Big Iron Drilling drilled its first water well in 1963, using a Bucyrus Erie 22 W Cable Tool Water Well Drilling Rig, and continues to be the most active domestic water well drilling contractor in western Canada.

 

The company drills 30% - 40 % of it's yearly production in water wells using steel casing and 60% - 70% using plastic casing. In our view there is nothing wrong with steel casing and there is nothing wrong with plastic casing, provided that the driller uses quality casing and proper well design.

 

For example, a driller can drive (or pound or beat) steel casing into the bottom hole formation without damaging the casing. With plastic casing, the driller must be far more gentle and careful because he cannot drive or beat or even push plastic casing anywhere nearly as hard as steel casing. The plastic will shatter or crack as a result when effecting a seal at the bottom of the surface casing.

 

Big Iron Drilling has solved this problem with plastic casing. We have developed and Patented in both Canada and the USA the Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe (see below). This remarkable invention allows the driller to effect at least as high a pressure seal using plastic casing as he can with steel casing. Often, with significantly higher pressures. The main seal or primary seal at the bottom of the surface casing, is in fact the most important part of the water well from a structural point of view.

 

By having the high pressure driven seal with either steel or plastic casing, it gives the driller a number of advantages. The driller can either use Cable Tool to drill the bottom hole with steel surface casing or, now he can sensibly use air when using a Rotary rig with plastic surface casing. With Cable Tool or Air the driller will  not mud water off, which is common with mud rotary; the driller knows when he's got water; he knows where he's got water; and he knows how much he's got. In other words, he is not working blind, like often is the case using mud rotary. Further, it is usually not sensible to use air drilling with plastic casing without a high pressure driven seal, as the driller runs the risk of either blowing the seal away or weakening it.

 

The Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe is a truly remarkable invention.

 

 Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe

 

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Big Iron Drilling stands behind their products with the most substantial warranties in the industry.

WATER WELL DRILLING - A COMMON SENSE APPROACH BY BIG IRON DRILLING

We can drill the well, install the pump, dig the trench, install the pitless adaptor, pressure tank, automatic water treating equipment---complete---ready for the plumber and electrician.

 

SERVICE IS OUR SALESMAN

Big Iron Drilling also cleans wells, and services all makes of pumps and pressure systems with fully equipped service trucks.

 

 

For a Water Well in Central, North Central or South Central Alberta, please contact our drilling division through your local number or by phoning our Head Office in Edmonton, Alberta. 1-800-Big Iron (244-4766)