Shallow and Deep Well Drilling Techniques

Wells are a very reliable source of safe and clean naturally occurring water. Many families depend on well systems for water supply, especially in rural areas. If you are considering getting one drilled in your land, you may be curious about the various techniques used to drill shallow and deep wells. The selection of a drilling technique depends on the water table of the area and the geological conditions. An experienced drilling constructor will be able to choose the best one depending on all the factors. Nevertheless, it is always best to know about the various drilling techniques.

Here is everything you need to know about shallow and deep well drilling techniques. 

Factors Affecting Drilling Techniques-

The selection of a suitable water well drilling technique depends on a few factors including:

• Purpose of the well
• Geological conditions
• Diameter and depth of the well
• The water table of the region
• Maintenance requirements
• Budget

Shallow Well Drilling Techniques-

Shallow wells are either open wells or tube wells with depths less than 15 meters. The techniques used for shallow well drilling are:

• Digging: This is the oldest and most commonly used method for digging open wells. It only requires simple tools like a pick and shovel. It is a labor-intensive technique that involves a lot of hard work.
• Boring: It is used to bore wells in shallow and unconsolidated aquifers using hand-operated or power-driven augers.
• Driving: Repeated impacts using a series of connected pipe lengths that are driven into the ground below the water table.
• Jetting: This technique is commonly used for drilling in soft, fine-grained sediments. A pump forces water down a drill pipe and out of a narrow nozzle to create a water jet to loosen the soil.

Deep Well Drilling Techniques-

Deep wells have a depth of more than 15 meters, a larger diameter, and a higher capacity. Such depth is primarily achieved using drilling methods like percussion drilling, rotary drilling, and rotary-percussion drilling. 

Here is some detailed information about each of these techniques:

• Percussion (cable tool or standard) drilling: It is achieved using a standard well-drilling rig, percussion tools, and a bailer. A borehole is produced by continuously pounding and cutting the earth by a string of tools with a drill bit at one end. 
• Rotary drilling: In this technique, a rotating drill bit is used to cut the earth in unconsolidated places while a drilling fluid (a mixture of water and bentonite) is continuously circulated. 
• Rotary-percussion drilling (rotary-cum-hammer drilling): This is a combination of percussion and rotary drilling techniques and is widely used to drill in hard-rock formations. Using compressed air as drilling fluid, the rotating drill bit and the hammer’s pneumatic actions help drill the earth. A flush pump is used to bring the earth cuttings to the surface and flush the hole.

About John’s Well Drilling

Get your wells drilled by professionals at John’s Well Drilling. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, we are Delaware’s leading well drilling and servicing company. We are accredited by the Better Business Bureau and licensed to conduct well drilling and installation of geothermal systems. Our services include well drilling, pump repair, gould well drilling, tank replacements, well servicing, geothermal well driller, and agricultural wells. For further details regarding our well-maintenance services, call us at 302-734-2211 or fill out our contact form for a free quote.