Compact Rotary Drilling

Restricted Access & Specialist Compact Drilling

Small-scale investigations often only need one or two boreholes, not enough to justify mobilising a full-size rotary rig. And where the site is restricted, internal, or otherwise inaccessible to a standard rig, a full rotary rig may not be an option at all. On top of that, window sampling often reaches refusal before target depth, meaning a separate rotary rig has to be arranged to finish the job. A second contractor, a second mobilisation, on a second visit.

Our compact rotary system is built for this gap. Fitting through a standard doorway, and switches from window sampling straight into rotary drilling on the same rig, in the same visit, once refusal is reached, continuing into dense strata and bedrock without the cost, scale, or delay of bringing in a second rig.

Restricted and narrow access

Many restricted-access sites rule out a standard rig on doorway width alone. At 760mm wide, we can fit our rig through a standard doorway where others can’t, without needing structural alterations to gain access. That also means we can manoeuvre through narrow passageways and internal spaces, making us well suited to investigations inside buildings with minimal disruption.

Getting deeper

For geotechnical consultants, refusal partway through window sampling usually means either a halted investigation or arranging a larger rig to reach target depth. We continue straight into rotary follow-on on the same visit, using whichever method suits the ground conditions. We can further advance boreholes past refusal using a range of methods, including rotary coring, open-hole drilling, and down-the-hole (DTH) hammer, with compressor support giving options for air, water, or mist flush.

Cost effective alternative

A full-size rotary rig carries a mobilisation cost that has to be justified against the size of the job. Because we cover window sampling and rotary follow-on on the same rig, that cost applies once, not twice, making us a more efficient and cost-effective alternative to full-size rotary for smaller or phased investigations.

Who we work with

We work with geotechnical consultants, engineers, and piling contractors, often on jobs where a full-size rotary rig would be disproportionate to the work required. This has included shallow rotary coring where only a single borehole was needed, and piling contractors requiring rotary follow-on where window sampling alone wouldn’t reach the required depth.

Examples of this work are detailed in our case studies below

Case Studies

Narrow access rotary for internal investigation

Jewelry Quarter, Birmingham

Rear garden subsidence investigation

Cannock

Internal factory works

Birmingham

Key capabilities

Fits through standard doorways for internal access works
Suitable for tight-access and constrained sites
Capable of advancing beyond window sampling refusal depths
Extending boreholes with rotary follow-on into dense strata
Reduced mobilisation costs

Best suited for

A closer look: Tecop Tec 12.2

A compact rotary rig capable of window sampling with seamless transition to rotary follow-on. Equipped with a mounted pump for flush options and compatible with DTH hammer for harder strata. Narrow enough to pass through a standard doorway, ideal for restricted access and confined sites.

See rig dimensions.

Get in contact

To learn more about our services and to discuss how we may best assist you, please contact us.