Drilling Industry News

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Inside Climate News spoke to Brock Yordy, a drilling expert who worked for the oil and gas industry and the U.S. military and now focuses on geothermal.

Since President Donald Trump took office Jan. 20, there has been widespread confusion over the status of IRA money for projects both large—like those administered by the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality—and small, like BREDL’s.

PFAS, often called forever chemicals, have been linked to serious health risks.  As water utilities work to remove these substances from drinking water, these lawmakers argue they shouldn’t bear the financial burden of cleanup costs.

While EPA set Feb. 20, 2025 as the deadline to file comments on the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), some stakeholders within the water testing and water utility sectors say because the NPRM is very complex the deadline is too short, and should be extended by 60 days.

The metal produced in Canada is used by over 500,000 American manufacturing workers to create parts and products, adding more than $200 billion to the U.S. economy.

Many drill bits used in water well drilling and mining are tungsten carbide-tipped due to their durability and resistance to extreme wear. If tungsten becomes hard to find, prices could go up for manufacturers and drillers.

As demand for clean water and renewable energy continues to grow, collaborations like this could help bridge the gap between education, research, and real-world applications in the drilling sector.

The collaboration will leverage SLB’s expertise in energy technology and Star Energy Geothermal’s experience in geothermal resource development to improve the efficiency and scalability of geothermal projects.

The drilling industry relies mostly on U.S.-produced steel, so it won’t be hit as hard as some other sectors. Steel and aluminum are essential for drill rigs, casings, well screens, heat exchangers, and piping systems used in water and geothermal drilling. 

The EPA has postponed adding nine PFAS to its “Toxics Release Inventory” (TRI), which would subject them to the same reporting rules as other chemicals of “special concern.”