What Holocene Drilling does

Holocene Drilling is a Pacific Northwest subsurface exploration company founded in 1996 and headquartered in Puyallup, Washington, operating across Washington and Oregon. The company provides three integrated service lines: Geotechnical Drilling (subsurface soil investigations for construction stability, soil classification, and groundwater assessment), Environmental Drilling (contamination assessment and monitoring well installation via auger, sonic, and direct push rigs), and Probe/Injection (PFAS sampling under EPA Method 537/537.1 and chemical injection for soil remediation using compounds such as ZVI, ORC, and Regenox). Supporting capabilities include hollow stem auger, mud rotary, sonic, direct push, and rock coring methods, plus complementary services like well decommissioning, construction dewatering, vac truck/air knife utility clearance, and downhole camera inspection.

The underlying technology platform is a diversified fleet of specialty drill rigs (Diedrich D-70 and D-50 track rigs, Geoprobe 6011 DT direct push rig, CME 850, and truck-mounted D-90/D-120 rigs), backed by a full-service maintenance facility that supports in-house custom fabrication, including a proprietary 2" perforation tool. Holocene's PFAS sampling protocols are differentiated by strict EPA compliance procedures that exclude nitrile gloves, fabric softener, PVC, and Teflon products, and the company conducts several PFAS projects per week. In 2023-2024, the company expanded direct push and injection capabilities by acquiring assets and personnel from former peer ESN, adding two industry veterans (Anisa and Don Harnden, 28+ years of experience) along with additional probe rigs, limited access rigs, and injection equipment.

The business model is project-based professional services: revenue is earned through custom-quoted contracts for geotechnical site investigations, environmental site investigations, direct push/probe services, remediation injections, and construction dewatering. Customers include government transportation and utilities agencies (WSDOT, Sound Transit, Seattle Public Utilities), large engineering and construction firms (Skanska USA, GeoEngineers, Westwood, Landau Inc.), and environmental consulting clients. Go-to-market is direct-to-customer via phone, online Request-an-Estimate and Start Card forms, with credibility built through a case-study-heavy website, industry affiliations (AEG, ASCE, NGWA, NEBC), and a long-tenured field crew that the company cross-trains and promotes from within.

Name

Holocene Drilling

Legal name

Holocene Drilling

Website

https://holocenedrilling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Holocene Drilling is a Pacific Northwest subsurface exploration company founded in 1996 providing geotechnical, environmental, and remediation injection drilling services to government agencies and engineering firms across Washington and Oregon using a diversified specialty rig fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical and Environmental Drilling Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (2131), Support Activities for Mining (21311)

akta.pro primary industry

Exploration & Production Drilling Services (RC, Core, Directional, Sonic, Auger) (IMAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rock Drilling & Blasthole Drilling Equipment (IMAHAMAC), Dewatering & Groundwater Control (Wellpoints, Deep Wells, Cutoff Systems) (IMAFAOAF), Mine Hydrogeology & Pit Dewatering (Seepage, Water Balance) (EUAHAFAI)

Keywords

• Geotechnical drilling services
• Environmental site investigation
• Subsurface exploration drilling
• Remediation injection services
• Construction dewatering services

Headquarters

HQ city

Puyallup

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Drilling Services: Project-based drilling services for geotechnical site investigations, environmental site investigations, direct push/probe services, remediation injections, and construction dewatering. Revenue is earned through project contracts with government agencies, engineering firms, and private clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Holocene Drilling provides subsurface exploration drilling services for construction, infrastructure, and environmental projects across the Pacific Northwest. The company delivers geotechnical site investigations (soil stability, classification, groundwater characterization), environmental site investigations (contamination assessment, monitoring well installation), and probe/injection services (PFAS sampling under EPA Method 537/537.1 and remediation chemical injection). Services are executed using a versatile fleet of truck and track-mounted rigs supporting auger, sonic, mud rotary, rock coring, and direct-push methods, with complementary offerings including well decommissioning, dewatering, vac truck utility clearance, and down-hole camera inspection.

