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New Water Drilling Rig Arrives In Djibouti

The total well drilling system includes the drill rig, water truck, and recycling station, May 10, 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lt. Col. Chris Grinage
By U.S. Army Capt. Jerord E. Wilson

Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa

 

CAMP LEMONIER, Djibouti, May 24, 2007 — It wasn’t so much of a prayer being answered as it was a positive conclusion as an eagerly awaited and long anticipated new well drilling truck arrived in Djibouti May 1st to be used by the 1132nd Engineer Detachment.

 

The North Carolina Army unit, working as part of the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, accepted the rig and performed pre-maintenance checks on actual testing to identify any mechanical problems with the system and prepare the equipment for the difficult conditions it will face in Djibouti.

 

In the past, well drilling equipment took a long time to set-up and, because of the thick geological structure of the rock formations in Djibouti, the equipment was

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subjected to heavy maintenance problems. These problems delayed the creation of much needed wells because repair parts had to be ordered from the United States.

 

The capabilities and composition of the new equipment is very impressive, according to members of the detachment. The new rig travels with two large trucks to support water and filtration during operations; 80,000 pounds of pressure can be exerted, and the drill can reach depths of more than 2,000 feet. It’s capable of using a six or twelve inch roller cone blue steel drill bit that’s designed to drill through the toughest geological formations in Djibouti. The new drilling truck is manufactured by the Laibe Corporation, located in Indianapolis, Ind.

 

Brandon Pickerel, a member of the Laibe Corporation, has been at Camp Lemonier for several weeks to help train and familiarize members of the 1132nd on the new rig.

 

“The next weeks will be challenging to the new crew and the new equipment”, said Pickerel. 

Current temperatures in Djibouti have begun to reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit by mid-morning and will continue to rise during the next few weeks. The increase in temperatures will have some effects on the operation of the equipment when the team begins on their first water well site, said Pickeral. The crew operating the new machine will have to take precautions for the effects of the heat on the equipment and on them as operators.

Previously, the equipment used by the 1132nd took about a week just for set-up before drilling could begin. The new drilling equipment can be set-up and drilling can commence at a site within one day. To drill one hundred feet with the old drilling rig would take considerable amount of time based on soil composition. With the new drilling rig however, one hundred feet can be drilled within five hours even in the toughest Djiboutian soil, increasing the number of wells that can be drilled at locations throughout Djibouti.

Source: CJTF-HOA, May 23, 2007

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