When every meter counts: Tafelmeier achieves potentially record-breaking drilling depth with Bauer's expertise

• Dismantling and new building of drinking water well for Cham public utilities carried out by TTB Tafelmeier Tiefbrunnen-Bau GmbH
• Work relied on customized drilling tools, Kelly systems and assistance functions from BAUER Maschinen GmbH
• Highly cost-effective thanks to efficient and powerful equipment, customized drilling tools and comprehensive service

Cham, Germany – Water is one of the most valuable resources in modern times: reliable drinking water supply is the foundation for everyday life. To secure this supply for the future, the Stadtwerke Cham public utility commissioned the rehabilitation of an old existing well. For this project, the company TTB Tafelmeier Tiefbrunnen-Bau GmbH relied on state-of-the-art drilling equipment from BAUER Maschinen GmbH and customized solutions provided by Parts & Service. Despite tight spatial conditions and soil strata with varying levels of hardness, the project was concluded successfully – involving drilling depths up to a potentially record-breaking 160 m and extremely strict verticality requirements.

Dismantling and new building

The work involved dismantling an existing well and constructing a new, deeper well. Excellent technical and economic efficiency was achieved by combining a Bauer BG 42 drilling rig with a selection of Bauer equipment specially tailored for the project. The equipment used included a Kelly BK 210/470/5/110 with Kelly guide, a Kelly BK 210/470/5/90 and a Kelly BK 420/470/4/60 with extensions in different lengths. Alongside the Kelly systems, a KBF-K drilling bucket with conductor pipes specially designed by Bauer Parts & Service was also used. “This enabled us to develop a customized solution for the project,” explains Lucas Tafelmeier, Managing Director at Tafelmeier Tiefbrunnen-Bau.

Individual solutions

The challenge: precise work in varying soil strata including rock, down to an unparalleled depth of 160 m. The decisive factor: the drilling bucket with guide casing designed specially by Bauer Parts & Service. This led to a significant improvement in verticality. Intelligent equipment control with features like B-Tronic with Kelly visualization, automatic crowd control, the Kelly drilling assistant, automatic torque adjustment or slack rope switch-off enabled the team to work efficiently and safely while also conserving resources.

Quality meets quantity

With the help of high-quality and robust components, drilling work was highly efficient and precise. Energy-efficient EEP motor management also contributed to a sustainable, resource-efficient workflow. “Thanks to special tools, we can achieve uncased deep borehole drilling in near vertical conditions well beyond 100 m – a huge advantage compared to conventional technology,” highlights Lucas Tafelmeier. “In my opinion, there’s no one better than Bauer in the current market for drilling rigs and drilling tools.”

Reaching the goal together

Apart from the technical performance of equipment and drilling tools, close cooperation was a decisive factor for Tafelmeier: “Bauer is genuinely interested in working together to develop solutions for special tasks. Our talks were always constructive, and we were on equal footing. Even in difficult situations, they help you as quickly as possible.” The stability and durability of the equipment and machinery, comprehensive service and individual site assistance made the project a success. Tafelmeier concludes: “Where other companies would throw in the towel, Bauer is just getting started.”