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Layne Christensen CEO describes work to rescue trapped Chilean miners (USA company!!)
Kansas City Business Journal ^ | Suzanna Stagemeyer

Posted on 10/12/2010 10:26:21 PM PDT by Cedar

It was early August when Andrew Schmitt got the call from his company’s partners in Chile requesting help in a mission the likes of which he’d never seen in all his years in the drilling business.

Partners of Mission Woods-based Layne Christensen Co. (Nasdaq: LAYN), of which Schmitt is CEO, had been helping search for miners who were trapped underground when a mine collapsed on Aug. 5. But they were about to get much more involved.

Upon finding 33 miners alive, the Chilean government had publicly announced a so-called Plan A that could have the miners out by around the end of the year. But discussions with Layne’s partner — Latin American affiliate Geotec Boyles Bros. — had led to the formulation of a Plan B using a different type of drill, and those partners were calling Schmitt to seek additional help.

Mineral exploration workers in Chile, whose northern part is home to 40 percent of the world’s copper supply, were familiar with drilling in the area, but they weren’t used to drilling holes large enough for the rescue. They needed help from Layne employees who had that expertise — those who drill water wells.

They asked for the best drillers and the best drill they could get, and said it would be helpful if some could speak Spanish, Schmitt recalled. He contacted Dave Singleton, Layne’s water resource division president, and that’s what he delivered.

Jeff Hart and Matt Staffel had been drilling wells in Afghanistan to help U.S. troops in the surge there. The task in Afghanistan is difficult, requiring large wells 1,500 to 2,000 feet deep. They joined up with two Spanish-speaking Layne employees — Doug Reeves and Jorge Herrera — and were in Chile in a matter of days.

“That’s how the Layne-Geotec team came together,” Schmitt said. “That was the group you had on Plan B.”

A Plan C involving a large oil-drilling rig also began in a race to reach the men.

The Layne-Geotec team worked carefully, starting with a 5-inch hole dug through 2,300 feet of the hard rock until they broke through. From there, they made another pass, this time expanding it to 12 inches. Finally, with a third pass, they increased the hole to the 26 inches needed for the rescue capsule, all the while concerned about a collapse. They finished the job in 33 days, well ahead of predictions.

“The pressure really started to build,” Schmitt said. “We’re not used to drilling for people. I could tell from the e-mails, the tone of the conversation, that things were really getting tense.”

He was in Texas when he received an e-mail that the Layne-Geotec team had reached the miners. It’s a miracle that they located the miners, a miracle that they’re still alive and a miracle that there’s a thought of getting them out, Schmitt said.

“I was just e-mailing our partner, telling him I feel a great sense of relief that we did our part and the guys all worked together as a team,” he said. “I’m very proud of the people, that we could play a role in the rescue. If there wasn’t a path to them, there wasn’t going to be any way to get them out.”

The Layne drillers probably will head home to see their families after they get through being “media stars,” Schmitt said. After the adrenaline subsides, they most likely will be ready for a break — the intense operation ran 24 hours a day.

Schmitt said he hopes that the tunnel continues to hold, a prospect that looks good now, and that the miners will be able to stand the trip out. But Layne’s role in the rescue effort has ended, and it’s removing its equipment from the site.

“It’s a long journey still, but our part of the journey now is finished,” he said. “... We’ve done all we can do.”

In all his time around drilling, Schmitt said, he never expected that Layne would work on such a project. The circumstances that led to Layne’s involvement were unique, but the company would pitch in if another situation ever needed its help, “no question,” Schmitt said.

“I’ve been in the business a long time and never seen a situation quite like this — or quite as rewarding,” he said.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chile; drillingrescue; miners
Kansas City company a big part of the rescue efforts.
1 posted on 10/12/2010 10:26:26 PM PDT by Cedar
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To: Cedar

http://post-gazette.com/localnews/20020728mainminecp2.asp


2 posted on 10/12/2010 10:55:12 PM PDT by Eagles6
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To: Cedar

In all the media coverage, this is the first I’ve heard of these guys. Thanks for posting!


3 posted on 10/12/2010 11:37:30 PM PDT by tanuki (Obamacare, Cap and Tax, Amnesty, in that order....)
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To: tanuki

I was surprised too by the lack of coverage about Layne’s important involvement in the rescue. Michelle Malkin did good by having something on her website about it. Fox News definitely should have covered it but didn’t.


4 posted on 10/12/2010 11:54:06 PM PDT by Cedar
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To: Cedar

Thank you for the information!

When I heard that there were other cultures and languages involved...I knew there was a company from the good ole USA involved!

