Compact Power for Limited Access Drilling

Focused on environmental and geotechnical drilling across the five boroughs, Connecticut, and New Jersey, COASTAL ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS started with a Geoprobe^® 6610DT.

“When my partner and I started, we met with Vic in New Jersey and he spent eight hours showing us how to operate our 6610DT,” said Marc Morgenstern, president of the New York company.

Finding the Right Replacement

A decade later, the company was still relying on that original rig, but age was beginning to take its toll. Search for a replacement began.

“We liked the idea of the telescoping winch mast on the 6011DT. Its ability to work in limited-access sites fit the bill,” Morgenstern said. “We briefly considered another manufacturer’s rig, but felt it was just a poor copy of what Geoprobe^® had to offer.”

For Morgenstern, the highlights of the 6011DT include:

• Versatility: “We’ve done every method of drilling with our 6011DT — air rotary, rock coring, mud rotary, spinning augers. It’s good at fitting whatever we need.”

• Accessibility: “The telescoping winch mast is perfect for limited-access drilling sites, like projects below stairs.”

Built for Limited Access Drilling

That accessibility has opened the door to unusual projects — including bringing the rig into the basement of an active Manhattan building.

“We routed the exhaust out to complete air rotary, installing anchors for the foundation,” Morgenstern said.

The 6011DT helped the company expand its services.

“Clients reach out when they have limited-height work because we have the ability to use 3-foot rods to work under 8-foot ceilings,” Morgenstern said. “The 6011DT is definitely stronger than our 6610DT with the same percussion hammer as the 7822DT. The ability to work within height restrictions is way better than any other rig we have.”

Ten Years of Building a Geoprobe^® Fleet

During the past decade, the company has built its business around a fleet of Geoprobe^® rigs — from a 420M up to multiple 7822DT units.

“Geoprobe^® rigs are quick and efficient, and the service is better than any other we’ve encountered,” Morgenstern said. “We don’t have many troubles. Our 1998 54DT is still running solid.”

Along the way, the team has also learned a lot about maintaining their own equipment.

“We literally started out not knowing anything about hydraulics or diesel,” Morgenstern said. “Bryan Lorenson [service specialist] has gotten us to where we can pretty much service these rigs ourselves. We call him ‘Dad’.”

From Environmental to Geotechnical

Coastal Environmental Solutions launched in 2016 focused strictly on environmental drilling.

“We started in environmental because it was easy to learn and then transitioned to geotechnical work based on client requests and maximizing utilization of our 7822DT,” Marc Morgenstern, president, said.

That shift put two of the company’s 7822DT rigs to work on a Manhattan bioswales project for six months.

“The 7822DT was ideal to work on the sidewalk in Manhattan without a ton of space to conduct SPT sampling, set 4-inch casing, and run a 24-hour percolation test,” Morgenstern said.

The Manhattan bioswales project is an urban drainage initiative where the city is building small planted stormwater gardens along streets to capture rainwater, reduce sewer overflows, and make neighborhoods greener.