24th Edition | 2nd Quarter 2021 |
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Safety Remains a Top Priority
Upon completion of our annual Safety Stand Down held in April, we are reminded of our commitment to safety with every step we take. Whether we are on a project site, in the office, or traveling in between, our top priority is to always ensure the safety and health of our staff, our subcontractors, and the public.
As the industry evolves and conditions steadily change, we remain attentive to our safety process which includes assessing, minimizing, and controlling potential hazards for every project and for every action we perform. As we continually analyze and refine our procedures, we are guided by the following principles:
- Embrace the belief that all incidents can be prevented.
- Commit to an employee-owned safety process.
- Ensure resources are available to train employees to perform their jobs safely.
- Identify and control all workplace hazards.
- Require strict compliance with safety and health laws and regulations.
Although we will always strive to improve, we are proud of our history of safety. GEL Solutions has not had an OSHA recordable incident since 2018. The GEL Group companies currently hold an EMR of 0.82 which has continually improved over the past three years and remains below the industry average. Sustaining a safe work environment requires faithful effort and commitment from everyone involved and we applaud every member of our team for doing their part.
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J. Derek Bradner P.E., PLS
Director
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On April 19th, we held our annual company-wide safety training session we call the "Safety Stand Down." This year's event, led once again by trainer and consultant Jay Chocklett of Chocklett Environmental Services, was attended virtually due to the ongoing health concerns. We hope to get together in person once again for future Stand Downs but nonetheless, bringing everyone together once a year to focus on safety discussion and training is time well spent and a tradition we intend to continue.
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New Video: Geophysical Borehole Logging |
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Geophysical borehole logging reveals detailed information about the physical properties of geologic units within the borehole environment. Compared to traditional techniques which typically involve laboratory analysis of extracted core samples, this method can save considerable time and expense.
Click on the image below to check out our latest service snapshot video below describing how borehole logging tools and data can be used for fracture mapping.
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You can also find more information about our geophysical borehole logging services here.
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Your next opportunity is waiting for you! |
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We are always looking for highly motivated, energetic professionals who share our culture, core values and goals. If you fit that description and would like to be part of a well-respected firm, enhance your skill set, and work with some of the most knowledgeable professionals in our industry, we invite you to apply. |
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Visit our careers page for a list of regularly updated postings.
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GEL Solutions will be attending, presenting, or exhibiting at the following events:
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July 31 - August 3 | Orlando, Florida
Attending
October 20 - 22 | Clemson, South Carolina
Exhibiting
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We hope to see you there and we'd love to talk with you! |
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Our recognized employees from 1st quarter, 2021: |
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January 2021
Eric Armstrong | Geophysics Specialist
Marietta, Georgia
Eric joined our team in January of 2019 after graduating with a Master of Science in Geology from the University of Toledo, OH specializing in geophysical methods. Eric is well known for being skilled with geophysical hardware and software and is managing pretty much all of the different types of geophysical projects we do. He is also famous for not letting thorny bushes stop him! His contributions have been vital for the Marietta office and our geophysics group. We thank Eric for his hard work and continued dedication to our team!
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February 2021
Tony Mangum | SUE Operations Manager
Raleigh, North Carolina
Tony has been with GEL Solutions since October 2016 and has a reputation for being extremely thorough in his SUE investigations. If Tony is managing your project or even performing the field work, you will be in good hands. Tony is a master of many trades. When his co-workers need advice on anything from their personal financial portfolios to help with mechanical problems on the vac rig, Tony is always the first one they call. He has taken the initiative to learn all of GEL Solutions’ service lines and has become a well-rounded project manager. We appreciate Tony for the exceptional service he provides for our team and our clients!
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March 2021
Jorgen Bergstrom, P.Gp. | Director of Georgia Operations
Marietta, Georgia
Jorgen joined GEL Solutions in February 2002 and though he wears many hats, he is probably most well-known for leading our geophysical services operations. With more than 25 years of experience with geophysical methods and instruments, a career history of integrating cutting edge technologies, and having authored numerous published articles discussing various geophysical subjects, Jorgen has earned much respect on our team and in the geophysics community. In addition to the technical expertise he brings, Jorgen is heavily involved in our business development and marketing strategies, he has built strong client relationships, and he has been instrumental in educating other staff members and facilitating their development with geophysical methods. We thank Jorgen for his 19 years of incredible commitment and dedication to our team!
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The electromagnetic (EM) method includes both frequency EM and time domain (TDEM) systems. Both utilize a transmitter and receiver. The frequency domain systems actively record the eddy current response with the transmitter on, whereas the TDEM systems record later time secondary field eddy with the transmitter turned off. The eddy currents received are directly related to electrical properties of the subsurface. |
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Frequency Domain EM In-phase Data Example:
Landfill Delineation
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Time Domain EM Data Example:
Buried Utility and Vault Detection
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The EM method affords very fast collection of data over large areas and is very effective at mapping changes in the ground conductivity from geologic variations and metallic objects buried to several feet underground. System configurations for frequency domain systems are typically highly portable while TDEM systems can range from towable systems to large loop systems several feet in dimension. Large loop TDEM systems can record later time secondary eddy currents from geologic features up several hundred feet deep.
EM systems are commonly used to detect buried dumpsites, underground storage tanks, leachate or other conductive plumes, and deeper geologic structures. Additionally, they can be used to locate buried utilities, particularly pipelines or other conductive utilities.
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Applications Include:
Landfill and other burial delineation
Contaminant leachate plume detection and delineation
Acid mine drainage evaluation
Underground storage tank detection
Unexploded ordnance mapping
Karst and void detection
Groundwater exploration
Mapping of aggregates/materials (sand, clay, and gravel.)
Ore deposit mapping
Buried Concrete Detection
Underground Utility Detection
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Visit our website for more details about EM and other geophysical methods and services.
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Emergency Response Involving Vehicle Collision |
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On April 5, Scott Smith was driving home from work and was behind a Jeep SUV driven by a teenage girl that inexplicably crossed the center line completely into the oncoming lane and collided head-on with a Mercedes SUV at about 35 mph. The Mercedes was occupied by a family of four including a young boy and girl. The boy received a cut on his forehead and was bleeding heavily. Scott responded, and with the assistance of another person who stopped, calmed the boy down and got the bleeding stopped by dressing the wound and applying direct pressure until the ambulance crew arrived and transported him to the hospital. It appeared that everyone in both vehicles had been wearing their seatbelts, so thankfully the outcome wasn’t any worse. Morals of the story - stay alert for the unexpected and wear those seatbelts! |
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The Deepest Manmade Hole on Earth |
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The Kola Superdeep Borehole located in Murmansk, Russia is the deepest manmade hole and the deepest artificial point on Earth. The arduous effort of digging the massive hole was driven by scientists in hopes of learning more about the Earth's crust. Although the race for superiority during the Cold War may have had some influence on the quest to dig the deepest.
Drilling began in 1970 and the deepest point was reached in 1989. Experts originally estimated they could drill down about 9 miles below the Earth's surface. However, due to unexpectedly high temperatures, the drilling came to a halt at 7.5 miles. Shockingly though, the diameter of the hole is only about 9 inches.
The project was officially closed down in 2005 but the amount of geological data produced was remarkable. Among the most compelling discoveries was the detection of microscopic plankton fossils found four miles beneath the Earth's surface in rocks over 2 billion years old!
Read some more interesting facts about the Kola Superdeep Borehole in this recent article published by interestingengineering.com here.
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In North Carolina, any engineering and surveying services are performed by GEL Engineering of NC, Inc. from the Greensboro and Raleigh locations. |
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