Unique Geoprobe® Open House Opens Eyes to Rig Effectiveness

When both his sons showed an interest in getting into drilling, Ron Goolsby decided to end a 20-year hiatus from drilling and expand his pump service business, Brazoria Water Well.

“While in high school I was doing service work, but wanted to see the other side of what I was working on,” Ron’s son Toby Goolsby said. “I got the opportunity to get on the back of a drill rig, and I really liked it. There’s always something new to figure out.”

Initially, Ron considered launching drilling services with a used rig. However, they found used rigs were one of two things.

“They’re either top notch, well cared for - and expensive - or a rust bucket,” Ron said. “I call them ‘frankenrigs’ – older rigs that have had multiple owners with pieces from multiple manufacturers patched on. I didn’t want that hassle.”

They expanded their search to include new rigs and took a trip during 2021 to the Geoprobe^® Open House field event.

“I’d never heard of any drill rig manufacturer having an event where rigs were running, and until that time I’d never seen a top head rig operate,” Ron said. “It was a unique opportunity to see equipment run up close and personal.”

Their experience at the Geoprobe^® Open House led them toward the DM250.

“It was neat to see all the Geoprobe^® stuff and see the full line of DM equipment operate. I even had the opportunity to get up on the platform to operate the rig and get a feel for how smooth it was,” Ron said. “You get to meet the person running the drill and find out he’s the engineer. It gives you the sense the guys who are doing the engineering are capable of operating a rig. So not only are they going to build it, they’re aware of how it runs.”

Toby paid particular attention to the speed and safety of the rig and how the operator controls greatly simplify operation.

“The engineers pay attention to the grievances of the drillers, so there’s more attention to the ease of maintenance, durability, and ease of operation,” Toby said.

Not only did Ron and Toby watch engineers running the rigs they designed during the Geoprobe® Open House, they also got to tour the entire production facility.

“We got to see the factory and it showed us the level of professionalism and engineering in the product. They have a big, modern factory,” Ron said. “I’ve been to other rig manufacturers, and they are chaotic places. Geoprobe® is very organized, everything is well thought out, there’s a lot of effort into having a professional factory.”

For Ron and Toby, the Geoprobe^® Open House event created confidence in their decision to choose a new rig and ultimately to opt for a DM250.

“It’s exceeded our expectations and we’re happy we bought the DM250. The F600 is a good option,” Ron said. “My wife can drive it to the job, and I’ll drive the support truck. My 16-year-old son Jack is learning to operate the rig as well and helped me drill a well last weekend. It’s a really good way for new driller to learn.”

And even though the Goolsby’s may not be in the market for another rig, they’re already making plans to attend the 2023 Geoprobe^® Open House.

“It’s a unique event. I’m not aware of anywhere else you can see that many different pieces of equipment running in one place and see where it’s made,” Ron said.