Why a PDF report is not enough
Most borewell projects end with a report: a few pages, a drilling log, a test graph and a pump recommendation. That is useful for communicating conclusions, but it is a poor way to hand over data. Numbers trapped in a scanned table cannot be recalculated, plotted against next year’s readings or compared with a neighbouring well.
A handover dataset solves this. It keeps the raw observations in a simple, structured form, such as spreadsheet tables or CSV files, alongside the report. The data dictionary explains what every column means. Together they let someone who was never on site answer practical questions: how deep was the pump set, what was the pumping water level at the tested rate, which compressor was used during development, when was the last service?
The structure described here is a practical design for borewell projects, not a universal standard. Adapt it to the size of the job. A single agricultural borewell needs a small version; a multi-well water scheme or an industrial supply needs the full set.
Start from the questions the recipient must answer
Before choosing file formats, list who will use the dataset and what they need.
- The owner or operator needs the agreed operating rate, alarm and protection settings, baseline readings and contacts.
- An engineer reviewing the well needs the drilling log, construction details, test time series and test configuration.
- The maintenance team needs equipment identities, serial numbers, installation dates and service history, for the pump, motor, panel and any compressor used on site.
- A future drilling contractor needs depths, formations, water strikes and the air pressure and flow that were needed to drill.
One folder can serve all of them if its records are organised by purpose and linked by stable identifiers.
Recommended structure of the dataset
Do not force everything into one oversized spreadsheet. Different records have different shapes. Keep them as separate tables and document how they link.
| Table | One row represents | Key contents |
|---|---|---|
| Well register | One borewell | Well ID, location reference, drilled depth, diameter, casing, completion date |
| Drilling log | One depth interval | From and to depth, formation, water strike, penetration notes, compressor pressure |
| Equipment register | One item of equipment | Equipment ID, type, make, model, serial, installed date, location |
| Instrument register | One measuring instrument | Instrument ID, type, range, calibration date, measuring point |
| Test register | One test or development event | Test ID, well ID, type, start and end time, pump or compressor used, setting depth |
| Observations | One reading | Test ID, timestamp, elapsed time, quantity, value, unit, quality flag |
| Event log | One event | Time, well ID, event type (trip, repair, interruption), description |
| Decision register | One issued decision | Decision ID, well ID, operating rate, limits, basis, approved by, review date |
Add a one-page description showing the links: a test belongs to one well, uses certain instruments and equipment, produces many observations and supports one or more decisions.
Identifiers that do not break
Every well, test, instrument, item of equipment and observation series needs a stable identifier. State whether identifiers are unique and whether they can ever be reused. A spreadsheet row number is not an identifier: once the sheet is sorted or filtered, it points to a different reading.
Keep human-readable names, such as “farm borewell near the shed”, as descriptive fields, not as the only key. Names change and get duplicated. For equipment, the manufacturer’s serial number is the most reliable link to service and spare-parts history. A clear nameplate photo stored with the record saves a great deal of time when a part is needed. Location data can be sensitive; keep precise coordinates in the internal dataset and control who receives them.
Make time and depth unambiguous
Record timestamps with an explicit time zone, for example IST (UTC+05:30), and state the clock source. During a pumping test also keep elapsed time from the start of pumping, and define its origin and unit. The two should check against each other.
State whether each value is an instantaneous reading, an interval average or an accumulated total. Where several instruments are used, record any known clock differences. Never shift raw timestamps to make graphs line up; keep the originals and document any correction separately. Our page on data quality flags and correction records covers this.
Depth and water level need the same care. A column called “level” is not enough. Say whether the value is depth below a measuring point (such as the top of casing) or elevation against a datum, record the measuring point itself, and state the sign convention and unit. A larger number means a deeper water surface in one convention and a higher one in another.
Example data dictionary entries
The data dictionary is a table that defines every field. A short extract for the observations table might look like this.
| Field | Meaning and type | Check |
|---|---|---|
| well_id | Text; stable identifier of the borewell | Must exist in the well register |
| test_id | Text; identifier of the test or development event | Must exist in the test register |
| observed_at | Date-time with offset (IST, UTC+05:30) | Within test start and end time |
| elapsed_min | Number; minutes since pumping started | Consistent with observed_at |
| water_depth_m | Number; metres below the measuring point; positive downwards | Not above the measuring point; not below the pump intake |
| discharge_m3h | Number; instantaneous flow in m³/h | Method recorded in the test register |
| value_status | Code: M measured, E estimated, C corrected | Required for every row |
| quality_flag | Code: G good, S suspect, X rejected | Suspect or rejected rows need a note |
| missing_code | Code: NR not recorded, NA not applicable | Never use zero for missing |
Two rules prevent most confusion. First, distinguish measured values from estimated ones in a dedicated field, not through cell colour. Second, never use zero or a blank to mean “missing”; a zero flow and an unrecorded flow are completely different facts.
