One of the oldest forms of drilling involves using augers. This technology has proven to be reliable for centuries. That is why it remains a popular option today. Most modern augers use a revolving helical screw blade to penetrate into the ground and then pull the materials up and out of the hole as the blade goes lower. Augers can be driven by one or two men, or attached to a drilling rig.

For today's drilling needs, a common variation of this equipment is hollow stem auger drilling. Instead of having a solid stem, the stem of this equipment is hollow. The auger itself has a bit attached to the bottom to dig into the earth. The hollow stem allows for the addition of a solid stem and inner bit to assist with drilling. The drillers can remove the solid stem and take samples from the material below the auger. The hollow stem also allows the drillers to set well piping without removing the auger bit.

What Are The Advantages of Hollow Stem Auger Drilling?

Hollow stem auger drilling offers specific benefits. The hollow stem allows for quick sampling since there is no need to remove the auger first. The drilling equipment and method makes it easy to collect discrete split spoon samples or continuous core samples, all without removal of the auger. This is important for taking samples at different levels without disturbing the soil too much.

Being able to set well casing inside the auger removes the potential for well materials coming in contact with undesirable formations during the drilling and setting process. The process also allows for setting wells at precise depths. Another benefit is that the mass of the drill machinery is less than other drilling rigs. This means the rig can work under building canopies, warehouses, or industrial buildings.

The environmental impact with this type of drilling is minimal. Sampling can happen accurately and with depth precision.

What Are Some Drawbacks of Hollow Stem Auger Drilling?

Of course, hollow stem auger drilling also has its drawbacks. The auger only works well in softer materials. It cannot penetrate rock or other highly consolidated layers. The auger also had depth limitations. The method is slower than many other drilling options.

In over-soft soils or with over-eager drilling, the auger can disturb the soil ahead of it enough to make taking samples difficult. This kind of drilling works best in soft to stiff soils at a shallow depth.

If you need soil samples taken or wells drilled, contact us here at Talon/LPE Drilling Services. We have years of experience with hollow stem auger drilling. We have the equipment and rigs necessary to handle a variety of environmental drilling projects in Texas. Safety and efficiency is very important at Talon/LPE.