Drilling

Our team specialise in a range of drilling services including Waterwells, Geothermal and Site Investigations.

We also carry out other work including pumping tests, decommissioning of wells and well rehabilitation. The site investigation work is often associated with investigation for mine workings but also includes core recovering for rock testing, examination and logging.

We have a fleet of rotary and percussive drilling rigs including track mounted rigs for difficult terrain and low headroom rotary rigs. There is no job too large or small for our skilled team and with over 40 years of experience in this Industry you can rely on us to deliver exceptional work every time!

We have staff with over 40 years of experience in Well Drilling. Although we specialize in domestic and commercial drinking water wells, our drillers have drilled all types of wells all over the Country.

A water well is a borehole drilled in the ground to access water in underground aquifers. Drilled wells are typically cased with a factory-made pipe, typically steel or plastic. The casing is constructed by welding, either chemically or thermodynamically, segments of casing together. The water is drawn via an electric submersible pump. Although not essential, a storage tank with a pressure of 40-60 psi can be added to the system (after the pump), so the pump does not need to operate constantly. Wells can vary greatly in depth, water volume and water quality. Well water typically contains more minerals in solution than surface water and may require treatment to soften the water by removing minerals.

If you are building a house and need your own unique water supply system we can provide the solution. We will discuss your requirements and ascertain the optimum location for your well. With a wealth of dedicated experience amongst Welltherm Drilling we have provided well drilling solutions for hundreds of clients across the country and have built a reputation for our professional, clean and quality service. We can provide a free no obligation site visit to discuss your water needs.

Water rehabilitation is the method of restoring a well to its most efficient condition using various treatments. There are numerous causes of poor and deteriorating well performance. Causes may include inherent characteristics of the aquifer which supplies water to the well, well design, its construction, water quality and many other environmental factors.

Well Rehabilitation is the step taken when a well has deteriorated beyond the point when normal maintenance would resolve the decrease in yield from a well.

We have a variety of different rigs that can be used on various sites including the usually restricted access on construction sites.

In certain cases deep wells can be drilled using a re-circulated biodegradable polymer mud flush, simultaneous drilling and casing systems. Where gravels are encountered at near surface it is often preferred to use shell and auger techniques to case of the granular deposits.

We are experienced in a large range of geotechnical investigations ranging from small-scale residential developments to large commercial and industrial developments; these investigations are essential to assess the physical properties of the underlying soils and rock.

Our staff have experience in numerous geotechnical areas including road and railway work, pipelines, sewers, earthworks projects, slope stability, tunnelling and treatment and assessment of shallow mine workings.

With increased brownfield developments and pressure to provide cost effective solutions it is important to carry out a thorough geotechnical and geoenvironmental investigation to ensure the best practical solution is adopted. With our own drilling rigs and crews we can maintain direct control on the investigation to ensure accurate and reliable results are achieved.

We also offer a wide variety of environmental services. Environmental assessments are often required by the Local Authority as part of obtaining planning permission. This process begins with a desk study where the site’s history is examined; many sites have had past industrial uses dating back to the 1850s or even earlier, and some of these uses may have contaminated the ground. The desk study also considers whether there are rivers or groundwater resources nearby that could be polluted by contamination in the ground.

Using the desk study information, an environmental investigation can be planned to determine the extent of any potential contamination using techniques such as trial pitting or drilling. Samples are recovered from the exploratory holes and submitted for chemical testing at an MCERTS-accredited laboratory.

Monitoring wells are often installed during the investigation to allow groundwater samples to be recovered. Current guidance also requires the monitoring of gases such as methane on many sites. Using gas data from the monitoring wells, details of suitable protection measures can be designed (such as gas membranes in the floor) for new developments.

All environmental investigations are carried out in accordance with current government guidance. We have investigated a wide variety of contaminated sites including coke works, gas works, colliery sites, landfills, petrol stations, timber treatment works, scrap yards, steel works and foundries.

Welltherm have carried out shell & auger drilling for hundreds of clients. Our shell & auger rigs, offer a compact versatile range for soil investigation and drilling.

Cable percussion drilling is a tried and tested method of site investigation. The drilling technique allows the installation of casing inside the borehole to prevent loose soils collapsing into the hole, allowing the borehole to be advanced to considerable depths while maintaining good progress.

‘Clean’ drilling techniques can be utilised with the provision of different sized casing to prevent contamination in the near surface strata from affecting deeper strata. This is especially important on sites with high concentrations of mobile contaminants.

Disturbed samples are taken from the borehole by the drillers for logging by an experienced geoenvironmental engineer. Undisturbed tube samples are also recovered for laboratory testing. On completion, gas and groundwater monitoring pipes and geotechnical monitoring equipment can be installed in the borehole to allow later measurements by our dedicated technician.

We have four cable percussion rigs available, as well as access to specialist rigs which are suited to restricted access sites. The rig is towed into position using a Land Rover, meaning that these rigs can be used in most locations where there is sufficient space; a considerable working area is required however. The rigs are fitted with lifting points enabling them to be moved into position by a crane on difficult sites or onto an overwater drilling platform.