useful to take today’s contractors on a walk through the history and evolution of the materials that go into a successful well. Now, drilling is probably never going to be easy, but knowing how drillers 30, 40 or even 50 years ago worked — and still somehow managed to make hole — can give you an appreciation for advances in methods and materials commonplace today.