It is not an understatement to say that most drillers do not fancy drilling over water. After all, drilling on dry ground rarely throws the curves that must be dealt with when drilling over water. Save for an occasional earthquake or boring on the side of a shifting mountain slope, the ground generally remains stable. But setting up a drill over water will often involve dealing with conditions such as wave action, river currents, extreme tidal changes, soft soupy water bottoms and, yes, the occasional weather patterns that can really upset the apple cart.
In mid-2016, Madrid Engineering Group in Florida was tasked with the geotechnical acquisition needed for the replacement of an outdated bridge over Pensacola Bay. Well experienced in over-the-water geotechnical projects, Madrid realized that the intense tidal action and significant water depths of Pensacola Bay presented far too many challenges to attempt the project with traditional barges. These challenges were coupled with a strict deadline. Madrid Engineering knew in order to be successful, they had to get it right on the first attempt.