Equipment and compressor records belong in the dataset
Borewell datasets often record the water side carefully and forget the machinery. Yet equipment history explains many later observations. Include, for each item:
- make, model, serial number and a nameplate photo;
- rated capacity: for a pump, flow and head; for a drilling compressor, free air delivery and pressure in both psig and bar;
- installation or deployment dates and setting depths;
- service history: date, running hours, work done and parts replaced;
- any faults, trips or protective shutdowns.
For drilling and development, the compressor used, its working pressure and the air line depth are part of the context of the airlift observations. Without them, those observations are easily misread later.
Steps to assemble a handover dataset
- Agree the recipients and their questions at the start of the project, not at the end.
- Set up the tables and the data dictionary before drilling begins.
- Assign identifiers to the well, instruments and equipment as they are introduced.
- Enter readings daily, with status and quality flags.
- Keep raw data and any corrected views separately, with the correction rule documented.
- Run simple checks: every observation links to a test, every test to a well, no zeros used as missing.
- Package the tables, dictionary, report and photos in one folder with a short index.
- Record the version and date, and keep earlier versions; see version control and asset record preservation.
How Reddy Compressors helps
We supply all types, all brands and all models of borewell compressors: new machines, used and refurbished units, rentals, service and spare parts. We are an independent multi-brand specialist working on ELGi, Atlas Copco, Ingersoll Rand, KAESER, Chicago Pneumatic, Doosan and other makes, not an authorised dealer of any brand. We have tie-ups with all major and reputed brands.
For handover datasets, our part is the compressor side. When we supply, hire or service a borewell compressor we can provide the details that belong in your equipment register: make, model, serial number, rated pressure and flow, running hours and the work done at each service. Our team of more than 20 service engineers and technicians works from Tarnaka, Secunderabad, across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, and we supply machines and spares across India. Good equipment records also make parts identification faster, because we identify spares from the nameplate, model, serial and the old part.
See the borewell and DTH compressor library and borewell compressor spare parts.
What to send us
- Compressor make, model and serial number, with a nameplate photo.
- Current running hours and last service date.
- Your equipment register format, if you want records in a particular layout.
- Rig details and the type of drilling work.
- Whether you need service, spares, hire or a replacement machine.
Frequently asked questions
What records should I get after a borewell is drilled?
You should receive the drilling log with depths, formations and water strikes, the casing details, development and pumping test records with time and water level readings, the pump and motor details with serial numbers, panel and protection settings, the agreed operating rate and baseline readings. Ask for the data in spreadsheet form as well as a printed report.
What is a data dictionary for borewell data?
A data dictionary is a table that explains every field in a dataset: what it means, its unit, its data type, the permitted values and how missing values are coded. It means a future engineer can read a column like water depth and know exactly where it was measured from, in which unit and whether the value was measured or estimated.
Why should missing borewell readings not be entered as zero?
Zero is a real value. A zero flow means the pump delivered nothing; a missing flow means nobody recorded it. Mixing the two makes averages, totals and trends wrong and can hide real failures. Use a defined missing-value code such as “not recorded” and explain it in the data dictionary so every user handles it the same way.
Should compressor details be part of borewell records?
Yes. The compressor used for drilling and development affects how the hole was made and how airlift observations should be read. Recording its make, model, serial number, rated pressure and flow, and the working pressure used, gives future teams the context they need and also makes spare-parts identification and service history much easier.
Which file format is best for a borewell handover dataset?
Simple, open formats work best: spreadsheet tables or CSV files for the data, a PDF for the report, and image files for photos. Avoid formats that need special software to open. Keep each table separate, link them with stable identifiers, and include the data dictionary and a short index describing the folder contents.
Related pages
Technical content reviewed by D. Srinivas Reddy, Managing Partner and service engineer, Reddy Compressors. Last updated 17 October 2026. How our engineering content is reviewed.