QUESTION
Using explosives inside a borewell to open up new fractures and expand existing fractures

I have a 380 feet borewell in my farm in Southern Tamil Nadu. This borewell currently has a yield of 3000 to 3600 litres per hour. The borewell was drilled in 2012 and a pump was installed a year ago in Feb 2016. The water from the borewell is a bit muddy but more of a pale white muddy mix (I have not tested the water and I do intend to test it) over the last 1 year. I have a feeling that mud has collapsed in the borewell over a period of time (I intend to clean the borewell) as I had drilled the borewell in 2012 upto 380 feet but the pump is not going below 350 feet. I also have a feeling that some of the fractures are not yielding water as against my observations during the borewell drilling where the yield was estimated at 5000+ LPH

I have been advised by some contacts of mine to blast explosives in the borewell between 100 to 225 feet after pulling up the pump, column pipes, cables (the outer casing pipes are till 60 feet depth) to open up some new fractures as well as expand existing fractures to increase the borewell yield.

I am writing to seek advice from experts on this forum if bursting explosives inside a borewell a recommended process to open up new fractures and expand existing fractures, and if experts feel blasting is a good solution, what precautions should I take to protect the existing yield in the borewell as well as the outer casing pipe.

Should I go down using the explosives blasting route to open up fractures? Should I first clean the borewell and then blast explosives or should I blast the explosives and then clean the borewell?

Suggestions from experts on this forum will be very much appreciated

regards

P S Krishnan

Chennai

by
23 March 2017