AirBurst® energy output is customizable, ranging from a few foot pounds to the equivalent of two pounds of dynamite. If the well is structurally sound and receives the appropriate energy, no damage is expected. The well should undergo televised inspection, and any potential weak areas must be communicated to the customer. For heavily encrusted wells, it is recommended to wire brush and subsequently televise the well.

Yes it can, the thickness of the PVC dictates the amount of energy which will be used to develop the screen.

Wells without a sump below the screen may require bailing at the bottom, and airlifting during bursting can reduce fill material. For rock wells with water-bearing formations in the fill area, bailing is necessary. Well development involves removing material from the water-bearing formation, a universal requirement for all development types.

The equipment boasts an extended lifespan, with the stainless steel air gun needing occasional seal and wearing part replacements. Proper maintenance ensures a decade-long endurance for the hose and cable. Routine maintenance is essential for the air compressor, while major servicing is recommended every 3000 hours, aligning with standard procedures for motorized equipment.

Yes! The equipment is user-friendly for servicing, and we provide training for operators on routine maintenance. Disassembly and cleaning after each use are recommended unless consecutive projects are undertaken. During periods of inactivity, it is advisable to keep the air gun disassembled.

Service frequency depends on the air gun and operating pressure. Higher pressure and abrasive environments necessitate more frequent servicing. Standard maintenance involves cleaning and occasional seal replacement, a quick and cost-effective process. Large air guns in high-pressure applications may require servicing every 3-10 wells, while smaller air guns in low-pressure settings can typically handle around 100 wells before requiring servicing.

The minimum pressure for smaller air guns is 300 psi with a maximum of 2500 psi. Larger air guns require 600 psi minimum to keep them sealed and can be operated up to 3000 psi.

The air compressor is capable of developing 3500 psi but is regulated at 3000 psi.

There is no practical depth limit for operating the air gun. Submergence is the only limiting factor, determined by the pressure provided by the air compressor.

AirBursting is compatible with a wide range of modern chemicals, with minimal concerns about agitation and distribution. Notably, HCL acid, though effective in challenging applications, can damage air gun components and hose connections, leading to costly repairs after prolonged exposure. However, the use of new highly inhibited HCL acids eliminates harm to AirBurst equipment.

Rock well development is simpler than that of screened sand and gravel wells. The initial step involves identifying fractures in the well bore, concentrating bursting efforts in those areas. Sandstone is an exception, where the entire bore hole is treated. AirBurst can effectively extend fracturing and remove material from fractures. In aggressive development, AirBurst may break fractured rock, necessitating subsequent drilling.

Yes, in finer formation sand and gravel wells, AirBurst can potentially compact the geological formation if excessive pressure or a too-large firing chamber is employed. This doesn't apply to rock wells. If compaction occurs, a specific bursting procedure can be employed to address the issue.

There are a small number of states that require some type of permit to rehabilitate or develop a well with AirBurst®. AirBurst® uses only compressed air or inert gas, it does not generate any chemical byproducts.

This depends upon the well structure and the diagnoses of the problem. A screened well may only require 2 bursts per foot of screen and a rock well may require an hour of continuous bursting at each fracture. A sandstone well with 800 feet of formation may require 2400-4000 bursts.

On site training is provided and a step-by-step manual is provided. Initially, most operators find it helpful to call AirBurst® Technology, LLC for advice until they reach their own comfort level.

AirBurst® was originally patented process and but still involves certain trade secrets, proprietary and confidential information which are not available to the general public. The franchise contract protects that information as well as the registered AirBurst®. It also allows us to provide information and help to our franchisees on a mutually confidential basis.

That is a difficult question to which the answers are complicated. It can range from no improvement to over 1000%. Well structure design, structure deterioration, previous treatment attempts, previous chemicals used and excessive decline in original specific capacity before rehabilitation attempts are only a few of the issues which can affect the restoration process. Typically a 50% to 100% increase in the specific capacity at a given flow rate is easily attained. Wells which have undergone overly aggressive treatment or have been allowed to severely degrade in specific capacity may not see the desired rehabilitation results with any process.

The shortest recorded AirBurst® project was five minutes; one burst per foot up and down the screen was all that was required. A 1600 foot deep sandstone well may take up to 40 hours with a burst every 30 seconds. Typically it takes four to six hours for sand and gravel wells, depending upon depth.

The cost varies with the well structure, formations, well depth and geographical location. The cost is usually less than a new full sized diesel pickup truck.

Development of a well requires that material be removed from the water bearing formation. Airlifting produces a constant out flow from the formation thereby removing the fine silts and sands which may be plugging the formation or that are packed into a fracture. Conventional pumping is helpful in the same manner but is undertaken after each pass of the screen with the air gun. Pumping rates are gradually increased during each pump out session as would be normal for developing a new well.

On an average the treatment will benefit the well for several years. In the case of rock wells that are not bio-fouled, 10 years is not uncommon. Coarse formation sand and gravel wells will benefit for longer terms than those wells with finer and more silty formations.

Yes, AirBurst® is truly a green process. Hatcheries are the most sensitive wells that we know of; we have even treated such wells in Canada and the USA.

Yes, we have been involved in many projects where the well was producing sand. Because AirBurst® can be directed to every inch of the well screen or well bore, sand issues can be addressed and cured at the exact source point by concentrated development to disrupt sand channeling and realign the gravel filter, something only AirBurst® can do.

If the well structure is weak, a new well screen can be installed prior to AirBursting , the old screen is then AirBursted through the new screen and the well remains in tact regardless of what happens to the old screen and the well continues to produce water. Very coarse screens can be place in rock wells ate highly fractured areas and the area can be AirBurst®developed without the concern for caving.