Drillers have a special talent for grabbing what’s on hand and innovating to get the job done. Such is the case with Hefty Drilling in Anchorage, Alaska. Terrain and weather challenge the best crews. The remoteness of the 49th state, particularly before widespread Internet, makes resourcefulness a necessity. Johnny Kay and the crews at Hefty show it.
The company developed a specialized drilling rig back in the ‘80s that shows that resourcefulness in action. The lightweight rig has traveled mounted on tracks and tires, and gotten to remote jobs via barge or disassembled on a cargo plane. It’s far from the most powerful drill in the fleet. But some jobs call for a Swiss Army knife, and their custom “CH10” — named for original creator Curt Hefty — has that versatility.
