Capitalize on Combination Capabilities

With a 420M limited-access machine, Fulcrum Resources Environmental in Monrovia, California, worked to keep up with demand doing environmental due diligence assessment and remediation. Since the limited-access machine couldn’t go very deep, they often found themselves dependent on other drilling contractors to complete a fair amount of their work. Frustrated, they began looking for ways to make the 20-year-old company more competitive by doing all drilling operations in-house.

“I’ve been a geologist in the field for many years and watched Geoprobe^® rigs run with minimal problems,” Don Kellar, CEO, said. “That’s what got me interested in purchasing my own. In the past we’d hit refusal and have to sub out the job to others.”

By adding the Tier 4 Geoprobe^® 6712DT, they are now able to do most baseline assessment jobs throughout the entire state of California – whether inside or outside. The mobile machine enables them to do both auger and direct push so they can reach 50 feet in many different conditions. Having worked with other firms who had combination machines, Kellar had seen the capabilities when hitting hard-pan clay.

“If we know the site condition, we can bring the 6712DT and not sub out as much, which means more profit,” Kellar said. “I don’t have to go back to the site. I don’t have to reschedule. It reduces my limitations, and I’m booked out consistently.”

On a recent project in alluvial soil, they began with direct push but hit refusal at 3-to-5 feet. They switched to auger and completed sampling at the 5, 10, and 15-foot depths. For Fulcrum, adding the “powerful, straight-forward, and easy-to-use” 6712DT has achieved the goal of keeping all drilling in-house, while the Tier 4 engine helps out the environment.

“We’re ahead of the curve, setting the standard for reducing carb emissions,” Kellar said. “I mean we are an environmental company. We’re setting the bar.”