Book excerpt: Be prepared for drilling's hottest trend According to the U.S. Department of Energy, by 2005, 30% of all wells will be drilled using gas and air. The Air and Gas Drilling Manual, by William Lyons -- an internationally known expert and holder of nine drilling patents -- lays out everything you need to apply air and gas drilling to all kinds of operations, from the most basic to the most complex, and for the shallowest to the deepest. You’re shown how to: Master the air and gas drilling techniques in vital industries: construction and development of water wells, monitoring wells, geotechnical boreholes, mining operations boreholes, and more Calculate volumetric flow and compressor requirements. Drill with stable foam, unstable foam, and aerated liquids (as well as gas and air) Handle the special considerations of deep hole drilling Perform direct and reverse-flow circulation calculations Specify drills, collars, and casings Engineer and operate specialized downhole projects Plan operations and choose air package contractors