Buddy Sebastian is vice president and general manager of Sebastian and Sons Well Drilling based in Springport, Michigan. The long-time industry friend and president of the Michigan Ground Water Association has spoken at industry events about job costs, company sustainability and the future of drilling companies. We brought him on Drilling In-Site, episode 22, to discuss how each of those topics dovetails with major equipment decisions.

Jim Smith has taught at Fleming College’s Resources Drilling Technician Program for more than 15 years, so he’s an expert on not only training up-and-coming drillers, but also helping veteran drillers brush up their skills. We brought him on Drilling In-Site, episode 21, to talk about the school, as well as the current challenges and opportunities of a modern trades education.

On episode 20 of Drilling In-Site, we wrap up our drilling safety gear talk from Groundwater Week 2020. The first part of our discussion focused on eye and hand protection. This second part covers ear protection, and how an emphasis on safety helps companies attract and retain the best drilling talent.

The Driller hosted a wide-ranging talk about safety gear basics in our virtual booth at the Groundwater Week 2020 event Dec. 8-10. Host Jeremy Verdusco and cohost Brock Yordy invited back safety expert and The Driller columnist Dave Bowers.

At Groundwater Week 2020, Reed Maxwell presents this year’s NGWA Darcy Lecture, which focuses on groundwater and the water cycle. Maxwell directs the Integrated GroundWater Modeling Center (IGWMC) at Princeton, where he is also a professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the High Meadows Environmental Institute. On episode 18 of Drilling In-Site, we talk groundwater modeling and how it affects drillers.

Drillers make their living chewing through earth, so we found it only natural to talk to a geologist with deep drilling experience, and bring that perspective to readers. Dr. Thomas Herbert, a cofounder and vice president of Lampl-Herbert Consultants Inc. in Tallahassee, Florida, joins us for Drilling In-Site 17.

Co-host Brock Yordy has called longtime National Driller columnist Wayne Nash “the godfather of the drilling industry.” On episode 16 of Drilling In-Site, we celebrate the life of the author of our “World According to Wayne” column.