Realizing Big Dreams Using Compact Rigs for Mud Rotary Drilling Method

Established in 2017 to provide drilling services to geotechnical engineers — focusing on mud rotary drilling method, PG ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES struggled to break into the environmental market.

“Initially because of our name, consultants were concerned we were another competitor,” Carlos Quinonez, owner, said. “We let time tell our story, and now we work with many of the largest environmental consulting firms in New York and New Jersey.”

Today they’re drilling 70 percent geotechnical and 30 percent environmental. 

“We’re still predominantly a geotechnical drilling company, but we also do environmental drilling, including soil probes, vapor implants, monitoring well installation, tank removals, and chemical injection work,” Quinonez said.

Tight urban corridors in New York make it difficult to find open areas for larger drilling rigs. As such their fleet consisted of two, 2013 model 7822DTs and one, 2020 model. When looking to expand their fleet during 2021, they considered a 3126GT with ability to do more depth, faster, but they determined the 7822DT was ideal for them and added two more.

“The 7822DT compact size and power provides our clients the same results as a conventional truck rig, but we have the added advantage due to its versatility,” Quinonez said. “If you hit an obstruction you can change gears — from mud to direct push to air — and use other tools to get past the obstruction. The 7822DT is our rig and why we have five of them and aim to have more.”

He applauds the enhanced mud rotary drilling method capabilities on newer models.

“I love the 3L6 pump on the newer models and the double winch is handy when working on over 100-foot borings,” Quinonez said. “The 3L6 pump for mud rotary technology is great for rock coring.”

While the 7822DT was originally engineered as a direct push rig for environmental drilling, Quinonez pushes the limits of the rigs with geotechnical drilling as well.

“We are always drilling 100-foot geotechnical borings and rock coring Monday through Saturday. It can do rock coring by using mud rotary and air rotary. We have installed 6-inch wells to 35 feet, pushing 8.5-inch hollow stem augers. I’ve done 175-foot geotechnical boring and installed a 4-inch well to 200 feet,” Quinonez said. “We’ve also grown our fleet by adding smaller Geoprobe^® rigs. It’s been great to be able to grow and provide our clients any specific drilling service needed, regardless of the project accessibility."

So when one client needed a 200-foot, 4-inch monitoring well installed — inside a building in Brooklyn — Qunionez was spurred on by the doubts of others to prepare a plan, buy the tooling, and play the entire drilling job out in his head in order to make it a reality.

“This only works when you have operators in your company who also enjoy dreaming big,” Quinonez said. “My crew called me crazy at first, but like I always say, ‘you stay calm and follow me; I will lead you in this battle even if I’m scared’.”

His strategy involved using 6.5-inch ID hollow stem augers to clear the borehole down to 20 feet, then direct push 6.25-inch casing to 30 feet. From there he started drilling with 5.5-inch tricone bit doing mud rotary drilling method to 201 feet, hitting boulders at 40, 75, and 125 feet. The plan worked, but then the hard part started — installing the well.

The crew used Variflo^® to keep the hole open and installed the PVC well with 100-foot screen and 102 feet of riser. They then packed sand and bentonite around the stick-up well.

“Setting the well was a challenge with strong groundwater pressure, but we thought outside the box and used the rig as muscle to help us get it done,” Quinonez said. “After installation we developed the well using the rig’s 3L6 pump, generating six drums of silt. In total, it was a 5-day project and a happy client from beginning to end.”

He admits it was a perfect scenario where everything played its part.

“These are the gambles that having a Geoprobe^® behind you enables you to make. And sometimes you end up on the winning side,” Quinonez said. “I couldn’t tell my client ‘yes’ if I didn’t have trust in my rig — and a lot of praying as well. The rig is like the human body, you’re not sure how hard you can push it until you try.”

Quinonez believes there’s a niche for everyone, and he’s found his — using the 7822DT for direct push environmental drilling and mud rotary drilling method.

“It’s a versatile rig that can do angle drilling, chemical injections, and work with limited height. A wrench and some extra tools and I can work inside a warehouse,” Quinonez said. “I did a job with 12-foot clearance, installing 2-inch wells to 25 feet. I have the advantage of a powerful machine that can get into tight spaces and get what clients need done.”

He asserts the Geoprobe^® technology gives him an edge to provide services at a more economical price than other firms, enabling him to achieve his dreams.

“When you dream big, you need a great rig to achieve great things. The 7822DT allows us to perform all sorts of environmental drilling for clients to investigate and create remediation plans as well as obtain geotechnical samples needed for clients to create a new foundation design. Without these rigs, it would be impossible for our environmental clients to help clean up the world and geotechnical engineers to help rebuild our world,” Quinonez said. “I’ve been dealing with Geoprobe^® for nearly 18 years and love the equipment and products Geoprobe^® provides.”

However, he ultimately credits those around him — and a strict maintenance schedule — for the company’s success.

“This is a team effort and without the support of my family, my crews, my clients, my friends, and the expertise of Geoprobe^® people like Bryan Lorenson, I wouldn’t be able to keep things going,” Quinonez said.