Ten weeks of drilling a new well at Diamond, East Bank Demerara, has resulted in the successful production of water, as observed during a site visit by Managing Director of Guyana Water Inc (GWI), Dr Richard Van West-Charles and a technical team.
The well, which is the first of three to be drilled by Dutch firm, De Ruiter Groundwatertechneik in Guyana, was drilled at a depth of 201 metres. At this
The drilling rig being used by De Ruiter Groundwatertechneik
depth, the well is producing 200 cubic metres of water per hour (200m3/hr), which is equivalent to approximately one hundred 450-gallon black tanks of water per hour.
“We are happy about the success of the well, its production is above what we expected and you can see for yourselves that we’ve got clear water and good quality and as soon as they are finished with this final developmental process, our engineers would prepare to run the transmission lines to connect to the Diamond community,” Van West-Charles is quoted in a GWI release as saying. This is expected to take place by the end of November 2017. He explained that GWI is pleased with the results, given that the Diamond project is the Dutch company’s first attempt on Guyana’s soil.
De Ruiter Groundwatertechneik is utilising a new method of drilling known as reverse circulation. This method is carried out by using compressed air, which also acts as the medium bringing the drill cuttings (soil formation) up to the surface. Additionally, Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) casings are being used, as opposed to steel casings, giving the well an estimated lifespan of 30 years.
GWI has allowed its engineers and local contractors to be exposed to the new methodology as part of the company’s quest to create well fields for the sustainability of water for the citizenry of Guyana. Plans are also afoot for the purchase of the company’s own drilling rig.
The purpose of the Diamond well is to add redundancy and to supplement the water supply along the East Bank of Demerara, specifically the growing Diamond/Grove population.
The Dutch drilling company will be moving to Sparendaam, on the East Coast of Demerara next, then to Sophia, Greater Georgetown for the drilling of wells in those communities. Earlier this year, a contract was signed between GWI and De Ruiter Groundwatertechneik, to the tune of €552,855 for the drilling of three new wells at Diamond, Sophia and Sparendaam; all in Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica).
The total cost of the Diamond well alone is approximately GY$40 million. The construction of a water treatment plant is also in the pipeline for the Diamond community.
Dr Van West-Charles stated too that interior regions can no longer depend on surface water and as such, wells are also being drilled in the hinterland, as GWI continues to move aggressively to ensure water sustainability across the country.
