Well development

Well development is the procedure that locally improves or restores the aquifer's hydraulic
conductivity and removes well drilling fluids, muds, cuttings, mobile particulates, and
entrapped gases from within and adjacent to a newly installed well
It involves the cleaning and disinfection of the well and sometimes the application of well
development procedures.
On average a water well can be drilled in 1-3 days depending on the conditions of the ground,
weather and water depth.

Basic Principles - Well Development

Well development after the completion of drilling is part of the normal drilling procedure. All
drilling methods alter the hydraulic characteristics of formation materials in the vicinity of the
borehole: fines and drilling fluid additives originating from the drilling process remain in the
borehole and block the pores of the surrounding aquifer. Development procedures are designed
to restore or improve.
Purpose
The purpose of well development in wells used for water resources is to alter the physical
characteristics of the aquifer near the borehole in order to allow water to flow more freely
toward the well. Well development removes fine sediments along the well screen-aquifer
contact and some distance into the formation.
Development methods:

• Over-pumping
• Surging
• Air surging and pumping
• Jetting
• Jetting and simultaneous pumping
• Hydro-fracturing
• Supplementary development methods

Over-pumping

This method entails pumping the well at a rate greater than in normal operation. In terms of
required material and effort, this is the simplest, but least effective method. It generally only
develops the more permeable sections of the aquifer and, since water only flows inwards
toward the borehole, it can draw excessive material against the screen openings, creating a
condition termed bridging, in which the formation is only partially stabilised. Formation
material may subsequently enter the hole if the formation is agitated and the bridges collapse.

Surging

This very common method flushes water backwards and forwards through the screen, as to
prevent any bridging behind the screen and moving fines through into the hole.

Air surging and pumping

This technique uses an airlift pumping action in combination with the surging effect described
above. Air is injected into the hole to lift the water column, and then shut off such that the
column falls back into the hole.

Jetting

This development method uses the injection of high-pressure air or water through the screens
to remove fines and drilling fluids.

Jetting and simultaneous pumping:

This method combines high pressure water jetting with pumping (usually using an airlift
system) and is particularly applicable in unconsolidated sands and gravel.

Hydro-fracturing:

In bedrock aquifers, groundwater is contained in fractures and borehole yields are often very
low.

Supplementary development methods:

Other development or stimulation methods include the use of acid injection in carbonate
aquifers to enlarge fissures by dissolution of aquifer material, and “shooting” in hard-rock
terrain using explosive charges placed in the borehole to increase the number of fractures
around the hole
Development Criteria
Development should proceed until the following criteria are met

• Satisfaction of applicable federal, state, and local regulatory requirements. Some of

these requirements may specify that development continue until the readings for some
indicator parameters like pH, conductivity, temperature, oxidation-reduction potential
(ORP), dissolved oxygen (DO), or turbidity have stabilized; e.g., vary within aspecified
range.

• The well water is clear to the unaided eye and the turbidity of the water removed is at
some specified level.

• The sediment thickness remaining within the well is less than 1 percent of the screen
length or less than 30 mm (0.1 ft) for screens equal to or less than 3 m (10 ft) long.

• A minimum removal of three times the standing water volume in the well (to include
the well screen and casing plus saturated annulus, assuming 30 percent annular
porosity).

• For those wells where the boring was made without the use of drilling fluid (mud and/or
water), but water was added to the well during well installation, then three times the
amount of any water unrecovered from the well during installation should be removed
(in addition to three times the standing volume).

• For those wells where the boring was made or enlarged (totally or partially) with the
use of drilling fluid (mud and/or water), remove three times the measured (or estimated)
amount of total fluids lost while drilling, plus three times that used for well installation
(in addition to three times the standing volume).

• If the primary purpose of development is to rectify damage done during drilling to the
borehole wall and the adjacent formation, the time for development may be based on
the response of the well to pumping (ASTM D 4050).
Advantages

• Increased performance of the well water yield and safe water quality
• Simple measures can be highly effective (particularly chlorination)
• Basic procedures for both well development and rehabilitation are rather easy to apply
and very economical
• Even for heavily damaged wells, rehabilitation is often more economic than the
construction of new wells

Disadvantages

• Skilled workers and high-tech equipment may be required depending on the type and
condition of the well
• Risk of damaging well installations if not conducted professionally (e.g. acids and
chlorine can cause mechanical damages)
• No one-fits-all solution: tailor-made measures are required for every particular situation

Conclusion
Well development is very important for newly constructed well. For constant performance of
wells it is necessary. It ensures the proper efficiency of wells .