Drilling Industry Top Stories

Historic Highway Reappears as Colorado Drought Drains Dillon Reservoir

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Sat, 31 Oct 2026 22:42:47 -0400

Dillon Reservoir has fallen to roughly 58% of capacity, exposing a decades-old roadway and raising new concerns about water supplies heading into 2027.

Ghosts in the Borehole: Jobsite Terrors & The 33 Rescue

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Fri, 30 Oct 2026 07:00:00 -0400

Brock Yordy exposes the real nightmares on the rig: silica dust, 88-hour burnout, and viral social media OSHA fines.

Recognizing Uncertainty: Grant Piraine, Founder of NAPUA Talks the Imperfect Science of Remote Monitoring

kgabriel@bnpmedia.com (Kerith Gabriel) — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 15:00:12 -0400

Using intuition first could mean the difference between a stress-free job site and potential catastrophe

The Well From Hell — A Halloween Tale from the Rig Floor

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 10:57:49 -0400

Dropping tools, bloody shaker screens, and a dive into the boulder zone conclude this Halloween tale from the rig.

Geothermal Knows No Border: Navigating Tariffs, Grid Strain, and the Next Era of North American Geothermal

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:22:26 -0400

North American geothermal is entering a critical growth phase, but tariffs, strained electrical grids and concentrated manufacturing could slow momentum. OGA President Paul Frith explains how stronger supply chains, smarter policy and expanded geothermal deployment can position the industry for 2027 and beyond.

The Well From Hell — A Halloween Tale from the Rig Floor

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:34:19 -0400

Nothing went right on the Melbourne injection well—and then a raspy voice started calling out from the casing pipe

Report to Congress Outlines Importance of Geothermal Energy, and the Significance of Drilling

josephjsmith749@gmail.com (J.J. Smith) — Tue, 27 Oct 2026 11:11:58 -0400

Report cites USGS assessment and BLM regulation of geothermal drilling reserve pits

The Kid, the Auction Block, or the Buyer: Why Succession Planning Can't Wait

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:54:18 -0400

Most well services companies are family-owned, and most owners hope to keep them that way. Fewer have a plan for when the next generation is not ready or says no.

"The Road Not Planned" Howe to inspire the next generation of drilling professionals

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Tom Howe’s unconventional path from a Michigan fruit farm to WMU helped shape an educator who has trained more than 500 students while strengthening ties between geoscience and the drilling trades.

From Trade Wars to the Rig Floor: What the Global Potash Scramble Means for U.S. Drillers and Groundwater

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

As geopolitical whiplash highlights America's 90% reliance on imported potash, unlocking domestic reserves comes down to solution mining, deep injection wells, and protecting shallow aquifers.

Wyoming Uranium Exploration Program Surpasses 65,000 Feet of Mud-Rotary Drilling

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Premier American Uranium has completed 80 drill holes at its Kaycee Project, with new uranium discoveries and expanded mineral rights setting the stage for additional exploration.

The Real Cost of Doing Business: Leadership, Scaling, and the Professional Driller

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:54:07 -0400

Four environmental drilling executives share how hidden downtime, owner burnout, rapid expansion and changing workforce expectations are redefining what it takes to build a resilient, professional drilling company.

Are We Developing Thermal Energy Infrastructure While the Grid Dies? The Case for Immediate Deployment

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 09:20:57 -0400

Thermal energy networks could ease grid strain and accelerate building decarbonization, but deployment must move faster. Industry leaders say utilities, policymakers and contractors need committed infrastructure pipelines before critical replacement windows close.

Latest Methods Used by Labs to Detect PFAS Outlined

josephjsmith749@gmail.com (J.J. Smith) — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:38:24 -0400

An in-house detection of PFAS in water, air, and solids is increasing.

Fall Back. A Plan for What's Ahead

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 10:12:15 -0400

Shorter days, colder temperatures and changing jobsite conditions bring new risks for drilling crews. Here's why safety planning must account for seasonal hazards before they become costly mistakes.

