The History of Drilling

The drilling industry has a fascinating history that spans nearly 5,000 years of civilization. The Egyptians used diamond drilling tools in the construction of the Pyramids in 2550 – 2315 BC. The Chinese drilled down to depths of 2000 feet. In 600-260 BC. In 1126 AD, Carthusian monks in Europe drilled for water 1000 feet down.

Advancements and innovations in drilling evolved quickly in the 19th and 20th centuries. America’s first oil well was drilled in Cumberland, Kentucky in 1810.  The rotary drilling method was patented in England in 1845.  The first offshore drilling was done off the coast of Santa Barbara, California in 1897.  The first time Bentonite was used as a drill mud occurred in 1929.  By 1953, the first fully hydraulic rig was introduced, and by 1974, drilling depths of 9558 meters were accomplished in Oklahoma.

In the 1980’s, a new and exciting drilling specialty was born – environmental drilling. By then the United States began to recognize and regulate industrial environmental pollution. The problems were wide-spread; soil and groundwater had become contaminated with hydrocarbons, metals, pesticides and other pollutants, as a result of decades of industrial waste, ignorance and irresponsibility.

SGS Environmental Services was a pioneer in this young industry. Government regulatory agencies began investigating problem areas for groundwater contamination. SGS was one of the new drilling companies poised and ready for the challenges of environmental drilling. Over the years, we continue to perfect our methods for providing undisturbed water, soil, and soil vapor samples.

Since SGS opened its doors in 1985, we have devoted all of our resources exclusively to environmental drilling. Today, after completing 4,200 drilling projects, SGS Environmental Services is better equipped than ever with the latest, state-of-the-art technology. We are far more experienced than any of our competitors to plan and execute the most difficult drilling jobs with confidence and success.

Contact our Environmental Drilling Project Experts for more information.