Projects Requiring Engineers

PROJECTS REQUIRING ENGINEERS

Why Wolverine Drilling Inc. outperforms the competition:

Safety  

• Wolverine Drilling Inc. is proud to have the lowest safety rate in the industry.

• We are SSCA Certified.  

• We are in good standing with WCB. 

• Committed to the best practices.    

• Whether it on a domestic well site, work camp or a multi-well project - we operate safely and efficiently.

Groundwater Velocities  

• We understanding aquifer types and properties of the aquifer to help water well professionals to determine and predict groundwater availability.

• Woverine Drilling Inc. recognizes the geological characteristics of the aquifer ( porosity ) and the topography of the site can provide some insight into the groundwater recharge and discharge of groundwater.

Aquifer Knowledge & Formation Names Across Saskatchewan and Manitoba

• Some aquifer information can be identified by name based on specific characteristics or can be obtained from published data.

• Important to note that aquifers may also have formal names. An example of this would be Empress Group but can be referred to as Hatfield in some locations.

• Such names help provide information that is helpful for understanding the extent and regional characteristics of that particular aquifer or formation. The water from that aquifer may also carry specific water qualities that we are familiar with and can identify when working with you.   

SP ( Spontaneous Potential Log ) Experience

• Spontaneous potential or self-potential log is the simplest and is an old geophysical well log.

• Consists of a single downhole electrode wired through a voltmeter to a grounding electrode at the surface.

• The spontaneous potential is measured in millivolts and responds to electro-chemical and electrokinetic potentials at the bed boundaries.

• The spontaneous potential will also respond differently to various types of formation fluid and the borehole fluid if the SP logs are good and the SP deflection in the aquifer can estimate water quality.

Resistance Log / Resistivity Logs Experience

• Resistance logs were widely used in the past but now have been largely replaced by resistivity logs.

• SPR or Single Point Resistance Logs measure the resistance between the borehole electrode and a grounded surface electrode by passing a constant current through a formation between the electrodes.

• SPR does have excellent vertical resolution and can be a helpful indicator.

• Resistivity logs have the highest vertical resolution of the borehole fluid and formation a few inches from the borehole wall.

• The longest spacing ( long normal too ) can make measurements that penetrate several metres into the formation.

Gama Ray Log 

• Most sites contain low levels of naturally occurring radioactive material.

• This material can be variable and a natural formation of Potassium 40, Uranium 238, Uranium 235 and Thorium 232.

• Potassium 40 is the most common in clay minerals.

• When these radioactive elements decay these release gamma-ray radiation that can be measured in a borehole.

• Gamma logs measure radiation emitted from the formation adjacent to the borehole.

• Low-level gamma radiation may indicate a little clay mineral content commonly used to identify clean sandstone or sand body.

• Limestone or dolomite layers also have a low gamma. Some permeable sand layers can build up with uranium salts from the groundwater flow. These can cause high gamma emissions despite the low clay content found in sand.

• Natural gamma-ray logs are very useful for many water well projects.

• Gamma-ray loggers are part of a combination tool.

• Gamma logs can be used to delineate stratigraphy in the case portion of a well that has no other well logs.

• It can also determine whether water wells have grout seals behind the casing and if the annulus are sealed in a cased well.

  Important Note:

• Wolverine Drilling Inc. can do four layers of resistivity. Never leave a water well to chance. Plan each inch precisely and efficiently with Wolverine Drilling Inc.

Drilling Fluid Functions and Our Recycling Process 

The technical process of water well drilling is multi-faceted. The function of the mud itself can not be ignored. Drilling fluids perform many important functions and depending on the physical and chemical conditions found in the borehole.

1) Clean the bit and the borehole.

• Balling and mud rings can result from improper bit or bit wear, improper fluid and even inadequate circulation.

2) Stabilize the borehole.

• Expansion of swelling clays when using water-based systems. The Drilling fluid must provide a greater pressure than that existing in the formations penetrated.

• Problems here can increase drill costs permanently causing the abandonment of boreholes.

3) Drillers mud works to cool and lubricate the drill.

• It’s a critical function of the drilling fluid that needs to be monitored closely.

• Drilling mud reduces the potentially damaging heat buildup and avoids unnecessary bit wear.

• Bit wear has specific problems. that can affect the borehole and the fluid.

• Controlled fluid loss in highly probable formations is done by creating a nearly impermeable clay filter cake on the borehole while the quality of the solids in the drilling fluid is critical to the quality of the filter cake.

