How TerraForma Drilling Completed a Phase 2 DSI Without Compromising Sample Integrity
8 boreholes completed across a former industrial site in South Western Sydney in 2 days. Strict decontamination between every borehole. Sample integrity maintained throughout.
The Challenge: Protecting Sample Integrity Across a Contaminated Land Investigation
An environmental consultant engaged TerraForma Drilling to support a Phase 2 Detailed Site Investigation (DSI) on a former light industrial site in South Western Sydney.
Given the site's history of chemical storage and vehicle maintenance, maintaining sample integrity was critical throughout the investigation. Every borehole required strict decontamination before drilling could continue, while soil sampling needed to align precisely with the consultant's laboratory chain of custody procedures.
The consultant needed an environmental drilling subcontractor for Phase 2 DSI in Sydney that could support the investigation without introducing cross-contamination between boreholes.
The Solution: A Disciplined Drilling Process Designed for Environmental Investigations
TerraForma Drilling completed the investigation in accordance with the consultant's bore plan and site-specific environmental procedures.
Throughout the programme, our team followed the required decontamination process before advancing each new borehole, including steam cleaning drilling equipment to minimise the risk of transferring material between sampling locations.
The field programme included:
- Completing eight boreholes across the nominated investigation grid to the specified depths.
- Following the consultant's site-specific decontamination protocol between every borehole.
- Steam cleaning auger equipment before drilling each new location.
- Assisting the environmental consultant with soil sample recovery and transfer into laboratory containers at the nominated sampling intervals.
- Maintaining clean drilling practices throughout the programme to avoid introducing foreign material into boreholes.
- Delivering bore logs with soil descriptions following completion of the two-day investigation.
Throughout the project, chain of custody documentation, sample labelling, and laboratory submissions remained under the environmental consultant's control.
The Outcome: A Complete Sampling Programme Without Cross-Contamination
The Phase 2 Detailed Site Investigation was completed across two consecutive field days, with all nominated boreholes drilled and sampled to the required depths.
The environmental consultant successfully collected, logged, and dispatched every required soil sample without interruptions to the sampling programme. TerraForma Drilling also maintained decontamination records that were available for inclusion within the consultant's investigation report, supporting project documentation and quality assurance requirements.
Why Environmental Drilling Requires More Than Drilling Equipment
On contaminated land investigations in Sydney, drilling is only one part of the field programme. Maintaining clean equipment, following site-specific decontamination procedures, and working within the consultant's sampling protocol all help preserve sample integrity and confidence in the investigation results.
For Phase 2 DSI projects, disciplined field practices are just as important as reaching the required investigation depth.
“Good team to work with on an environmental investigation. They followed our decontamination requirements, helped with the sampling and kept the drilling process clean between locations. No issues across the programme.”
Frequently Asked Questions
An environmental drilling subcontractor for Phase 2 DSI in Sydney carries out the field drilling and soil sampling required by the environmental consultant's investigation plan. This typically includes drilling boreholes, supporting soil sample recovery, following site-specific decontamination procedures, and documenting subsurface conditions while the consultant manages sample logging, chain of custody, laboratory submissions, and interpretation.
During contaminated land investigation drilling in Sydney, drilling equipment must be decontaminated between boreholes to minimise the risk of transferring contaminants from one sampling location to another. Following the consultant's site-specific decontamination protocol helps protect sample integrity and supports the reliability of laboratory testing and investigation outcomes.
Yes. TerraForma Drilling works with environmental consultants across Sydney and NSW, providing contaminated land investigation drilling, Phase 2 DSI drilling, and soil sampling support. Our team follows consultant-specified drilling, decontamination, and field procedures while allowing the consultant to retain control of chain of custody, laboratory submissions, and technical interpretation.
Reliable Environmental Drilling Starts with the Right Field Practices
From contaminated land investigation drilling in Sydney to Phase 2 DSI projects, TerraForma Drilling follows site-specific procedures that help consultants complete sampling programmes with confidence.