Rig Service to Proactive Maintenance Training

Operating since 1916, family-owned Petersheim Brothers focuses on new residential water well drilling and geothermal system installation in Southeastern Pennsylvania. When their Schramm 555 needed engine work, they relied on the Oxford, Pennsylvania service team. During 2022, fifth-generation driller Colt Berg took the helm and maintained the relationship.

“They’ve repaired hydraulic pumps, worked on our derrick, serviced our air compressor, and sent us various parts and hoses,” Berg said. “Not many people work on Schramm rigs, so it’s a big plus that they’re close by and able to get us what we need quickly.”

When Berg hired a new driller used to running a different brand rig, he looked to Dave Harrison, service lead at the Geoprobe^® East Coast Service Center (ECSC). Harrison traveled to their shop to walk the new driller through their machine and daily checklist.

“Since Dave had worked on the rig, he offered an experienced, neutral perspective on wear points and preventative maintenance for our 20-year-old rig,” Berg said. “Now the driller knows what to look for, and we can avoid breakdowns.”

With a maintenance plan in hand, they now schedule downtime versus reacting when the rig breaks down. The training also created open dialogue between the driller and Harrison.

“The training created a direct line between our driller and Dave, which saves time and improves communication in the field,” Berg said.

Berg acknowledges the business benefits of having built a relationship with the Geoprobe^® ECSC team.

“If our rig is down, so is our business. The Geoprobe^® service center is reliable and responsive, always getting us what we need in a timely manner. They keep us running, and they’ve helped us move from reactive repairs to planned maintenance,” Berg said. “That kind of support gives us confidence to keep growing — and hopefully add another rig to the fleet down the line.”