The Chilean flag looks a lot like the Texas flag. lol


5 posted on 10/13/2010 12:17:23 AM PDT by dixiechick2000 (Remember November...I can see it from my house!)
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To: Cedar

Moron on ABC calls this being egocentric Americans.


6 posted on 10/13/2010 12:45:10 AM PDT by ReneeLynn (Socialism is SO yesterday. Fascism, it*s the new black. Mmm Mmm Mmm.)
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To: tanuki

There has been almost zero national or international coverage of the American built drilling rig, bits and drillers.

You’d think the Harvard/Yale law school overlords at the WH would try to get some rub off from these pedestrian little working class types onto their metro sexual boss, but, ah no. That might be seen as so declasse’, typical American cowboyism, and of course the smart set knows that that, and those types of Americans are the source of all of our problems.


7 posted on 10/13/2010 2:18:18 AM PDT by Leisler ("Over time they create a legal system that plunders and a moral code that glorifies it." F. Bastiat)
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To: Cedar

Isn’t that something, and up til just the other day we had no knowledge of the participation of an American Company in this rescue effort.

Layne Christensen Company has a yard in California just down the street from where my wife works. She drives past it everyday, and of course no idea they were involved.

Congratulations to them all for their successful participation in saving the lives of those 33 miners.


8 posted on 10/13/2010 3:59:11 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
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To: rockinqsranch

Yep, even FOX didn’t really bother to mention the fact that the rescue was being performed by an AMERICAN COMPANY. I first heard about it last night.


9 posted on 10/13/2010 4:51:30 AM PDT by USS Alaska (Nuke the terrorist savages - In Honor of Standing Wolf)
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To: Cedar

It was sad to watch the 9th miner come up and the ANTI-RELIGIOUS MEDIA could not achknowledge that he had a Rosary around his neck.What a teaching moment that October is ROSARY MONTH.I wonder what he used the Rosary for?


10 posted on 10/13/2010 6:00:12 AM PDT by ardara
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To: Cedar

Its reasons like this that make me feel proud to be an American, gives me the resolve to stand firm against enemies of the state and such because ultimately it was AMERICANS with the technology.

It wasn’t an Islamic state, it wasn’t China.

Made in the USA.

Its why we should fight, and always hire a Veteran.

I bet the MSM has been given its marching orders to clamp down on the facts that it was technology derived from the war in Afghanistan. The unique requirements to drill deep water wells there and again an AMERICAN has saved people.


11 posted on 10/13/2010 6:13:30 AM PDT by Eye of Unk (If your enemy is quick to anger, seek to irritate him. Sun Tzu, The Art of War.)
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To: Eye of Unk

When’s the Cat fight between Miner 12’s wife and girlfriend?


12 posted on 10/13/2010 7:18:13 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: Cedar

Those hated Americans. How much press did this get on the Chilean news?


13 posted on 10/13/2010 7:46:07 AM PDT by doc
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To: All

The Daily Telegraph has a short article about Layne’s efforts:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/technology-and-faith-thrill-us-all/story-e6frezz0-1225938359012

And CNN has a video clip interview with Layne’s employees who did the drilling:

http://amfix.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/13/drilling-for-a-miracle-two-americans-describe-their-role-in-the-chilean-miner-rescue/


14 posted on 10/13/2010 8:34:11 AM PDT by Cedar
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To: Cedar
Americans to the rescue and saving lives.....again.
15 posted on 10/13/2010 9:37:44 AM PDT by Gabrial (The Whitehouse Nightmare will continue as long as the Nightmare is in the Whitehouse)
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To: Gabrial; maica
Americans to the rescue and saving lives.....again.

According to the NYTimes, of all sources, the rescue capsule is based on a design by a US Navy man. Chile is a great free enterprise country.

16 posted on 10/13/2010 9:49:43 AM PDT by Freee-dame
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To: All

What’s going on? I’ve got a live clip on right now; seems they’ve stopped the rescue and are giving a press conference??? Can’t tell - they’re only speaking spanish. I can’t find anything, anywhere.


17 posted on 10/13/2010 10:32:52 AM PDT by jackibutterfly
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To: All

Nice article about Layne’s drillers/employees who did a fantastic job:

http://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/articles/2010/10/13/news/doc4cb63772dc888818202728.txt


18 posted on 10/13/2010 11:00:27 PM PDT by Cedar
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To: Cedar

Chilean rescue-— made in USA


19 posted on 10/14/2010 4:14:00 PM PDT by dennisw (- - - -He who does not economize will have to agonize - - - - - Confuscius.)
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