Denning Well Drilling in the beginning
by Jed Denning
Denning Well Drilling Inc. was founded in 1962 by Duane Denning. Duane started working as a well driller for Charlie Cope. Afterwards, he worked for Cushman Well Services. With these companies he learned how to drill and also came into contact with other drillers and the drilling suppliers. When preparing this report I spoke with Duane on several occasions to better understand how this company came about. Duane recalls living in near poverty. Getting his first drilling rig was a bit difficult. One day a banker he knew came to him and said that he'd repossessed a rig but they had nobody who knew how to run it. The banker asked Duane if he'd be interested in it. Duane replied, "I think I would but I don't have a penny to my name. " The banker told Duane to come look at it anyway. After carefully examining the rig Duane could see that it needed some major work. He'd never seen a rig in such sad shape. Nothing worked on it and he would have to fix it all up. He decided to go for it anyways and he sold his pickup and some other things to finally come up with the 1200.00 to buy the rig.
Duane then went to work in an autobody shop in order to save a nickel here and there to fix up the rig. He'd work days and fix the rig nights. After months of work he finally got that rig to start, the mast would raise, and he was ready to drill, except he had no drilling tools to work with. He again saved his money and went to Colorado to buy drilling tools. He had a contract to drill a 100 foot 6" well in Ririe. Things were looking better. At that point all he needed was the 6" casing. He went to a supplier he'd known while working for Cushman's and told him his predicament. "I have a contract to drill a 100' well in Ririe and my rig's running well," he said. The supplier looked at Duane and replied, "Who do I look like, Santa Clause?"
Well, Duane went back to work in the autobody shop painting cars until he saved the $125.00 to buy 100' of casing. At that time drillers charged $3.00 per foot to drill and case the entire well. Duane set out to drill the first well with his new rig. Two reputable drilling companies in the area placed bets on whether or not Duane would last 30 or 60 days. The future looked grim but Duane felt he had little to lose. After drilling that first well, Duane was asked to install the pump. He knew little about pumps at that time but with the help of his brother in law Ervan, he installed the pump. He received $780.00 for that first job. That was the most money he'd ever seen, at one time, in his whole life.
Times were hard then and Duane had to travel great distances to find work. He commented that it didn't really matter to him, he was just grateful for the work. He ran his rig all day long and then he'd set up a 12-volt battery with a light on it to continue drilling all night and through the next day. His wife, Viola, would bring him lunch in the day and he'd just keep on drilling.
Times were hard then and Duane had to travel great distances to find work. He commented that it didn't really matter to him, he was just grateful for the work. He ran his rig all day long and then he'd set up a 12-volt battery with a light on it to continue drilling all night and through the next day. His wife, Viola, would bring him lunch in the day and he'd just keep on drilling.
Over time, Duane began acquiring a little money here and there. He bought other cable rigs and then started drilling with rotarys. In 1974 he was able to buy his first brand new rotary rig. A Chicago Pneumatic 650. He soon afterwards bought another similar rig. Duane remembers having those two rigs running with about three other rigs, all paying for those new machines. In all that time, Duane never missed a payment. At the end of the loan, each bank wrote Duane a letter saying that if he ever needed a recommendation they would be happy to help him. Duane now says, "Drilling is hard work, but if you love it, there's money to be made in it." By this time, Denning Well Drilling Inc. was a well-reputed company. Duane's son's Mike, Jody, Dan, and his wife, Viola and their daughter Brook were all working for the company.
When Duane finally decided to retire, he sold the company to each of his three sons. They set up three different companies under the same shop. Mike handles the pump work and Jody and Dan drill. When you call in today you likely will get their sister, Brook, to help you.
