The Wild West.
The frontier.
The wide-open spaces.
Where the deer and the antelope play.
To the extent that these mythological places still exist in 21st-century America, they may be found in Nye County, Nevada. Out here, you’d best drive alertly – especially at night. There are miles of Open Range, and the cattle complacently roaming the unfenced scrub are as black as a starless sky. Not to mention herds of pronghorn antelope, and wild horses that run the valleys.
The farmers and ranchers who work this land are a hardy, independent breed. Miles from what we laughingly call civilization, they must be resilient and self-sufficient, as well as neighborly.
The key to growing crops on this high desert soil is groundwater. Wells are the beating heart that provides the precious fluid, allowing alfalfa to produce up to four cuts per summer.
When production and yield at Railroad Valley Farms Well #4 was measured by Pump Check in October of 2019, performance had dropped below acceptable levels. Production flow rate had declined to 1,296 gallons per minute, with 115.8’ of drawdown, for a Specific Capacity of 11.2.
The decision was made to bring in WellJet® to help restore output and efficiency, in concert with Gardner Brothers Drilling.
Well #4 had been drilled in 2001, to a total depth of 440’, with 15.5” ID, and vertical slots 200-220, 240-400, 420-440, for 200′ of total perfs.
Gardner Brothers pulled the pump and did a downhole video. There were 40-50’ of fill in the bottom of the well. Gardner Brothers brushed/bailed/airlifted to get down to total depth.
WellJet® came in and performed a single pass with its patented high-pressure hydrojetting tool (US Patent No. 8,312,930 B1), utilizing multiple nozzles on a self-rotating head to treat the entire perforation zones, opening plugged perforations and generating energy into the gravel pack to break up harmful deposits. No other tool or method can match WellJet’s performance in opening up pathways for free water flow.
An additional 130’ of fill came in from jetting. Gardner Brothers returned with a 4” double swab rig and cleaned out the fill and developed the perforation zones over the course of 20 hours.
Post-rehabilitation test by Pump Check showed the well is now producing 2,128 gallons per minute, with a drawdown of 39.2’, for a specific capacity of 54.3.
Output improvement: from 1,296 gallons per minute to 2,128 gallons per minute – increase of 832 gpm, or 64%.
Drawdown improvement: from 115.8’ to 39.2’ – a reduction of 76.6’, or an improvement of 66%.
Increase in specific capacity: from 11.2 to 54.3 – an improvement of 43.1, or 385%.
Fuel consumption was reduced by 11.4 gallons per acre foot water pumped.
The annual fuel cost saving from this rehab, based on anticipated annual run time of 3,200 hours, was $28,591.20.
This work will yield a reduction of CO² greenhouse gas emissions by 277,334 pounds CO² annually.
As a result of this success, Railroad Valley Farms recommended WellJet® to neighboring farms and ranches. Recently, WellJet® returned to Nevada to perform that work, and looks forward to long-term relationships and future success.
