Sperry Drilling Inc

Contrary to urban myth, wells are not what cause sinkholes. Sinkholes are caused by rain dissolving limestone deposits beneath the surface of the land. Water, oil, and gas wells have no influence on their appearance.

In the 1850s, the process for transforming iron into steel was developed, and, by 1855, cost-effective mass-production was feasible. In 1868, tungsten steel was invented, but 44 years would pass before the process for making stainless steel was discovered.

It’s important that drinking water wells are properly located to minimize the risk of contamination. If there are possible contamination sources in the area, then they should be located uphill from those sources.

To keep wells in good working order, the exposed parts of the well need to be periodically inspected. The well driller will look for cracks, corrosion, or damage in the well casing, as well as a cracked or missing well cap and settling or cracking of surface seals.

Cable drilling is one of the first methods for well drilling used, and is still used widely today. It involves dropping a heavy, carbide-tipped drill bit into the rock and then adding the pipe to the end as the hole gets deeper. It can usually drill about 25-60 feet a day.

Most directional drilling falls into three broad categories. Oilfield directional drilling (ODD) is used to drill wells. Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is used to drill bores for underground utilities. Surface in seam (SIS) drilling is used intersect established vertical wells.

The Persians took the idea of digging a well and expanded on it. Starting about 1,000 BC, they began building multi-well systems called "qanats." A main well is dug down to an aquifer in the mountains or foothills. Then, a gently sloping tunnel creates an underground aqueduct for irrigation.

Deeper wells can go through harder materials and reach confined aquifers. This porous, water-filled material is sandwiched between two hard, impermeable layers of rock. Wells that tap into these confined aquifers are called "artesian wells," and often have natural water pressure.

Occasionally, you will hear of a salt and pepper well. These water wells are between 225 and 320 feet deep and dug into aquifers. They get the salt and pepper name from the clays and sands in the aquifer’s natural filter.

After a well is drilled, it will need to be sufficiently disinfected. The disinfection will ensure that any bacteria or viruses that may have gotten into the well during construction are killed and flushed out of the system.

Polluted ground water (caused by landfill seepage, failed septic tanks, fertilizers, pesticides, or urban runoff) can cause illness if consumed. Private ground water wells should be checked regularly to make sure the water is safe for drinking.