Drilling A Deep Water Well

[Marvo]

I've had an unconfirmed report from land nearby (a Royal Project 500m away from me) that they had to go down over 200 meters for their supply of water.

I too, one day, would like to drop a well under my plot but know little of the process as yet and am starting my education here. On hearing the above story I'm now wondering if it is going to be possible, or if the cost of going down to that depth will make a regular "domestic" well unfeasible?

Before I contact any commercial organisation "being completely green", can anyone in-the-know fill me in as to whether it's normal to not find water until 200+ meters and the implications of drilling to that depth. Also the implications and method of retrieving water from that depth too (a 200+m column of water is a hel_l of a weight!)

Cheers.

[sbk]

Moving to the DIY Housing forum

///MOVED///

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

I cannot help right now, but am also interested, so if we pool our resources, perhaps we can discover more. I have heard that in the Pattaya area ("dark side", east of Suk), you tend to get a lot of iron in the water at the "normal" depth of 35-45 meters. We talked to a recommended well driller, and he claimed that to get "good water" we would need to go down to 90-100 meters. He would charge 1,000 Baht per meter drilled, plus around 12,000 for a decent pump and piping. If he did not encounter "good water" (has to be defined and tested obviously), he would charge a fixed set-up cost of I think it was 20,000. How to set the quality of the water is one thing, another is how much of it is down there.

And the more wells are sunk, the less water there will be. And you need a permit to drill a well below a certain, shallow depth (but the driller would "take care of the permit" for another 10K...) So artesian wells are not really the way to go, since they lower the water table, but what are we to do, when the local government is not taking charge of this vital resource. It was only a year or so ago that some cocky official declared that there would never again be a water shortage in this area. Now we are warned to be prepared for severe shortages. Is this official taken out and paraded in the streets, losing whatever face he might have had. Of course not. Anyway, rant over, back to the practical stuff.

I have also heard that there might be som very hard, dense caprock around 40 meters depth in this area (close to the Mabprachan reservoir), and that it may be difficult/costly/impossible (without oilwell drilling rigs) to drill much deeper. I will try to do some more research, there is bound to be some geological study or map to help, but I do not have such material available now. It would be great to hear from some others who have experience in this field.

[Gary A]

A good friend of mine lives on the dark side about 15 kilometers south of Jomtien. His driller broke off the drill bit the first try at about 60 meters. They successfully drilled another hole near that one and got good water at 90 meters. I forgot what it cost him but it wasn't cheap. He pumps into a large buried tank And uses a surface pump from that tank to his house.

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

Thanks Gary A,

Good info, I will collect more, and I might start a thread a bit later on, if I feel I have enough useful info to share. There is probably already a lot of stuff on TV about this, so I shall of course search the forum as well.

[Marvo]

There is probably already a lot of stuff on TV about this, so I shall of course search the forum as well.

I'll be starting the same search myself. BTW MeaMaximaCulpa, I'm 6km inland at the foot of a mountain, behind Hua Hin so will have different geology to deal with compared to you, me thinks. From your quote/info, I'm looking at around 250-300,000 for my own water supply. I guess 200m+ needs a specialist driller. 300,000 baht would pay for a lot of water trucks, but then again I do want to be able to water the garden regularly in the dry season. If I get more info, I'll post here.

[Boksida]

Technically it is possible. Quite a few wells have been drilled in the Bangkok area to depths of 600 metres. To the best of my knowledge, these have all been for industrial applications and the cost would be prohibitive for domestic supply. Typically they have 12" casing down to about 100 metres for the pump and then 8" casing to the top of the aquifer. PVC casing is obviously not an option and the steel casing-hole annulus is (or should be) cemented to surface. The water enters the well through a stainless steel screened section. Think 10,000 baht per metre for a completed pumping well of this type.

[Marvo]

... depths of 600 metres... 10,000 baht per metre for a completed pumping well of this type.

Fascinating info Boksida. BTW what do you reckon to the chances of finding oil in Hua Hin?

