Using 'diamond drills' to pierce rocks in search of water.

(Baonghean.vn) - During the summer, the 45 households with groundwater drilling rigs in Nhan Tien hamlet, Tien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (Nghe An province) are overwhelmed with work. To find water, they have to drill dozens of meters deep, using "diamond drill bits" to penetrate underground rocks...

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh's well drilling rig is currently drilling a well for a family in the commune.

During the summer months, visiting Nhan Tien hamlet in Tien Thanh commune, you rarely see men; only women, children, and the elderly remain in the village. This is because the men have gone to work drilling wells in various places.

According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Con, the village Party branch secretary: Nhan Tien village has 208 households, mainly engaged in agriculture, but each person only has 250 square meters of rice fields. Every year there is drought and a shortage of water for production, which cannot guarantee a decent life for the people. This forces them to find other ways to make a living, including well drilling, a profession they have maintained for nearly 30 years.

During the well-drilling process, the drill bit is constantly adjusted, especially when encountering hard rock.

In the late 1980s, due to dry wells, several families in the village hired drilling machines to drill new wells. During that time, some people, out of curiosity, learned the trade and later invested in drilling rigs to serve the community. The village of Nhân Tiến, known for its well-drilling, originated from that period.

Each drill rod is 2 meters long and made of high-quality steel. Because of their high price, each drilling rig usually has 17-20 rods. During well drilling, if a well is deeper than 40 meters, the drillers can borrow rods from each other to save on the cost of purchasing them.

To date, Nhan Tien hamlet has 40 households engaged in well drilling, with 45 drilling rigs. These include large-diameter rigs specializing in drilling wells for large projects, while the majority are smaller rigs serving family wells.

This drill bit is made of alloy and is used for drilling through soft soil.

For about six months each year during the dry season, dozens of drilling rigs belonging to the people of Nhan Tien travel far and wide, from Quang Binh to Thanh Hoa, and some even go to Laos to ply their trade.

Working enthusiastically and responsibly, every drilling rig owner has a lot of work; however, simply drilling doesn't guarantee money, because in some places, even drilling nearly 100 meters doesn't yield water, leaving them helpless.

This drill bit is used for drilling rock, but when encountering hard rock, it's more effective to use a "diamond drill bit".

Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, the owner of a drilling rig, said: "The labor cost varies depending on the location; nearby wells cost 4 million VND, while more distant wells cost 6-10 million VND. Before setting up the drilling rig, the homeowner and the workers agree to drill until water is found and the rig is completed, at which point they will receive payment. However, if there is no water, there is no payment; the homeowner only provides meals. Therefore, in some places, drilling to a depth of 30 meters only takes 2 days to find water, but in other places, drilling for a whole week is impossible because they encounter thick, hard rock layers."

Rocks from underground well drills, at depths of tens of meters. Photo by Thu Hien.

To purchase a drilling rig, each family needs at least 100 million VND. Particular attention must be paid to selecting the appropriate drill bits to be able to drill in all types of terrain.

Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan, the owner of a well drilling rig in Nhan Tien hamlet, confided: "Last month I drilled a well in Anh Son district, but knowing the high demand for well drilling in Hung Thanh, I came here to work because it's closer to home. Here, most wells are drilled to a depth of 50 meters and have plenty of water, so it only takes 3-4 days to complete one well. On average, I drill over 10 wells a month, earning more than 50 million VND in wages."

The drilling rig was fitted with two sacks of heavy rocks to weigh down the drill bit as it penetrated deeper into the ground.

Due to the reality of water scarcity in the village, over 100% of households in Nhan Tien hamlet, Tien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, use drilled wells. Therefore, during the dry season, the people have enough water for daily use. Furthermore, the locals even send drilling rigs to find water for people in many other regions. The thirst for clean water is thus "resolved" as the drilling rigs travel everywhere...

Xuan Hoang