Soil Sampling Under Midwestern Industrial Lagoon
Directional soil sampling has proven its worth on multiple sites where the potential for contamination requires investigation, but surface access is unavailable. DTD’s recent project at an industrial site in the Midwest has again demonstrated the value of directional drilling for site characterization.
Industrial lagoon, red lines showing approximate locations of sample borings.
The area of concern is beneath an industrial lagoon. Boat or barge access to the lagoon was not feasible, and the lagoon liner could not be damaged even if surface access were possible. To accomplish the task, DTD mobilized a Vermeer 24×40 Navigator drill rig from our Texas office, with a crew of three.
The sampling team collected a total of 20 samples at various intervals across the pond. Four borings, totaling more than 1200 feet of drilling, traversed the length of the lagoon to reach desired target areas. All borings were drilled with bentonite drilling fluid, using a single-pass mud system to avoid cross-contamination between samples and boring. The bores were all grouted to the State regulatory standards prior to demobilizing from the site.
Every project has its challenges, and this sampling project was not without a few. The initial attempt to start the project in February was met with severe weather, that required a two-month postponement until the site conditions permitted rig operation. Once on the site, locating of the drill string using a walkover locator sometimes proved challenging, due to fence lines and power sources that created electromagnetic interference. Despite these obstacles, the DTD crew was able to collect the necessary samples, enabling our client to perform their desired analyses.
For more information about directional sampling, contact Directed Technologies Drilling – 800-239-5950