Environmental drilling occurs in many different types of geologic settings and the project objectives are often very diverse. The drilling methods differ depending on a number of factors, such as the kind of project, the soil at the site, and whether water sampling is involved.
This method typically utilizes a Claw Bit to advance solid stem auger flights into the ground. The drilling equipment applies pressure against the top of the stem while turning it into the ground. The Claw Bit displaces the soil and moves it up the flights as the drill bores deeper in the subsurface lithology.
The advantages of Solid Stem drilling include:
- Rapid drilling into soils with a lot of clay, which saves time and money.
- It does not require circulation fluids, which makes site clean-up easier than some other drilling methods.
- The project requires no casing materials in stable formations.
- It allows for easy sampling in formations with a semi-consolidated soil.
- The drilling can go down to 400 feet or more in semi-consolidated soils.