Drill Topsoil and Install Initial Casing

What happens here

The drilling process begins by attaching a large, approximately 10-inch diameter, paddle-style drill bit to the rig. This bit is used for drilling through the initial layers of topsoil and loose material. As the drilling commences, both water and compressed air are simultaneously introduced into the wellbore. The water aids in moistening the soil and lubricating the drill bit, while the compressed air blasts the resulting soil cuttings and water mixture out of the hole. Once the drill reaches the solid bedrock, which is around 20 feet deep in this location, a section of wide PVC casing is lowered into the hole. This casing prevents the upper, looser soil layers from collapsing into the wellbore and isolates the bedrock drilling from the surface.

Goal: Penetrate surface soil layers and stabilize the upper wellbore.