[Boksida]

Fascinating info Boksida. BTW what do you reckon to the chances of finding oil in Hua Hin?

I think some company (I forget who) did have a petroleum exploration concession offshore from Hua Hin at one time. There have been several successful water wells at the Dole pineapple plantation west of Hua Hin if that is anywhere near your place. Unfortunately there have been some unsuccessful ones in the same area as well.

[Artisi]

I've had an unconfirmed report from land nearby (a Royal Project 500m away from me) that they had to go down over 200 meters for their supply of water.

I too, one day, would like to drop a well under my plot but know little of the process as yet and am starting my education here. On hearing the above story I'm now wondering if it is going to be possible, or if the cost of going down to that depth will make a regular "domestic" well unfeasible?

Before I contact any commercial organisation "being completely green", can anyone in-the-know fill me in as to whether it's normal to not find water until 200+ meters and the implications of drilling to that depth. Also the implications and method of retrieving water from that depth too (a 200+m column of water is a hel_l of a weight!)

Cheers.

You have been given a variety of answers regarding water wells and the likely costs all of which is good background for you, however to answer your question - good water can be found at various levels and is dependant on the local geology and the water bearing sub-strata, this can be anywhere from a few metres to hundreds of metres. As for the retrival this doesn't pose any problems - just a matter of selection of the right pump for the application. Of course the overall costs becomes a major factor for domestic water and can be prohibitive as the depth to the water table increases. One option is a cost sharing arrangement with other people as normaly found in a lot of villages where all residents share / pay for the water and upkeep.

A local well-driller is probably your best option to give advice from experience of other water wells in the area and based on the info you gave about the Royal Project 500 m from your own property it would seem that you would have water at the same depth.

[merijn]

I'm drilling at this moment a deep water well in Phuket. ( Kathu area )

The company estimates a depth of 60 Mtr for drinkable water.

The well comes with a written guarantee for water on drinkable quality for 365 days a year.

I pay a lump sum price of 165.000 baht for which they organize the permit and provide first class equipment. ( same brand what we use in the off-shore drilling )

The well is 6 inch until the bedrock and after this 3 inch for the submersible pump. ( 3 m3/h )

I don't know if it is expensive but if I see what amount I need for my garden and swimming pool it is not the much I think.

[Marvo]

I guess the next step is to find and consult some reputable well guys and get them to have a look at the plot. Maybe they could nip over to the Royal Project and get some usable direct info on their drilling experiences nearby.

Thanks to everyone for thier input and info on this subject, your posts have been very enlightening and are very much appreciated by this as-yet novice.

[merijn]

I'm drilling at this moment a deep water well in Phuket. ( Kathu area )

The company estimates a depth of 60 Mtr for drinkable water.

The well comes with a written guarantee for water on drinkable quality for 365 days a year.

I pay a lump sum price of 165.000 baht for which they organize the permit and provide first class equipment. ( same brand what we use in the off-shore drilling )

The well is 6 inch until the bedrock and after this 3 inch for the submersible pump. ( 3 m3/h )

I don't know if it is expensive but if I see what amount I need for my garden and swimming pool it is not the much I think.

I just received the final report of my new deep water well.

They used a solid 5” pipe to the bedrock and from there a 4” screen pipe trough the decomposed granite layer till 40 meter depth.

The submersible pump is at 32 mtr.

The well has a yield capacity of 60.000 ltr a day.

So my well is not that deep but I thinks looks good.

I also have a guarantee for the quality and amount for the whole year around.

I don’t have much experience with water wells so hopefully somebody can tell me if these dates are normal for a water well.

[CGW]

... depths of 600 metres... 10,000 baht per metre for a completed pumping well of this type.

Fascinating info Boksida. BTW what do you reckon to the chances of finding oil in Hua Hin?

Pretty good I would imagine, they are moving a Jack up drilling rig back into the waters just off Hua Hin later this year! 100 plus $ a Bbl make it worthwhile again now.

Edited March 28, 2008 by CGW