Growing Fleet of Sonic Drills

When you own two sonic drills and the work keeps coming, the question isn't whether to expand — it's choosing the right equipment to grow with. For Geologic Exploration, the decision to add a third sonic rig came down to a relationship built during nearly two decades.

A History of Trust

The company's connection with Geoprobe^® dates back to 2006. They purchased their first sonic rig — a Geoprobe^® 8140 — in 2014. When they looked to add a second sonic to their fleet in 2017, they evaluated other manufacturers but came away unimpressed.

"We had a relationship with Geoprobe^® and appreciated the service, reliability, and tooling," Kenny Sargent, driller, said. "Everything is superior to anything on the market. When something does go wrong, they're always willing to help and find the answer."

By 2025 the plan was to upgrade and possibly retire one of the older sonic drills. The outcome has been different.

"Works out, we may keep all three," Sargent said. "Like everyone else, we're struggling for personnel, but we have the work and think we'll get to the point we can run them all."

Innovation That Listens

For Sargent, the Geoprobe^® commitment to continuous improvement influences purchasing decisions.

"Geoprobe^® is constantly working on something new, and we love seeing the new machines and functions," he said. "They are willing to adapt and listen to customer feedback. When they hear something doesn't work the way they intended, it's immediately addressed. Geoprobe^® is constantly working to make things better and not settling for 'it works'.”

Sonic Drills Engineering Reflects the Field

The 8150LS V3 represents more than incremental improvement. For Sargent, the changes on sonic drills are immediately apparent.

"The redesigned breakout is phenomenal," he said. "They've taken a lot of what we talked about in previous conversations and applied it when reengineering the rig."

Thicker metal in the V3 breakout eliminates flex, and increased power makes separating tool strings effortless.

"The reengineered breakout makes my life a lot easier. I'm not struggling to break 8-, 10-, or 12-inch tooling," Sargent said. "I've not had a tool joint yet it hasn't broken apart with ease."

A large project in Jacksonville, North Carolina, put the 8150LS V3 through its paces. Running multiple tooling sizes across the job site, the rig handled everything without issue.

"I'm not having to worry about getting tool joints apart," Sargent said. "There's a night and day difference with the new breakout."

Sonic Drills Built for the Real World

Several design features stand out as essential for daily operations:

• Side-Shifting Head: “Critical when collecting samples, allowing precise positioning without moving the entire rig.”
• 90-Degree Head Tilt: “Makes handling large tooling easier.”
• Rod Handler: “Improves both efficiency and safety. The helper isn't having to hold rods while I'm threading onto it. It’s a great design that works great, and clients like to see us utilizing it."
• Controls and Displays: "I like the simplicity of the controls, and the digital readout is nice."

Service That Understands the Field

Equipment downtime is inevitable. What matters is how quickly you're back up and running.

"Geoprobe^® service plays a major role in achieving project goals," Sargent said. "When something goes wrong, we can call in and the service team is on top of it. They pull blueprints to pinpoint what to do."

The support goes beyond technical knowledge.

"They understand I'm not a Geoprobe^® mechanic and may not know the terminology," he said. "Troy [Bourbon, sonic service specialist] does an excellent job. He's willing to help and listen. I don't think you can ask for more."