Significant Dates in the History of Drilling
by Ken L. Doe
SEDC Steering Committee
March 23, 2000
The following was presented at the 2000 and 2005 SEDC Clinics.
| Year | Event |
256 BC |
Chinese brine wells recorded: centuries old method. |
1126 AD |
First artesian well in Artois, France. |
1600 |
Grenelle well in France: dry rotary auger method; drilled to 1771 feet and took eight years. |
1806-08 |
Ruffner Brothers invent spring pole method; first rock-bored well in U.S.; took 18 months to drill 60 feet. |
1829 |
First oil well, by accident; the "American Well". Invention of steam engine. |
1830 |
Walking beam; four-legged derrick. |
1831 |
William Morris patents "jars". |
1845 |
French drilled with water circulation; 560' in 23 days. |
1857 |
Bowles patents reverse circulation drilling. |
1859 |
Drake well; first commercial oil well in America; cable tool drilled to 69 feet. |
1866 |
Sweeney stone drill patented; improvements still in use. |
1876 |
Massive diamond drill exhibited; drilled 9" hole 1000'. |
1882 |
Baker Brothers drilled first well with rotary equipment; pumped water with windmill; Yankton, Dakota Territory. |
1885 |
Stockton, California, near-modern rotary drilling. |
1890 |
First calyx drill. |
1901 |
Spindletop gusher, Texas. |
1906 |
Portable gas engines. |
1916 |
Steel cable. |
1919 |
A.P.I. standards. |
1920 |
Portable seismic rigs (percussion type). |
1935 |
Failing makes first portable rotary rig. |
1946 |
Reverse circulation re-invented for large-diameter irrigation wells. |
1949 |
Mobile Drilling produces first portable continuous flight auger drill; Models B-27, B-31, etc. |
1960s |
CME and Failing start manufacturing auger drills. |
1980s to present |
Specialized rigs for environmental drilling and sampling, and monitoring well installation. |
There have been many developments in drives, rigs, bits and tools. Mounting vehicles range from hand carts to pickups, and small to large trucks and trailers, as well as 'dozers, half tracks, balloon tires, skids and barges.
