Drilling Unconventional Wells to Develop Difficult Aquifers

Presented on Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Traditional vertical wells have been the workhorse of the water well industry. As water resources are getting tighter, we are forced to find ways to develop wells in difficult aquifers. Often this involves using unconventional wells to develop thin aquifers, aquifers under inaccessible areas, aquifers with vertical fractures, or wells designed to maximize riverbank filtration. Unconventional wells include radial collector wells, inclined wells, and directionally drilled wells. This workshop will describe the major types of unconventional wells, drilling methods and construction materials, and how to fit the right well to your site. We will also present a comparison of typical yields and costs. We will discuss new technologies designed to prevent mud invasion issues for directionally drilled wells. The presenters are seasoned hydrogeologists who have constructed unconventional wells under a variety of conditions.

Presenters:
Frank Getchell, P.G.
Leggette, Brashears and Graham, Upper Saddle River, NJ
Frank Getchell is a hydrogeologist and Senior Vice President with LBG. He has designed several inclined wells and directionally drilled wells.
Martha Silks, P.G.
Leggette, Brashears and Graham, Kansas City, MO
Martha Silks is a hydrogeologist and a Senior Associate with LBG. She has designed several inclined wells and radial collector wells.

John Jansen, Ph.D., PG
Leggette, Brashears and Graham, West Bend, WI
John Jansen, Ph.D., is a Senior Associate with Collier Consulting and a hydrogeologist and geophysicist. He has modeled a variety of unconventional wells to compare relative yield and developed a new horizontal cryogenic drilling method.

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