Solid Investment for Irrigation Well Drilling

Covering a big footprint, Bandon Well & Pump Company found themselves inundated with an eight- to 12-month backlog, including irrigation well drilling, and an aging rig with obsolete parts. A visit to the Geoprobe^® manufacturing facility solidified their decision to invest in a DM450. Operating the rig since September 2023 has proved the DM450 was money well spent.

“I’m sure it’ll pay for itself. On smaller jobs, we’re not repairing things every other day like our older rig,” Jim Bandon, owner, said. “On larger irrigation well drilling jobs, the capacity of the machine with the open table to get larger diameter casing and bits over the hole without moving the rig is so much easier and will be a huge time saver.”

He outlines a number of DM450 options which increase productivity:

• Rod Carousel: “The helper doesn’t have to worry about loading drill pipe and breaking joints because the machine does it for you. The helper can be working on other aspects of the job.”
• Backloading Rods: “We don’t usually go deeper than the 240 feet in the carousel, but we got the rod box for when we need to do 300 feet, and backloading the rods on there is pretty nice. We also carry our 10-inch stabilizer in the rod rack.”
• Two Winch Line Jibs: “The winches make loading the rig up pretty easy.”
• Two-speed Top Head: “We don’t usually use the high speed. We’ve gotten into some sticky clays, and that thing really spins. It’s pretty amazing.”
• Pull Down: “I’ve been impressed with the amount of power it has. It’s pretty amazing and very smooth.”
• Rod Spinner: “The rod spinner means the helper doesn’t have to get a wrench out when we do get into a situation where rods are bound tight.”
• Table Assembly: “It’s very easy to weld casing by swinging the table out of the way. It’s much more accessible when drilling steel pipe.”
• Swing In Down-the Hole Hammer Holder (pictured below): “It swings 180 degrees to get it out of the way and the hexagon tubes mean the implements don’t hang up on it when going in and out.”
• 3X4 Mud Pump: “Our old machine had a 3X4 centrifugal pump on it, but we have more volume and pressure on this machine and have to tone it down quite a bit.”
• Dust Shield: “Makes a much cleaner operation.”

Starting out, they focused on 300-foot wells.

“I was skeptical of the air on the machine, but it’s worked flawlessly,” Bandon said. “There’s plenty there for what we’re doing.”

Soon they will complete irrigation well drilling for a couple 17-inch holes with 10-inch casing.

“This machine will make it simpler and less taxing on the equipment,” Bandon said. “The table swings open and we can get the casing down the hole and the winches over the hole without moving the machine.”

When they have had to work through some rig start-up challenges, the Geoprobe^® service team has been readily accessible.

“When you get a new piece of equipment, you have to work the kinks out. The Geoprobe^® service guys have been more than helpful to get us what we need to make it right, and the parts are usually here the next day,” Bandon said. “The people we’ve dealt with when we have had issues have been flawless. We’re not waiting around for someone to get back with you. Jason has been great to work with when I have questions. I appreciate his help.”