Drilling is not a new or even modern concept. Wells drilled to access salt date back to 256 B.C. in China. Artesian wells providing water supplies date back to 1126 A.D. in France.
Though drilling itself isn’t new, the techniques and machinery used to do it certainly have come a long way. It’s why each year since 1965, the well drillers from across a 10-state region have gathered for the Shallow Exploration Drillers Clinic.
This year’s clinic is set for April 17 to 18 at Embassy Suites Omaha-LaVista Conference Center in LaVista, Nebraska. Sessions are planned from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and will run in conjunction with a trade show. The complete schedule of events is online.
“The clinic is geared toward the technicians,” said Matt Marxsen, administrator for the event and the field service coordinator for the Conservation and Survey Division at the School of Natural Resources. “It’s an opportunity to learn techniques and ideas.”
In addition to presentations by fellow technicians, geotechnical and civil engineers will present on special projects. Participants also will learn about newly available or improved tools.
"The rigs haven't changed much since the 1960s," Marxsen said. "But tooling has gotten more robust, as have the life of the tools."
The event counts toward continuing education requirements for licensing standards set by each state. Drillers will be from Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming. Industry professionals, state drilling organizations, private contractors and groundwater technicians also will be in attendance.
For more information, visit the clinic website. To register, click here.
Natural Resources
More details at: https://go.unl.edu/5aqh