Eureka, Nunavut Assessment

  • SECTOR: Government
  • LOCATION: Eureka, Nunavut, Canada
  • DATE: 2012
  • EQUIPMENT: Hydracore 1800 skid mounted drill rig

Geotech was awarded a program in 2012 for a geotechnical drilling program in the second most northerly inhabited location in the world located at Eureka, Nunavut, Canada. 40 boreholes, utilizing both HQ3 coring and air rotary methodologies were completed on the program, for an assessment at a Government weather station.

The program, with holes ranging from 7 to 10 meters, was successfully completed utilizing a Hydracore 1800 skid mounted drill rig, enclosed within the specialized drill shack.

CHALLENGES

  • Due to the extreme remoteness of the program, extensive preparation and planning was required to ensure project efficiency
  • Added challenges included extreme weather conditions, wildlife encounters (polar bears), and water supply, where the only water source available was from the ice covered ocean


ACHIEVEMENTS

  • This project was Geotech’s most northern and logistically challenging project
  • All equipment was transported by truck to Yellowknife and was loaded onto a Hercules cargo plane for shipping to Eureka, Nunavut. A modular style drill shack was designed to fit into the aircraft along with all support equipment