Deb Haaland: Groundwater, geothermal and conservation key components to New Mexico's future

kgabriel@bnpmedia.com (Kerith Gabriel) — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

The former Secretary of Interior and New Mexico gubernatorial candidate talks all things water and its conservation in an exclusive sitdown with The Driller.

National Protect Your Hearing Month: Elevating Professionalism Through 21st Century Safety

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:07:55 -0400

Noise comes with the job, permanent hearing loss does not have to. Modern PPE can help drillers communicate clearly, work safely and protect their hearing for the long haul.

Extreme Ownership from the Front Lines to the Rig Platform

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Fri, 02 Oct 2026 15:22:53 -0400

What Rob Jones Teaches Us About Leadership

Stop Asking "What Were You Thinking?" After a Safety Incident

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0400

When an unsafe shortcut gets the job done, it can quickly start to feel like experience. Instead of asking, “What were you thinking?” after something goes wrong, ask why the decision made sense in the first place, and what could make the safer choice easier next time.

Diamond to Geotech - How Two Fields Diverge

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:00:00 -0400

Diamond drillers and geotechnical drillers may work in distinct specialties today, but their histories are closely connected. A look back at early soil sampling, the rise of the Standard Penetration Test and the development of combination rigs shows how one drilling tradition eventually branched into two.

The Anthropology of Drilling: A Field Guide for Drillers, Engineers, Scientists, and GCs

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

What happens when engineers, scientists and GCs step into the natural habitat of Homo Sapiens Drillerus? Mud flies, field instincts take over and engineered plans meet what the ground is actually willing to give you. Take a humorous trip inside drill crew culture and discover why respecting the experience at the controls can help keep projects moving.

‘One Well Creates Many’: The wild story of how the South Carolina Groundwater Association got S.C. House Bill 5111 passed

kgabriel@bnpmedia.com (Kerith Gabriel) — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:00:00 -0400

The SCGWA "set precedent" when it comes to other associations fighting for a right to own a private water well. Here's how they did it.

What Do Geothermal Heat Pumps Really Cost? ORNL Wants to Know

johnnyoldaniwords@gmail.com (John Oldani) — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 14:04:23 -0400

New DOE-backed survey asks contractors and drillers to share project costs.

The Geothermal Renaissance: Scaling the Subsurface at GRC 2026

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:00:00 -0400

The "Geothermal Decade" is no longer a forward-looking prediction; it is an active drilling and construction site.

The Cost of Super El Niño: Water, Power, Agriculture, & Lawsuits

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 14:44:13 -0400

With $2,500/MWh power spikes and Nevada facing 70% water cuts, Brock Yordy breaks down the massive economic toll of 2026 El Nino

Uncharted Waters, Chapter II: A Community Blueprint for Defending Against Industrial Exploitation.

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:02:01 -0400

An examination into stopping developers from isolating landowners, one dry borehole at a time with proactive blueprints to protect water lifelines.

Remembering the drilling company who answered the call for help in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:15:29 -0400

When planes hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11, the moment became a lasting memory. But another big piece was the aftermath

The Tale of Two Mentors: How Knowledge Keepers and Wisdom Sharers Redefine Field Experience

brock@thedriller.com (Brock Yordy) — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Veteran drillers can either guard what they know or pass it on. The difference can shape safety, uptime, crew development and the future of the trade.

City of Virginia Beach Kick Off Geotechnical Drilling Work Along Stretches of the Chesapeake Bay

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:42:10 -0400

Working with the Army Corps of Engineers, the city is taking preventative measure to mitigate severe flood risks along the coast and in the town.

What they’re drilling for in Robbinsdale, Minn.

kgabriel@bnpmedia.com (Kerith Gabriel) — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400

A PFAS investigation is taking drilling crews hundreds of feet underground in search of the contamination source.