Drilling Industry Top Stories

Pennsylvania is trying to solve its orphaned well problem. But it's still trying to figure out just how many there are.

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Wed, 13 May 2026 11:44:37 -0400

The abandoned well crisis in the Keystone State continues to grow as cleanup efforts struggle to keep pace.

Three bits: Revamping preconstruction, geothermal’s revival of orphan wells, and more

Wed, 13 May 2026 11:08:57 -0400

Each week, The Driller looks at three newsworthy items affecting the work you do. Consider it your two-minute news update for the drilling community and the industry at-large.

California announces plan to strengthen water management

kgabriel@bnpmedia.com (Kerith Gabriel) — Wed, 06 May 2026 10:50:47 -0400

The project, being dubbed “A Vision for the San Joaquin Valley," is a fully integrated strategy with immediate and long term action plans to stabilize water resources

Three bits, presented by The Driller

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:21:11 -0400

With so much happening in the industry and at-large, The Driller plans to provide a weekly wrap of three topics you should know before you head out the door.

Denver Water to Drain Antero Reservoir as Drought Intensifies

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Denver Water last drained Antero Reservoir during a drought in 2002. The reservoir was also emptied in 2015 to allow for dam rehabilitation work. Officials say refilling timelines will depend on future drought conditions.

GDA, HEET Secure MassCEC Grants to Expand Geothermal Workforce Training

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A pair of state grants is set to give a boost to geothermal workforce training in Massachusetts, with the Geothermal Drillers Association (GDA) and the Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) teaming up to expand access to the field.

Texas Data Center Developers Play Offense on Water, Claiming Huge Cuts in Usage

Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As Texas confronts decades of water mismanagement and growing demands for electricity from data centers.

A Church’s Geothermal Experiment Could Pave the Way for Projects Across New York

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

High costs, crowding and less-than-ideal land conditions make geothermal installations in downstate New York difficult—but not impossible.

EPA Nears Approval of Colorado Underground Injection Wells Application

josephjsmith749@gmail.com (J.J. Smith) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The SDWA directs the EPA to establish requirements that states, territories, and authorized tribes must meet to be granted primary enforcement responsibility or “primacy” for a UIC program.

Financing Thermal Energy Networks: Capital Flow Determines Whether Rigs Move

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 13:00:00 -0400

The market for thermal energy networks is expanding rapidly, driven by decarbonization mandates, infrastructure investment, and innovative financing models.

The TEN Playbook: Load, Risk, and ROI

Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Drilling costs more upfront than rooftop boilers and chillers. But TENs shift the financial equation from CapEx to long-term OpEx, compliance, and asset value.

Navigating the New Grid: The Thermal Energy Movement

questions@askbrock.com (Brock Yordy) — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Geothermal uncertainty has gone beyond subsurface dynamics into the deep, dark depths of legislation and policymaking.

Still Drilling, Still Building

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

NY-GEO still feels like a checkpoint — a place to compare notes, challenge assumptions, and measure progress honestly.

Geothermal's Future: Drillers Saving Water

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:30:00 -0400

Breaking down the opportunities of geothermal from water conservation to a workforce opening new doors to lead the geothermal movement.

Relentless Heat in 2026 Raises Stakes for Drilling Safety

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

More frequent and intense heatwaves are becoming part of the operating landscape, not an exception to it.

$889M Western Water Investment Moves Forward—But Bigger Questions Remain

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

In the West, water has never been just about infrastructure—it’s about priorities, tradeoffs, and how a region plans for an increasingly uncertain future.

NY-GEO 2026: The Sessions, Speakers and Geothermal Momentum

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:30:00 -0400

Episode 158 of The Driller Newscast brings host Brock Yordy together with geothermal advocate John Ciovacco to unpack the biggest conversations coming out of the NY-GEO conference.

A Driller's Life: In It For The Big Hole

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:43:31 -0400

Jim Beath’s latest “A Driller’s Life” follows a Miami deep-well job, a jump to underground mining in Nevada, and the hard lessons that came with chasing bigger holes.

New Report Examines Environmental Policy Changes One Year Into Trump’s Second Term

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:02:00 -0400

Researchers note that many of the policy changes are recent and their long-term environmental effects remain uncertain.

Deep Colorado Well Tests Geothermal Potential

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Geothermal electricity has traditionally been limited to areas with natural geothermal activity such as volcanic regions or hot springs.

Ohio EPA Draft Permit Would Allow Data Centers to Discharge Wastewater Into Rivers

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

As Ohio continues to attract large-scale data center investment, regulators, communities, and industry leaders will need to determine how to manage both economic development and the state’s waterways.

Dry Wells Raise Questions as Michigan Quarry Plans Expansion

Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Residents near a quarry in southern Michigan say something has changed underground — and not in a good way.

Australian Startup CoilRig Gets Boost to Rethink Geothermal Drilling

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 19:34:05 -0500

As geothermal heat pumps gain traction globally, the challenge has increasingly moved from proving the technology works to deploying it efficiently.

A Groundbreaking Geothermal Heating and Cooling Network Saves This Colorado College Money and Water

Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

When a former oil and gas developer partnered with Colorado Mesa University on geothermal, the school saved millions and set a new standard for energy-efficient buildings.

From Olympic Water Strain to the DOE’s Energy Shakeup

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Fri, 20 Feb 2026 09:00:00 -0500

Episode 157 of The Driller Newscast finds host Brock Yordy connecting winter safety, major DOE restructuring, and the growing overlap between water, drilling, and geothermal energy.

The U.S. Climate Shift After EPA’s Repeal

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Climate policy in the U.S. is shifting from a national framework toward a patchwork of state rules, market trends, and court battles.

Trump Will Order Defense Department to Buy Coal Power

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0500

The order, first reported by The Wall Street Journal and confirmed by a White House official, comes as the administration plans to repeal the endangerment finding, a landmark climate ruling that determined greenhouse gases pose a threat to public health.

Vertical Turbine Pumps: Advanced Engineering Solutions Ensure Reliable Performance

Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Vertical turbine pumps represent a well-established and reliable technology that has stood the test of time.

Colorado River Negotiators Are Nearly Out of Time and Snowpack

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:00:00 -0500

With another federal deadline only weeks away and record-low snowfall further drying out the watershed, states have begun talking about whether they are prepared for litigation.

A Driller's Life: Safety at Home

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:00:00 -0500

Entry number 8 of Jim Beath's engrossing series - this one is about safety on and off the rig.