D ee P H o L e DR i LL e R 1 2013 18 Findlay cleaned the cased top portion of the well and sent down a stepped tri cone starter bit into the limeston e This was an 18inch diameter reame r of bit thirds with a 15inch tricone extending ahead of it The pilot bit created a per fectly centered rock socket to start the QL 120 with a 15inch bit When chip samples from the dis char ge convinced him the pilot hole was cleanly cut into the limestone Findlay withdrew the piloting bit and switched the T2W over to air Once in t he hol e the hamme r was followed by two collars one 12 inches and the other 8 to give it about 7000 pounds of weight Then a sub adaptor connected the lower part of the string to 20foot lengths of 6 inch pipe A vetera n drille r Findlay tuned weight onbit by ear and string vibration W ere holding back some but I couldn t give you a set number he said I just listen and see how it s acting It s drilling really well The 1070 cfm 505 Ls auxiliary com pressor boosting the rig s 500 cfm 236 Ls compressor was set to about 225 psi 155 bar Findlay added water at 4 gpm No ad justments were necessary during the com pletion of 15inch hole to 320 feet 975 m T went yfoot pipe lengths descended out of sight at rates of 20 to 25 minutes each with drilling progressing at 10 to 12 inches a min u t e 2 5 5 t o 30 5 m m m i n f r o m st a r t t o fni sh Im very pleased with the rate of penetra tion Findlay said The drill s progress also impressed Dunn That hammer is just amazing Also on Findlay s crew that day was new hi re Pa t ri ck T a yl or T hi s wa s T a yl or s frst time s eeing a hammer run H e had been w ork ing a Kelly rig for the past 20 years Dilden Bros is introducing me to top head opera tions T aylor said And Im impressed It s so smooth As for t he ha mm er T a yl or sa id I just can t believe how fast it is I mean look at that that lar ge a hole and in rock Ive never seen anything like that The frst well drilled by Dilden on this job already had its head on and its decking set up Fort y fe e t of 18i nc h c a si ng wa s se t 5 fe e t i nt o l i me st one and then it was bore d by ha m m e r t o 3 2 4 f e e t t o t a l d e p t h Di l d e n c o m p l e t e d all but 40 feet on this second hole by dark and returned to fnish it the following morning Ini t i a l e st i m a t e s j udge d t he we l l s t o be producing at about 800 gpm each prior to testing Formal testing was scheduled later Dilden Bros is introducing me to top head operations And Im impressed It s so smooth Patrick t aylor Driller Dilden Bros W ell Drilling W ith 20 years experience on table drive rigs but new to top head rigs and per cussive drilling newhir e Patrick T aylor said I just can t believe how fast it is that wide a hole and in r ock Ive never seen anything like that