WorldWide Drilling Resource

The proper documentation of field activities can make it possible for a report writer to accurately write a report with laboratory analytical reports to indicate the actual sampling activities and the most representative conditions of the subsurface. The samples collected must be prop- erly prepared, preserved, and transported to the laboratory for analysis within the correct amount of acceptable holding time. Once the laboratory reports of data are received by the project manager, they must either write a final report or properly delegate it to be written by some- one else. As mentioned at the beginning of this article series, specifically, the goal of EIs is to protect and restore ground- water resources. Ultimately, the entire project is conducted to represent actual subsurface conditions to provide data to develop a strategy to protect human health and the environment. We will discuss groundwater sam- pling next. Tom Thomas D. Dalzell may be contacted via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com 24 JUNE 2013 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® Outsmarting the Dirt ~ Soil Sampling Part 3 by Thomas D. Dalzell, CWD Director of Environmental Research AMS, Inc. As we continue this month with sub- surface environmental drilling investi- gations (EIs), when the SOW (scope of work) is developed, it must determine, allow, and dedicate adequate time to conduct all sampling activities in full com- pliance with all the items mentioned in the last article. The fieldwork, which involves soil sampling, must be conducted with pre- cise sampling procedures with a range of acceptable variances which can be applied in actual sampling conditions and safety procedures. The evaluation of how subsurface contamination, which may exist in the subsurface, which may have an affect on humans and the environment, is not part of this article. The SOW must be considered and developed as an effective and fully com- pliant strategy. If the time necessary to properly conduct all of the fieldwork is not allowed, the field personnel will take time-saving shortcuts just to get the sam- pling finished. The importance of con- ducting proper sampling can quickly and easily be replaced with the urgency of getting all of the sampling finished within the allotted time. Quality is reduced or eliminated in a hurried attempt to meet unreasonable time constraints. If there is not adequate time estab- lished and allowed before the work is started, then one of two things typically happens. First, the sampling is rushed where proper decontamination and use of the proper PPE (personal protective equipment) can be omitted, and field documentation is not thorough. Or sec- ond, if the field personnel choose to do all fieldwork appropriately, the time budg- et for the project can be severely overrun. If the exact sampling procedure is not specified, field personnel may not have the correct items or the correct quantity of items. The major problem to not having the correct items is, sampling will be conducted in the improper way. The major problem of not having the correct quantity of items is one-time-use items can be used repeatedly and cross contamination between sampling events can occur. Besides proper sampling, fieldwork must be accurately documented and the samples properly labeled. Proper sam- pling is crucial to being able to submit samples representing subsurface soil conditions to the certified analytical labo- ratory for the appropriate analysis. The report documenting sampling activities and results should be based on the SOW, field documentation, and labora- tory analytical reports. Like the improvements you have made to your publication. Corwin J. Wherrett III [via Facebook] season in advance is easy. Unfortunately, it’s just as easy to defer action until it’s too late - or becomes cost prohibitive - to put a plan into action. Disaster prepared- ness overall is one of the most commonly ignored aspects of a business plan, and yet it is one of the most crucial to con- tinuity of operations. Now that you have read this article, do your company a favor; pick up the phone and start planning. Hurricane Season cont’d from page 12.