DPT Drilling & Soil Gas Monitoring

Soil vapor monitoring points are specialized installations used to measure the concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in soil gas — the air entrained within soil pores above the water table. These points are critical for vapor intrusion risk assessments, where subsurface VOC contamination poses potential inhalation risks to overlying buildings. Each vapor point consists of a stainless steel sampling port installed at a specific depth, connected to Teflon tubing that extends to the surface for sample collection.

For this Conway Church Street project, IET installed two stainless steel soil vapor points to 5 feet below ground surface using Direct Push Technology (DPT). The DPT rig advances the vapor point installation rods to the target depth, places the stainless steel port, and withdraws the rods — leaving the vapor point in place with Teflon tubing extending to the surface. The same-day well development and sampling support provided by IET's field crew enabled the client (APEX Companies, LLC) to collect soil gas samples immediately after installation, streamlining the project timeline.

The complete well abandonment after sampling demonstrates IET's turnkey capability — from installation through sampling support to proper abandonment — all completed in a single day. The DPT drilling through asphalt with minimal site disruption is a key advantage for urban and developed sites where surface restoration is critical. Professional permit acquisition and regulatory compliance ensure that all work meets local and state requirements for soil vapor monitoring installations.

Conway, South Carolina is located in Horry County within the Coastal Plain physiographic province. The shallow geology consists of Quaternary-age alluvial and marine terrace deposits — predominantly sand, silt, and clay — overlying Tertiary-age marine sediments. The 5-foot vapor point depth targets the shallow vadose zone where VOC vapors from subsurface contamination can migrate toward the surface and potentially enter overlying buildings through vapor intrusion pathways.

The September 18, 2025 completion date and single-day project duration reflect the efficiency of IET's DPT operations for shallow soil vapor point installations. The 2-man crew with DPT rig completed the entire turnkey operation — drilling, installation, sampling support, and abandonment — in one field day, minimizing project costs and timeline for the client. This rapid-response capability is particularly valuable for vapor intrusion assessments where time-sensitive property transactions or development decisions require quick turnaround on soil gas data.