Published Resources Details

Conference Paper

Author
Phelts, Bev.
Title
A Brief History of Northern Territory Groundwater Development: Wells, Bores and Drilling Rigs
In
Engineering Heritage Matters: Conference Papers of the 12th National Conference on Engineering Heritage, Toowoomba, 29 September to 1 October 2003
Editor
Sheridan, Norman
Imprint
Engineers Australia, Barton, Australian Capital Territory, 2003, pp. 129-134
ISBN/ISSN
064642775X
Url
https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.339040840438093
Abstract

This paper discusses the Northern Territory history of well and bore construction and drilling methods. Water supplies were needed for settlement and industry, and in the harsh Territory environment, groundwater rather than surfacewater is the dominant source. The development of groundwater for settlement, pastoralism. mining and agriculture was essential to the progress of primary industries - the backbone of the Territory's economy. Drilling rigs were scarce and boring was exceedingly expensive prior to the Second World War which meant that wells remained a dominant source of groundwater until then. The first drilling rigs were steam driven percussion rigs. In the 1920s, semi stationary percussion rigs that operated on diesel were introduced. Percussion drilling remained the dominant method until I960 when the first rotary air drilling rig arrived in the Territory, Rotary air drilling revolutionised boring because of its ability to drill deeper holes, and at a much faster rate. The technical advances in drilling, and the harnessing of groundwater has made an enormous impact on the survival of arid settlements; and primary industry almost totally relies on it. Groundwater now accounts for 90% of the Territory's water supplies and is a vital resource for the economy.

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