On Aug. 29, 2005, southeast Louisiana took a direct hit from the category 4 Hurricane Katrina, and Shallow Draft Elevating Boats Inc. in Plaquemines Parish, La., was located at what now is referred to as “ground zero.”
Last month, we examined two of the three factors to be considered when determining the pressure requirements of a pump, household working pressure and lift pressure. The third factor is pressure drop due to friction loss.
Because they can be installed in virtually any soil type, can support large axial and lateral loads on a single member, and provide the most economical foundation type for most situations, drilled shafts are the most commonly utilized bridge foundation.
Proper drilling fluid mixtures stabilize the hole, cool the down-hole equipment and remove spoils. To help get the right mix, contractors should know the basic type of soil through which they’ll be drilling, as well as the water's chemistry.
The Laser Applications Laboratory at Argonne National Laboratory, along with a group of collaborators, is examining the feasibility of adapting high-power laser technology to drilling applications.
Sonic drilling uses high frequency mechanical oscillations, developed in the special drill head, to transmit resonant vibrations and rotary power through the specially designed drill tooling to the drill bit, allowing it to achieve drilling penetration without the need for drilling fluids or air.
Drilling muds have four basic properties that determine the behavior of the mud as a drilling fluid – viscosity, density, gel strength and filtration. Several other properties, although of lesser importance, need to be checked, especially if problems are anticipated or encountered.
The compact directional drilling market in North America has exploded over the last several years. Finding work for these drills is one thing, but keeping them in top operational condition is another. Drill maintenance can be extensive, but applying a little common sense will go a long way …
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