– will guide ground water exploration & well-drilling

SEVERAL Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Engineers assembled at the company’s Head office in Georgetown to undergo a two-day training in the use of Geo-Electrical imaging technology to guide ground water exploration & well drilling.

In a release, the GWI said the training, which will conclude today (Wednesday November 6, 2019) has seen the participation of engineers from the Operations, Hinterland Services and Design of Infrastructure departments as well as one functionary attached to the Information, Community and Technology department. Additionally, two members of the Guyana Defence Force have also been participating.

Introducing the participants to the newly-acquired technology of geo-electrical earth imaging and interpretation of subsurface lithology are the objectives of the training. The equipment acquired is the Supersting R8/IP/SP Wi-Fi version, which will be utilised to perform resistivity logging.

Resistivity logging is a measure of the electrical resistance of a material, indicative of the material’s capacity to transmit conductive fluids. The technique aids in the characterisation and translation of the material’s water bearing properties, thus enabling the determination of the presence of ground water in the formation.
Therefore, the use of Geo-physical investigative techniques will guide the company in making scientifically-based decisions with respect to the best sites for the drilling of wells. The logging technology was first introduced to GWI by the Brazilian Army during the successful design and completion of eight (8) water wells in Deep South Rupununi, during the 2018 prolonged dry spell in the region.

Addressing the participants of the training yesterday (Tuesday, 5th November, 2019), GWI’s Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, declared that the technology brings more efficiency to GWI’s drilling experience. He explained that the company will be able to determine, from the onset, the required depth for a well, in addition to the ideal drilling location. This allows for drilling with certainty and GWI will be able to map water resources.
The Managing Director stressed the importance of water for all aspects of development, even as he noted that the use of the technology comes at an opportune time, given the imminent exploration of oil.

He told the participants of the training that there will be a need for further capacity building to ensure that they are proficient in the use of the technology and application of the knowledge gained.

The intention is to equip the specially-selected group of participants with the knowledge of the important concepts, principles and practical application of the use of the technology both in terms of the use of the software and hardware components. It is envisaged that, after the training, participants will be able to use the technology effectively to perform geo-electrical surveys across all regions of Guyana. The training has been conducted by Mr. Orin Browne – Manager of GWI’s Water Wells Management Unit; Mrs. Angela Franklin- GWI Hydrologist and Mr. Rafael Gravesande – Project Coordinator, Office of Climate Change. These personnel were trained in the use of the technology earlier this year in Madrid, Spain.