[[Image:Icon_EMAS_drilling.png|right]]
[[Image:Emas.jpg|thumb|right|250px200px|Drilling a well in Colombia with the EMAS method.]][[Image:Emas1.png|thumb|right|250px200px|All the equipment needed easily fits on a small hand-cart.]]
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The EMAS method of manual drilling is a hybrid between [[Jetting - general|Jetting]], [[Percussion - general|percussion]], and [[Sludging - Rota sludge|rotary]] drilling. A manually powered mud pump is used, and the drill stem is turned through 90 degrees at the end of each stroke. It permits to drill through all kinds of loose soils, as well as consolidated materials and light rock. It will not, however, penetrate hard original rock or boulders (e.g. ancient river beds underground). The usual diameter of the tube well is 37 mm.
==Suitable conditions ==
[[Image:Emas0.jpg|thumb|right|250px200px|Emas well drilling]]
Wells as deep as 90 meters can be drilled within 3-4 days without any machine employment and exclusively through the use of manual labor. Depths up to 100 m have been reached with the EMAS method. Most regions of South America (loam and sandy soils) are geologically suitable for this drilling method (predominantly rinsing or suction drilling).
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! width="50%" style="background:#efefef;" | Advantages
! style="background:#ffdeadf0f8ff;" | Disadvantages
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| valign="top" | - Very quick in fine and medium sand formations.<br>
The EMAS method is mainly used in Bolivia, Panama, Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Eritrea and Sri Lanka.
==Manuals, videos, and links== ====Videos====
EMAS has produced a set of DVDs which cover, among others, EMAS drilling and other low cost water supply techniques. [http://emas.blip.tv The movies are available here]. Contact Wolfgang Buchner in Bolivia at
[email protected] or
[email protected] if you would like to order a copy of the movies on DVD.
