https://www.thedriller.com/rss/2674 en-us From the mix tank to the return flow, managing viscosity controls inadvertent returns and is critical to a successful bore.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92905 Wed, 06 Mar 2024 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92905-managing-viscosity frack out Photo courtesy of CETCO clay plug Photo courtesy of CETCO todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) Famous quote “If you’re not growing, you’re dying” applies well to manufacturers, distributors, contractors.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92858 Wed, 13 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92858-ready-to-grow-embrace-change-in-drilling-and-fluids We try to simplify the decision-making for contractors matching fluids and polymers to ground conditions.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92834 Tue, 28 Nov 2023 15:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92834-contractor-tips-polymer-selection-for-drilling-fluids drilling fluids Source: CETCO Drilling Products keeping the borehole open Source: CETCO Drilling Products We delve deeper into geotechnical reports with a look at how data tables offer tips for keyword searches.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92753 Wed, 19 Jul 2023 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92753-drilling-for-soil-chemistry-in-geotech-reports-part-2 Need to read and understand geotechnical reports? In this column, we cover getting started and bore log basics.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92742 Fri, 23 Jun 2023 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92742-drilling-for-soil-chemistry-in-geotech-reports-part-1 george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) Columnist goes to drought-parched Monterrey, Mexico, to train drillers in fluids, air drilling and foam drilling.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92715 Wed, 17 May 2023 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92715-a-drilling-mud-school-with-a-mission reservoir for El Cuchillo Dam The reservoir for El Cuchillo Dam near Monterrey, Mexico, has struggled with low water levels. Source: George Dugan / CETCO Drilling Products boat launch on the reservoir A boat launch on the reservoir shows how much the water has receded as drought in the area has dragged on. Source: George Dugan / CETCO Drilling Products In reactive soils, operators risk stuck tools or strings if they don’t take a tactical approach to their drilling fluids.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92699 Fri, 14 Apr 2023 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92699-drilling-in-clay-shale-and-mudstone-how-do-you-react todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) In horizontal directional drilling, other construction fields, each person on site has a valuable part to play.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92662 Wed, 22 Feb 2023 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92662-the-most-important-person-on-an-hdd-job george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) From the right pH to precipitating out hardness, soda ash is hard to beat for pretreating make-up water.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92629 Wed, 21 Dec 2022 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92629-clearing-up-questions-about-soda-ash-make-up-water Not every drilling job calls for bentonite. Premeasured polymer mixes can simplify short HDD runs.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92606 Fri, 25 Nov 2022 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92606-polymer-drilling-fluids-for-small-diameter-hdd-bores michael.kleespies@mineralstech.com (Michael Kleespies) With a wave of infrastructure funds coming, suppliers and buyers can ultimately help one another succeed.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92584 Fri, 21 Oct 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92584-building-the-drilling-fluids-distributor-contractor-relationship Checklists, signs, leadership and training all feed into safety culture, buy-in from drill crews up to owners.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92564 Tue, 20 Sep 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92564-in-drilling-and-construction-safety-belongs-to-everyone Many manufacturers and suppliers offer drilling fluids training that can have a direct effect on success rates.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92549 Fri, 26 Aug 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92549-skilled-labor-shortage-a-growing-challenge-for-drilling todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) Operators can calculate a rough time per rod once they know per-foot volume for the bore and pump speed.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92529 Thu, 21 Jul 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92529-tips-for-estimating-rod-pullback-time-in-hdd george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) Early polymer slurries struggled when drilling unconsolidated soils. Fluid-loss additives changed the game.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92508 Wed, 15 Jun 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92508-how-does-fluid-loss-additive-affect-synthetic-slurry Don’t expect these common tools for testing fluids to have same results for high-solids, gelling mixes.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92491 Wed, 18 May 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92491-fann-rheometer-advantages-and-marsh-funnel-testing-tips http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92467 Wed, 13 Apr 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92467-marsh-funnel-limitations-in-field-testing-drilling-fluids Marsh funnel The Marsh funnel is a tried-and-true companion for drillers and mud techs, but it has limits. Source: U.S. Department of Energy todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) It helps if the whole company, from drillers to owners, knows the value of a good fluid for tricky, sticky geologies.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92445 Wed, 16 Mar 2022 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92445-a-total-company-understanding-of-hdd-fluids HDD drilling fluids The goal is installed product, right? Well, columnist Todd Tannehill says sometimes it pays to use more than just a one-bag drilling fluids solution. Source: FRAC / Creative Commons / CC-BY-SA-2.5 george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) Changes to usability, suspension, dosage often driven by requests from HDD, other contractors in the field.