Product overview

Holocene Drilling is a full-service subsurface exploration company offering integrated drilling and remediation services through three core offerings: Geotechnical Drilling Services (subsurface soil investigations for construction stability), Environmental Drilling Services (contamination assessment), and Probe/Injection Services (remediation and PFAS sampling). The company operates a fleet of specialized drill rigs including Diedrich D-70, D-50 track rigs, Geoprobe direct push rigs, CME 850 track rigs, and truck-mounted D-90/D-120 rigs. Key drilling methods include Hollow Stem Auger, Mud Rotary, Sonic Drilling, and Direct Push, supported by complementary services such as well decommissioning, dewatering, vac truck/air knife utility clearance, rock coring, down hole camera inspection, and remediation chemical injection using compounds like Regenox and PlumeStop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Geotechnical Drilling Services Subsurface soil investigation services that determine soil stability, classification, formation changes, and groundwater depth and movement to inform construction and infrastructure project recommendations. Targeted at engineering and construction clients needing foundation and ground condition data.
• Environmental Drilling Services Subsurface investigation services using auger, sonic, and direct push rigs to determine the presence, lateral extent, and depth of contaminated soil and water, with hundreds of environmental site investigations completed. Targeted at environmental consultants and government environmental agencies requiring contamination assessment and monitoring well installation support.
• Probe/Injection Services Remediation injection program and PFAS sampling services for contaminated sites, including chemical injection of compounds such as Regenox, ORC, Persulfide, 3DME/BDI, Pertofix, PlumeStop, K/Na permanganate, and injectable microbes, plus PFAS sampling per EPA Method 537/537.1. Targeted at environmental consulting firms and government agencies managing brownfield and contaminated site cleanup.
• Well Decommissioning Services Well abandonment services for monitoring wells, instrumentation wells, dewatering wells, and domestic water wells, including in-place perforation and grouting of PVC wells up to 16" diameter per Washington Administrative Code. Targeted at clients needing regulatory-compliant well closure.
• Vac Truck/Air Knife Services Pre-drill utility clearance using a high-velocity air knife to penetrate soil up to 8' deep, with vacuum removal of excavated material placed into 55-gallon drums. Targeted at construction and drilling clients needing to clear utilities prior to subsurface work.
• Rock Coring Services Bedrock core collection using diamond bits and core barrels for engineering and geological data, including NQ and HQ wireline rock coring. Targeted at engineering and construction clients requiring bedrock characterization.
• Dewatering Services Construction dewatering using wellpoint systems and hydraulic jetting to lower the groundwater table for excavation sites, effective up to 25' below ground surface, plus vacuum dewatering pumps including 2", 4", and 6" submersible pumps, 12" rotary vacuum pumps, 6" piston vacuum pumps, and 25 kV generator systems with 810 gallons per minute per 400 feet of header pipe capacity. Targeted at construction clients needing groundwater control for excavation.
• Down Hole Camera Inspection Borehole camera inspection service using the R-Cam 1000 XLT, providing either downhole or 360-degree side view profiling for 3"–12" diameter wells up to 1000' depth with a 9" LCD color video monitor/recorder and lighting system. Targeted at environmental and geotechnical clients needing visual verification of well conditions.

Quantifiable outcome

• Performs several PFAS projects per week in Pacific Northwest
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Haley & Aldrich: Geotechnical and environmental engineering firm that performs and subcontracts subsurface drilling for site investigations, PFAS sampling, and remediation injection; competes for the same engineering firm and infrastructure project pipeline.
• Cascade Drilling: Pacific Northwest-based environmental and geotechnical drilling contractor acquired by Quanta Services in 2022; operates overlapping direct-push, sonic, auger, and remediation injection services for the same government and engineering clientele.
• Apex Companies: Environmental and engineering consulting firm with substantial field-services group offering drilling, sampling, and remediation services across the western U.S.; comparable mid-sized competitor in the same end markets.

Broad incumbents

• Clean Harbors: North American environmental services company providing emergency response, remediation, and specialty drilling/field services; competes on industrial and brownfield remediation projects that overlap with Holocene's injection and environmental work.
• Granite Construction (Layne Water Solutions): Major heavy-civil contractor that acquired Layne, a leading water-well and geotechnical drilling firm; competes on dewatering, water supply, and geotechnical scopes overlapping with Holocene's PNW infrastructure work.
• Tetra Tech: Large environmental and engineering services firm with deep water, environmental, and remediation practices that routinely subcontract or self-perform geotechnical and environmental drilling; sets the upper bound on PNW project competition.
• Boart Longyear: Global drilling services and equipment company with surface and underground drilling capabilities; while mining-focused at its core, its drilling services and tooling footprint make it a broad reference comparable for specialty drilling operators.
• Quanta Services: Infrastructure services platform whose subsidiary Cascade Drilling directly competes with Holocene in PNW environmental/geotechnical drilling; also a likely acquirer of regional specialists.

Regional players

• Pinnacle Drilling: Western U.S. drilling services contractor providing geotechnical, environmental, and water-well drilling with comparable rig fleet and method mix; a direct regional competitor outside Holocene's core WA/OR footprint.

Emerging players

• Badger Infrastructure Solutions (Badger Daylighting): Hydrovac and non-destructive excavation company that often partners with or competes against drilling contractors on pre-drill utility clearance and shallow subsurface work; adjacent service with overlap on construction site preparation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holocenedrillinginc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holocene Drilling