• Problems here can result in the hole collapse, fluid penetrating into water-sensitive formations. Build up of a filter cake on the borehole resulting in a stuck pipe.

  Important Note:

• For more information on our Fluid Recycler or Fluid Recycling Process, please contact Wolverine Drilling Inc. directly.

4) Drilling fluid is circulated in a settling pit.

• In our case, with our fluid recycling system, drilling fluid is the primary factor for controlling the settling rate of cuttings.

• Problems here can lead to excessive build-up of cuttings resulting in greater drilling fluid weight causing increased pressures within the borehole causing loss of return of cuttings.

  Important Note:

• Wolverine Drilling Inc. uses a dual tray, 5 de-silting/de-sanding to avoid re-depositing finer materials into the aquifer. We are also able to get real-time data about the borehole and penetrated formations.

• We have accurate geological logging of the well as we have recovered representative cuttings.

5) Drilling fluid systems can provide information about the well.

• Problems here can affect the quality of the well, maximum quantity of the water flow rates, issues with key holes, poorly mixed muds, mud plugging the bit, mud going into the bit, mud rings just to list a few.

  • All are avoidable and are due to poor drilling practices and not being familiar with drilling equipment.

• Drilling fluids can suspend cuttings in the borehole or in motion cuttings tend to settle in the borehole. Cutting skin accumulated around the drill bit, drill stabilizer and jam the rotation of the bit when drilling resumes.

• The rate of particle settling is controlled by the drilling fluids’ ability to develop gel strength.

• A very important factor is control of the formation. Proper drilling fluid is designed to essentially control formations with abnormal pressures to avoid creating artesian fluid flows.

Green Drilling

• We work to maximize productivity by properly designed, mixed drilling fluids.

• Drilling in one formation may vary from drilling in another formation as no single drilling fluid can fulfill all functions perfectly.

• Physical and chemical characteristics for controlling the borehole can change from hole to hole.

• Adapting to changing properties such as pH surface conditions and controlling build-up of suspended drill cuttings.

Confusion + Chaos = Overcomplicated

Often owners may come out and speak of knowledge and skillset, but many times the actual driller is less knowledgeable. It can easily make things more challenging at difficult times such as where yields were not as planned. Multiple meetings between on-site driller and work staff with on-site engineer and then again with owner of the project and then we can’t forget the lead engineer and the last, but not least, the drilling company owner who is only able to communicate what has been shared from the team on site.

Important Note:

This type of chaotic confusing process is not the case with Wolverine Drilling Inc. You speak with the Owner of the Company. The Owner also drills the well, runs all the equipment expertly and knows his technology intimately. The Owner is the office is also the same person who manages the office and operations. The left hand knows what the right hand IS actually doing.

Solid Control is Critical in Water Well Drilling  

Attention Engineers!! You may have the best well design in the world, but that well will never meet potential if the driller’s mud is not managed properly. We can help! Let us explain.

Wolverine Drilling Inc. has the ability to remove solids from the hole and deposit them onto the surface as to not be entrained in the drilling fluid. This is the first step for controlling solid buildup.

1) Using a properly designed management system.

• We can efficiently clean 500 gal / minute flow rate.

• Requires no pit digging, no trenching troughs, no settling pit adjacent to the well head.

• This allows us to run a clean … safer drill site.

• The excess drilling fluid can be pumped off the site or hauled for disposal as not to damage any sensitive ecosystems such as gardens, landscapes, aquatic life in lakes, rivers and streams remain untouched.

• We can avoid damage from existing properties ( yours or others ).

• We can also pump mud 300ft ( if required )

• Fine silts and clays that come on-site from drillers mud can plug drains causing flooding for properties and can even plug spawning grounds, build silt banks and plug small tributaries. This debris can plug sewers and drainage systems in municipalities and have greater associated costs for cleanup.

  Important Note:

• Our superior mud management program is custom to Wolverine Drilling Inc.

• This mud management program allows us to manage and manipulate to maintain control of the borehole.

• We can pre-mix up to 250 gallons of mud or cement separate from our regular mix.

• Good mud mixing to reach max yields needs to bloom, or fully hydrate, prior to use. If pouring directly into the mudsteam, this can cause blooming into the aquifer and can be difficult to remove. This alone can greatly affect production rates later.

Wolverine Drilling Inc. takes great pride in our knowledge, skillset and modern equipment to ensure the best production results for all of our Engineering partners. Contact us today to discuss your next project and where we can help your well design have the highest degree of success possible. We can be reached by email, phone or submit form below and we will contact your shortly.  

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