Getting more water from your well with hydrofracturing
Learn How it works
Well drilling contractors once relied on extreme measures to increase inadequate water flow, including dynamite, to free more of the water deep below the ground. But today, licensed well contractors like Skillings & Sons have an efficient and effective tool that can increase well water yield. It’s called hydrofracturing.
When people first hear the term hydro-fracking, they often think of negative news reports they’ve heard about oil and gas drilling, but hydrofracturing is a completely different process that uses no chemicals, only water. Hydrofracking has become a common tool in well drilling because it is easy to control and has a higher success rate.
How do I know if my well needs hydrofracturing?
Hydro-fracturing, or as it’s sometimes called hydrofracking, is the process of flushing fine particles and rock from bedrock fractures within a bedrock well. By removing these particles, and in some cases making the fractures bigger, it creates more room for the water stored within the bedrock to flow into the well and eventually into your home. Hydro-fracturing does not create new fractures in the rock, it merely cleans debris or enlarges existing fractures.
Hydro-fracturing is used in newly drilled bedrock wells when the water yield is below the desired amount. It can also be used in older wells that have seen a drop in production or where mineral deposits have formed within the rock fissures.
There are many causes for diminished water flow into your home. A licensed well water professional can help you determine if hydro-fracking is the answer to your water flow problems.
How is the hydrofracking process?
After measuring the depth of the well and the water level, a mechanism called a packer is lowered into the well and down about 40 feet beyond the end of the well pipe to ensure it does not damage the well casing or seal.
Next, the packer blasts large amounts of highly pressurized chlorinated water into the well and surrounding bedrock in an attempt to break up the rock and fissures. This water is typically flowing with a force of 2,000 to 4,000 pounds per square inch or psi. The technician knows the procedure is working when water pressure within the well rises steadily and then drops off suddenly, stabilizing at a lower level. The drop in pressure indicates the fractures have opened more and can take on more water.
The packer is then lowered about 100 feet deeper for another blast. This procedure can be repeated as needed, but often two blasts are enough. The well is then flushed, the water pump reinstalled and water pumped from the well for a final flush. By the end of the process, roughly 1,000 to 2,000 gallons of water are pumped into the bedrock formation.
We recommend a follow-up water yield test to determine if the process was successful, although not all contractors do this. Because the fracking procedure requires a large amount of water injected into the well, it can take some time for the water to flush out fully and the water pressure to return to normal. If a yield test is done immediately after, the results can be skewed. Skillings & Sons typically does a yield test two days later to ensure an accurate reading.
Licensed well contractors are the only authorized to hydrofracture wells in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services recommends consulting with a professional water well contractor for an evaluation. These professionals at Skillings and Sons will discuss with you the geography of the area and what equipment will be used during the process. Skillings & Sons has 250 combined years of experience in well drilling and service to draw from when answering your questions. And as we just mentioned, we guarantee the results of our hydro-fracturing process.
Save money and time. Learn how to inspect your water well and then contact us to find out if Hydrofracking is right for you.
