Water Wells

Big Iron Drilling drilled its first water well in 1963, using a Bucyrus Erie 22 W Cable Tool Water Well Drilling Rig, and continues to be the most active domestic water well drilling contractor in western Canada.

The company drills 30% – 40 % of it’s yearly production in water wells using steel casing and 60% – 70% using plastic casing. In our view there is nothing wrong with steel casing and there is nothing wrong with plastic casing, provided that the driller uses quality casing and proper well design.

For example, a driller can drive (or pound or beat) steel casing into the bottom hole formation without damaging the casing. With plastic casing, the driller must be far more gentle and careful because he cannot drive or beat or even push plastic casing anywhere nearly as hard as steel casing. The plastic will shatter or crack as a result when effecting a seal at the bottom of the surface casing.

Big Iron Drilling has solved this problem with plastic casing. We have developed and Patented in both Canada and the USA the Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe (see below). This remarkable invention allows the driller to effect at least as high a pressure seal using plastic casing as he can with steel casing. Often, with significantly higher pressures. The main seal or primary seal at the bottom of the surface casing, is in fact the most important part of the water well from a structural point of view.

Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe

By having the high pressure driven seal with either steel or plastic casing, it gives the driller a number of advantages. The driller can either use Cable Tool to drill the bottom hole with steel surface casing or, now he can sensibly use air when using a Rotary rig with plastic surface casing. With Cable Tool or Air the driller will not mud water off, which is common with mud rotary; the driller knows when he’s got water; he knows where he’s got water; and he knows how much he’s got. In other words, he is not working blind, like often is the case using mud rotary. Further, it is usually not sensible to use air drilling with plastic casing without a high pressure driven seal, as the driller runs the risk of either blowing the seal away or weakening it.

The Plastic Casing Puller Drive Shoe is a truly remarkable invention.

Heading to The Hondurus.

Big Iron Drilling was commissioned by the Edmonton West End Rotary Club to build/rebuild a rotary water well rig to drill for water in the underdeveloped area of Honduras in South America. It left Big Iron’s Shop as a new Rig.

“SOLVING YOUR WATER NEEDS SINCE 1957”
Big Iron Drilling stands behind their products with the most substantial warranties in the industry.

WATER WELL DRILLING – A COMMON SENSE APPROACH BY BIG IRON DRILLING
We can drill the well, install the pump, dig the trench, install the pitless adaptor, pressure tank, automatic water treating equipment—complete—ready for the plumber and electrician.

SERVICE IS OUR SALESMAN
Big Iron Drilling also cleans wells, and services all makes of pumps and pressure systems with fully equipped service trucks.

For a Water Well in Central, North Central or South Central Alberta, please contact our drilling division through your local number or by phoning our Head Office in Edmonton, Alberta. 1-800-Big Iron (244-4766)

Our Service Area

Athabasca- Athabasca County
Barrhead – Barrhead County
Bashaw – Camrose County
Beaumont – Leduc County
Bentley – Lacombe County
Blackfalds – Lacombe County
Bon Accord – Sturgeon County
Bonnyville – Bonnyville No. 87, M.D.
Bruderheim – Lamont County
Calmar – Leduc County
Daysland – Flagstaff County
Devon – Leduc County
Drayton Valley – Brazeau County
Edson – Yellowhead County
Elk Point – St. Paul No. 19, County
Gibbons – Sturgeon County
Hardisty – Flagstaff County
Innisfail – Red Deer County
Killam – Flagstaff County
Lamont – Lamont County
Legal – Sturgeon County
Mayerthorpe – Lac Ste. Anne County
Millet – Wetaskiwin No. 10, County of
Morinville – Sturgeon County
Mundare – Lamont County
Onoway – Lac Ste. Anne County
Penhold – Red Deer County
Ponoka – Ponoka County
Redwater – Sturgeon County
Rimbey – Ponoka County
Rocky Mountain House – Clearwater County
Sedgewick – Flagstaff County
Smoky Lake – Smoky Lake County
St. Paul – St. Paul No. 19, County of
Stavely – Willow Creek No. 26, M.D. of
Stettler – Stettler No. 6, County of
Stony Plain – Parkland County
Sundre – Mountain View County
Swan Hills – Big Lakes County
Sylvan Lake – Red Deer County
Thorsby – Leduc County
Tofield – Beaver County
Trochu – Kneehill County
Two Hills – Two Hills No. 21, County of
Vegreville – Minburn No. 27, County of
Vermilion – Vermilion River, County of
Wainwright – Wainwright No. 61, M.D. of
Westlock – Westlock County
Whitecourt – Woodlands County