Deep well drilling in the desert near Joshua Tree (part 1)

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Let's learn about drilling a deep, DEEP water well, through mostly granite, in the middle of the desert in Southern California, near Joshua Tree.
*Not* a sponsored video, but the actual work (and high quality work, at that) was done by North American Drilling.

Video equipment used:
(If you use my links, you pay the same, but as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.)

[LetsOverthinkThis]

Not the usual review you see on my channel, but some cool stuff to learn none-the-less. What do y'all think?

[dyana]

Thank you for explaining those steps for us. It is more complicated than I thought.

[bret]

Thanks for the video. Memories!!

I grew up on a cattle and sheep ranch near Piñon New Mexico. My grandfather and mother homesteaded 1-section of land around 1910-/+ 5 years (we haven’t found the records). Anyway we had 3 water wells on the ranch they grew to about 10, 000 acres in th 1960’s. Both of my grandparents were born in the 1880’s/90’s and my dad was born in 1939, he was their only child.

Anyway I came along in the 60’s. The area got a lot more rain than your land but with changing weather patterns, rain water was insufficient by 1950. So we drilled 3 wells at 1000+ feet. The water was amazing except for our property below the edge of the Sacramento. It was a yellow cake (sulfur) well. The water smelt like rotten eggs.

Our cattle loved it, but I hated it.

[jimjackson]

Good job. Pretty much the same process is used to drill 20000 foot wells and deeper. Different equipment, fluids, pumps, etc. But the basic process is the same. They were using an “Air Hammer”, with compressed air, some water, an a commercial soap to make the foam. I’ve dried many wells to 10000’ or more in Pennsylvania using this process. You did a great job explaining for the novice. 😊

[johnmanning]

This is the best video on the drilling process I've ever seen.
Thank you

[nwliving]

Top casing is called surface casing. In the oil field they drill down past the freshwater, then push cement down the casing and up the sides to seal the surface water from the oil and gas formation. Then they start with a smaller diameter casing.

[Tony-InLosAngeles]

My father and the neighbor bought a well rig and drill pump and the three of us drilled our well set the casing and blew it clean 24” X 300’ we drilled five wells for four properties in the San Joaquin Valley.

[chrisgerritsen]

Great job on video and narration! I am a retired drilling contractor of 42 years, My wife and I owned a very similar rig to this one and these are really amazing machines. Great job on putting this together and posting.

[Temuginful]

I believed I saw this water drilling operations a few years ago while driving along I-10 to Los Angeles. I'm impressed as well how the crew work as if they knew every steps of the drilling process. Thank you for uploading, very informative!

[abhiram]

Firstly appreciate your efforts to bring these experimental videos.

[tonyhudson]

Air rotary.
I used to drill water wells, with that method.
But also used CABLE TOOL rigs.
Here in the Canterbury plains, with gravel/ sands, we have to use a casing ALL the way.
Some wells 150 - 200 mts deep.
Than screen dropped in, and casing jacked back to expose the screen allows the water in.
Will add, cable tool also used for TEST DRILLING bridge piles and under buildings, to see what piles are needed.
Welded casing, so each weld had to be done properly. 3 runs on each.
Root run, bottom run, 3rd run to finish.
Cheers to all.

[ClaytonHartin]

Reason for 7:47 When they finish drilling a rod out and pulled it back a couple of feet is to keep the head clear of the debris. Water is pump to make sure the drill head is clear and not clogged. If not doing that you can actually suck up fine rock or sand Into the head and clogging the water port/nozzles. When you add another rod on. If you clogged your drill head it will overhead. The drill head is actually called a hammer head or hammer bit

[glenmartin]

Thank you.
I analyzed water samples from monitoring wells. On ocassion, I went out with our drilling crew. Thanks again for sharing the video.

[jackiesanders]

Being an 85 year old lifetime driller i appreciate video's like this, . OH the fork is actually called a breakout wrench, I lost a little finger to one like that :)

[worldcooking]

How exciting is this deep drilling technology!

[Karrar.T.h]

I watch the drilling of wells..
There will come a day when we need that

[kidauto]

IR THE BEST DRILLING RIG AND COMPRESSOR

[ccjensen]

Looks like a GEFCO 30 K.
Mine had a thousand cfm screw compressor and 3x4 mud pimp. Sold out in 2017 to a friendly competitor.
They just purchased a new 30k to comply with CA smog..my crew is still working with the new owner..Loved the work..never a dull moment😂

[tuddsmithers]

Great video thank you very much, always interesting to see professionals doing what they do, including the way you made this video. Play through.

[asadbabilbabil]

Iam driller in iraq . I work in south iraq.