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92396 Mon, 10 Jan 2022 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92396-in-drilling-fluids-why-reformulate-a-great-product horizontal directional drilling Often, when a drilling fluids product manufacturer comes out with an updated or reformulated product, they’re responding to demand from contractors in the field. Source: Getty Images michael.kleespies@mineralstech.com (Michael Kleespies) Yes, MMO behaves differently, but it can prove effective in unconsolidated formations.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92354 Mon, 15 Nov 2021 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92354-using-mixed-metal-oxide-with-small-to-medium-hdd-rigs MMO drilling fluid Rocks sit atop MMI drilling fluid. The gel structure forms almost instantly without shear applied, preventing any settling of sand, cobble or rock. Source: CETCO Drilling Products Drillers can minimize frackouts, circulation loss by keeping fluids and slurries clean, above the water table.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92314 Mon, 13 Sep 2021 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92314-hydrostatic-pressure-both-a-friend-and-foe-for-drillers maintaining positive hydrostatic pressure In horizontal applications, keep the level of drilling fluid above the borehole and water table. Source: CETCO Drilling Products maintaining positive hydrostatic pressure In drilled shaft applications, surface casing can help drillers maintain positive hydrostatic pressure. Source: CETCO Drilling Products todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92297 Fri, 20 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92297-water-graphite-and-geothermal-grouting-take-2 geothermal mix utilizing graphite To ensure a proper mix, contractors can weigh out water in a jug and mark it for measuring. Then, once they have the required amount of water in the grouter, they can mark that too. Source: CETCO Drilling Products todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92255 Thu, 17 Jun 2021 16:46:45 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92255-in-hdd-its-soil-identification-for-the-win Successful Borehole diagram Columnist Todd Tannehill says his company’s Successful Borehole diagram features five elements, but that he considers soil identification a first among equals. Source: CETCO Drilling Products george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92225 Fri, 14 May 2021 16:30:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92225-the-1-2-3-approach-to-drilling-fluids Building a drilling fluid Building a drilling fluid for the soil conditions of a specific project can be as simple as asking yourself a few important questions. Source: CETCO Drilling Products todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) A mud scale, also called a mud balance, is indispensable for drilling jobs like grouting and slurry solidification

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92197 Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92197-for-drillers-its-the-balance-of-power mud balance A mud balance or mud scale outweighs other fluids tools in usefulness, columnist Todd Tannehill writes. Source: CETCO Drilling Products It comes down to knowing your environment and your actions, and anticipating what could happen next.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92189 Wed, 31 Mar 2021 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92189-situational-awareness-and-safety-on-drilling-jobsites jobsite safety Is today’s jobsite in the thick of a city? Make sure morning toolbox talks cover the risks particular to that project or jobsite. Source: Nicole Fenton / U.S. Geological Survey george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) Synthetics allow more compact, less muddy jobsites, as well as easier disposal.

]]> http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92121 Mon, 18 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92121-the-case-for-synthetic-slurry-for-foundation-drilled-shafts synthetic slurry A worker sprays synthetic slurry into a foundation drilled shaft. Columnist George Dugan argues that state departments of transportation should qualify synthetic slurry more often for applicable construction projects. Source: CETCO Drilling Products crew sinks a rebar cage into a prepared shaft A crew sinks a rebar cage into a prepared shaft. Source: CETCO Drilling Products synthetic slurry Synthetic slurry, composed of a long-chain/high molecular weight synthetic polymer, creates a viscous, translucent fluid when mixed with water. Source: CETCO Drilling Products michael.kleespies@mineralstech.com (Michael Kleespies) http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92108 Fri, 18 Dec 2020 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92108-hdd-drilling-drilling-with-water-only drilling fluid A properly-built drilling fluid, left, forms a barrier with soil it contacts. Water alone, right, seeps into and hydrates the formation. That can result in inadvertent returns, or stuck, broken or stretched pipe. Source: CETCO Drilling Products images drilling fluid Drilling fluids, unlike water, can stabilize a hole, controlling fluid loss. drilling fluid Pumping just water downhole can create problems in reactive clays and shales. A good drilling fluid, on the other hand, will encapsulate clay, and slow and reduce hydration. george.dugan@cetco.com (George Dugan) http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92071 Mon, 16 Nov 2020 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92071-understanding-well-rehabilitation-products-and-when-to-use-them well rehabilitation products The effectiveness of well rehabilitation products depends on good agitation. That can include brushing, jetting, surging, air-bursting, pumping and contact time. Source: CETCO Drilling Products photos well rehabilitation products Chemicals to treat iron bacteria/biofilm and/or remove mineral incrustation are designed to be used after well rehabilitation surfactants or wetting agents. todd.tannehill@mineralstech.com (Todd Tannehill) http://www.thedriller.com/articles/92032 Fri, 09 Oct 2020 09:00:00 -0400 https://www.thedriller.com/articles/92032-how-has-covid-19-affected-drilling-fluids-manufacturers COVID-19 safety measures Manufacturers and distributors, like everyone else, have had to adjust to a “new normal” during the pandemic.