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.
In all the media coverage, this is the first I’ve heard of these guys. Thanks for posting!
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.
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
Moron on ABC calls this being egocentric Americans.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
When’s the Cat fight between Miner 12’s wife and girlfriend?
Those hated Americans. How much press did this get on the Chilean news?
The Daily Telegraph has a short article about Layne’s efforts:
And CNN has a video clip interview with Layne’s employees who did the drilling:
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.
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.
Nice article about Layne’s drillers/employees who did a fantastic job:
http://www.fontanaheraldnews.com/articles/2010/10/13/news/doc4cb63772dc888818202728.txt
Chilean rescue-— made in USA
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