WWJ – Thoughts on Overall Efficiency

A variety of ways exist to maximize your time on and off the jobsite.

By Mike Price

Running a tight and efficient drilling operation is the goal of every business owner. For many, it becomes part of their DNA.

Clearly that’s how Johnny Kay views it. The 45-year-old president of Hefty Drilling Inc. in Anchorage, Alaska, says “It’s just what I do, I guess I don’t think about it.”

Kay, who is in his second year serving as president of the Alaska Water Well Association, must have jobs planned out to maintain the workflow. Kay’s father-in-law, Curt Hefty, began the business in 1979 and a good customer base was built. A map of Alaska proudly hangs in the office with red dots of where they’ve drilled.

Being efficient may begin in the office but it follows to the jobsite.

Which drilling method chosen due to the drilling formation sets the stage at the jobsite. How one handles the drilling operation has a trickle-down effect on the overall installation of the well.

In Alaska, most water well system professionals use the air rotary drilling method due to the predominantly silts and gravel formation. Kay’s company uses the drill-and-drive method, running casing hammers and installing well casing as the crew is drilling. Since the casing is driven, a drive shoe is installed on the first piece of casing to protect it from damage. If the team has time, it will weld the drive shoe at the shop so it’s ready to go at the jobsite to be more efficient.

Planning for fuel use is also critical for Kay and his two-man crew. They ensure they have enough fuel on hand for each job. If not, they have auxiliary tanks on service trucks to assist when a drill rig is set up for a project lasting over days.

Operating with fuel in mind comes into play. Kay’s company operates two Schramm drill rigs, both late 1970s models. In July they replaced a deck engine on one of them, making it 20 years since the last rebuild.

The average well for Kay’s company is 100 feet, 6 inches in diameter. With that, the rigs don’t need to be revved at full power for portions of the drilling.

“We don’t rev our rigs up to wide open throttle until we get past a certain depth and need more power and air,” Kay says. “In that case we’re more cautious of the fuel.

“Then it’s a noise thing too. If you’re not revved up all the way you’re not being loud.”

Alaska is unique in that simply getting supplies to the jobsite is more challenging. Due to its remoteness, transporting equipment is done via airplane or boat. There aren’t many roads in Alaska, forcing Kay to be diligent in making sure they have their checklist complete before transporting equipment. He uses past jobs and experience to make the process more efficient.

Kay likes his equipment to look good, so the crew paints all of it in the company’s signature red. He learned the paint trade in an auto body paint class in high school.

“We go the extra mile and get the factory decals,” Kay says. “I think that’s just a big part of how we run our business. If our equipment looks good, I think it shows our commitment to do a good job. We take the time to pressure wash our equipment. I just like our equipment looking good.”

Kay learned what he knows from Curt, who died in September 2016. Curt invited a then 20-year-old Kay to work for him. Kay thinks of Curt every day.

“It’s tough because if I have a well that is challenging, without him to ask what would you do, that makes it tough,” Kay says. “He was a great guy, had a good sense of humor, and is really missed in our drilling industry.”

 

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