Power, Efficiency for Varied Sonic Applications

When a competitor’s sonic rig broke down mid-job, Environmental Works Inc turned to Geoprobe^® for a fast solution.

“We were told it would be two months for parts for the other manufacturer’s sonic rig to be sent from overseas. That’s one of the things I’ve appreciated about working with Geoprobe^®, they always have parts available. A lot of other companies don’t have that,” said Daniel Yoakum, vice president of the drilling division. “Geoprobe^® helped us out in a pinch by letting us test drive the 8150LS V3 in exchange for providing feedback.”

Notable Upgrades from V2 to V3 for Sonic Applications

Yoakum, already operating a 2019 8150LS V2, immediately noticed improvements on the 2025 8150LS V3:

• Breakout: “No joint the breakout wrenches couldn’t break apart. In my opinion, its power to break joints is untouched in the industry.”
• Rod Handler: “Increased speed but still operating at a safe pace.”
• Deuce Holder: “A low-cost addition that’s a big help in the field. That piece of 2-foot pipe is constantly used and produces more metal burs, so it’s most likely to puncture through a glove when picking up by hand. Now you don’t have to handle it, which makes the whole project safer using the rig itself to set the deuce off to the side completely hands-free.”
• Safety: “Geoprobe^® safety has always been standout with the E-stops and extra safety features, but the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulators saw the rig on the mining sites and were impressed.”

“The 8150LS V3 is just a better rig to me,” Yoakum said.

Field Performance Across Sonic Applications

They put the 8150LS V3 to the test on several different types of jobs.

• Environmental Drilling and Sampling: “At a refinery in Texas, we did 20- to 250-foot monitoring well installations using 10-inch casing. The V3 performed as well as our V2 model with decreased fuel consumption.”
• Mining Exploration: “In Southern Colorado we drilled and sampled 120- to 150-feet per day through cobble and flowing sands, which typically slow down a driller. The 8150LS V3 surpassed client expectations.”
• Geotechnical Engineering: “We were installing tiebacks along a riverbed for a future power plant drilling 7-inch diameter, 300- to 500-feet per day for 14 days through gravel, sands, and clays. The V3 had better power at lower torque for going through tough formations. With the new breakout, we had no issue breaking tooling through the entire 4,000 feet, which we’re not used to on our V2.”

“I wouldn’t have hesitated to put our 8150LS V2 on any of these sites, but the V3 stood out to me,” Yoakum said. “With its ease of use, improved helper ergonomics, and increased fine-tuning on controls for sonic vibes, everything just flowed easier in the workspace.”

Upgrading the V2 Sonic Breakout Wrenches

Impressed by the stronger breakout on the 8150LS V3, Environmental Works Inc. upgraded their V2 model to match.

“After Geoprobe^® added the new breakout wrenches to our V2 we ran it on a job in Ohio installing monitoring wells 30- to 75-feet deep on a military installation,” Yoakum said. “The crew enjoyed the faster wrench speeds, and the added ability to adjust the wrench pressures on the fly.”

Sonic Breakout Efficiency Equals Profit 

To him, the upgraded breakout was “definitely worth the investment.”

“We are seeing a much longer life out of wrench jaws,” Yoakum said. “The cost savings, along with the faster breakout speeds, saves our drillers frustration and offers savings to us and our clients."