February 14, 2001 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Jim Farrell, PR First, 781-681-6616, prfirst@hardlink.com

WAREHAM, AND PROVINCETOWN, MA, ISSUED FEBRUARY 14, 2001…DRAGIN Drilling, a full service company that provides innovative as well as conventional environmental, geotechnical, construction, landfill and water supply drilling services, has recently completed the installation of five new production wells and nine salt-water interface monitoring wells for Town of Provincetown water supply system.

A contract was awarded to DRAGIN Drilling for the replacement of one 1950's vintage production well in the South Hollow Well Field. The Town of Provincetown's engineering firm, Environmental Partners Group, Inc. (EPG) in conjunction with Head First, Inc., had determined that the production well should no longer be utilized for the supply of potable water due to corrosion of the well screen.

During the initial phases, however, Andy Miller, hydrogeologist and president of Head First, Inc., discovered that several of the other wells in the well field were also corroded beyond use. This discovery was a major concern for the town and the seasonal community. The replacement of five production wells in this one well field would need to be completed before the approaching summer "blitz" of tourists and the increased demand in water.

DRAGIN Drilling completed this project using leading-edge technology and state-of-the-art equipment. Drilling was performed using the hollow-stem drilling method with custom-designed 24-inch augers. The use of the auger drilling method versus the conventional and "old-school" cable tool method allowed for the quick completion of the 65-foot deep wells (each well was drilled and installed in one day). The use of the 24-inch hollow-stem augers enabled each well to be constructed and gravel-packed prior to the removal of the augers from the borehole, thus ensuring a more accurate and efficient gravel placement. The drill rig mobilized to the site was a one-of-a-kind, high-torque auger rig designed specifically for DRAGIN Drilling to run the 24-inch augers.

"Using their drilling methods, DRAGIN Drilling was able to provide an excellent product at a competitively bid low price," said Miller, adding, "The overall job cost was lower because it was done in the shortest duration possible with the least amount of equipment. In doing so, getting a municipal production well completed in one day is VERY impressive."

DRAGIN Drilling was also contracted to drill and install nine 300-foot deep saltwater interface monitoring wells to be used to control the withdrawal rates from the well field. "One of the nice things about this project is that Provincetown knew that their water quality was excellent, but they didn't know where the depth of salt water was," said Miller, adding, "There was great concern that if they over pumped they could get salt water in their fresh water supply. These monitoring devices are very progressive and state-of-the-art. They continuously monitor the salinity of the water and act as an early warning device and automatically slow down (the withdrawal rate)."

The deep interface wells were also drilled using the high-torque drill rig in conjunction with the hollow-stem auger method. An all-terrain drill rig was brought in as needed and utilized in hard-to-access areas. With no site preparation or restoration required, DRAGIN Drilling's unique capabilities were instrumental in completing the project.

Due to the efforts of everyone involved, the project was completed before the allocated deadline and the Provincetown water supply system continues to move forward into the future to meet the water demand of its year round residents and its tide of tourists.

DRAGIN Drilling is a SOMWBA-Certified, Woman-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE) and Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE) drilling company. The company's name was originally created as an acronym to describe its scope of services, "Deep Remedial And Groundwater Investigation Needs." A custom-designed fleet accommodates virtually every drilling need. Unique capabilities include auger drilling to depths of up to 350 feet; screened-auger sampling; collection of discrete water and soil samples from a single borehole; 24-inch auger drilling; all-terrain drilling; angle drilling, and more. DRAGIN Drilling is one of the only drilling firms in the United States with the 24-inch auger capability.

Their services have been used by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, the Massachusetts Highway Department, the Massachusetts Military Reservation, the South Weymouth Naval Air Station, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the City of Boston's Central Artery, and others. DRAGIN Drilling maintains headquarters at 2696 Cranberry Highway, Wareham, MA 02571. For additional information, please contact David Quagliaroli, Vice President, at 1-888-372-4461.

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