Professionals who handle the process of drilling holes that can be developed into various types of wells are known as well drillers. A well driller may be hired to drill at a specific location to access a supply of groundwater or to extract petroleum or natural gas from an underground chamber. A well driller may work with an existing well that has ceased to function properly in some cases.
Drilling water wells is a common practice on ranches, farms, and even small towns and communities. The drilling specialist hopes to tap into a water supply that is currently untapped with this application. Today, sonar equipment is frequently used to locate underground water reserves, making it much easier for well drillers to determine the best location for drilling or sinking a well.
Well diggers used to work primarily by digging wells by hand, but that is no longer the case. Today’s well driller jobs frequently include instruction on how to operate heavy drilling equipment that can be moved into place and used to drill a straight shaft into the ground. The use of heavy equipment also allows for the creation of narrower wells than those dug by hand, which is sometimes considered a good safety measure.
Many well drillers are required to have completed a basic general education as well as be certified in the operation of the equipment used in the trade. Today, many drillers are also licensed contractors. However, there are still drillers who learn the trade by working as an apprentice for an established driller, eventually taking over the business or leaving to start their own.
Well drillers, like many other professions, are usually required to be licensed and bonded before they can provide services to the general public. National and local associations have sprung up in many countries since the early twentieth century, allowing well drillers to set standards for their profession and develop training programs to ensure the proficiency of those entering the field.
Existing wells that appear to have dried up are dealt with by well drillers who specialize in this area. Drillers are frequently asked to deepen wells in the hopes of discovering another underground vein of water, gas, or petroleum. Longer drill shafts can be used to break through the existing well’s bottom and hopefully tap into new resources, allowing the old well to continue to function.