(GeoOutlook Magazine Article)
Morris-Shea drilled 350 vertical boreholes and installed 140,000 linear feet of ground loop heat exchanger piping at a Columbus, Indiana plant expansion. This proven geothermal system will provide energy-saving climate technology to nearly 100,000 square feet of new buildings at the midwest technical facility. The innovative ground loop heating and cooling furthers the plant’s commitment to clean power and a sustainable future while decreasing their carbon footprint.
The number of boreholes was determined by the new building’s size-need-demand. Vertical boreholes were specified to accommodate more geothermal loop in a smaller footprint, limiting what would have been an expansive bore field of horizontal trenching.
Birmingham, Alabama-based Morris-Shea mobilized two advanced drill rigs, a CPT test unit and other support equipment to the plant expansion job site. Geothermal drilling began in mid-July and was completed on schedule on November 24, 2025. The team drilled 5.5 inch diameter boreholes to a depth of 400 feet from drilling grade. The Morris-Shea team installed 1.25 inch SDR-11 ground loop piping with 1.07 Btu/hr-ft °F geothermal grout. Temporary casing for most boreholes was installed to 20 linear feet to prevent soil collapse and then removed before grout was fully set.
Advanced Equipment Fleet
Morris-Shea mobilized GTD60 and GTD35 drill rigs to the job site from its advanced equipment fleet. These rigs ensure vertical borehole stability for bores up to 12.5 inch diameter, even in the most difficult strata. The drills utilize monitor-while-drilling (MWD) software and a mud conditioning system that recaptures all drilling fluids, as well as drill cuttings. These compact track-mounted rigs offer innovative derrick and casing handling that assures drilling efficiency and decreases the footprint on wide-ranging job sites such as the Indiana project. Morris-Shea’s GTD fleet offers incomparable functionality and move easily in restricted spaces.
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Morris-Shea also fielded the industry’s most powerful compact sonic drill rig. Sonic drilling was used to sample the subsurface material and set casings. A TerraSonic rig is the ideal equipment for expediting casing installation. The portable drill platform performs well in soft formations because it can set surface while drilling. The GTD rigs then drilled out each hole to full depth and the TerraSonic rig removed the temporary casing after the borehole construction was completed.
The initial installation site offered little resistance, but in an isolated area across the street, difficulties arose. The upper material was collapsing during installation. Morris-Shea utilized their cone penetration testing (CPT) rig to discover the extent of the problem and resolve this subsurface concern. Soft fill material was found to be causing the issue in an area where a pond once existed. Increasing the depth of the casing to 30 feet solved the problem. Morris-Shea routinely performs supplemental geotechnical investigations with a 30 ton CPT rig. Morris-Shea relied on their team’s experience as a leading deep foundation contractor to incorporate this essential CPT site investigation into determining the correct resolution of the soil problem. This onsite testing kept the project moving forward on schedule.
Drilling Process
A form of Wyoming bentonite was introduced into the mud conditioning system during the drilling process to assist in the building of a wall cake to aid in the stabilization of the borehole and removal of the drill cuttings. The drilling fluid was introduced into the borehole through a tricone bit while drilling to depth. Once the borehole depth of 400 feet was achieved, a 1.25 inch tremie grout line was attached to the SDR-11 loop and both were lowered into the borehole simultaneously from portable spooling equipment. A weight was attached to aid in inserting the loop through the bentonite slurry until it reached the proper borehole depth. The grout tremie was separated from the loop, withdrawn, and respooled carefully to maintain accurate grout advancement, forcing the bentonite from the borehole and back into the mud system. The grout mix met the requirements for the specified thermal conductivity and was verified through independent outside testing.
Morris-Shea’s state-of-the-art proprietary onboard software provided MWD drill reports for both onsite and remote monitoring. All drilling functions, including drill rotation and mud flow advancement, were observed and recorded for future reference. Upon completion of each borehole an extensive bore log was generated.
Morris-Shea Geothermal Professionals
Each Morris-Shea geothermal team consists of a supervisor, driller, assistant driller and grouter. All Morris-Shea professionals participate in comprehensive training sessions and attend ongoing industry-based continuing education initiatives at the contractor’s training facility in Harpersville, Alabama. Additionally, safety is firmly embedded in the Morris-Shea corporate culture and construction methodologies. The Indiana project, like all Morris-Shea job sites, was closely analyzed to identify and mitigate risks to the health and well-being of workers and the public.
Morris-Shea is a leading geothermal drilling contractor for commercial, institutional, and industrial applications. The Morris-Shea team can manage geothermal installations from drilling to horizontal tie-in. Our professionals work closely with project engineers and operators to assure production efficiency.
Article Overview
Morris-Shea relied on decades of extensive geotechnical experience and advanced drilling equipment to solve subsurface challenges during geothermal loop installation at an expansive technical facility project in Columbus, Indiana.
Innovative Vertical Ground Loop Heating/Cooling Project (GeoOutlook Magazine Article)
insert here: Screenshot 2025-12-08 at 3.16.33 PM.png
Morris-Shea drilled 350 vertical boreholes and installed 140,000 linear feet of ground loop heat exchanger piping at a Columbus, Indiana plant expansion. This proven geothermal system will provide energy-saving climate technology to nearly 100,000 square feet of new buildings at the midwest technical facility. The innovative ground loop heating and cooling furthers the plant’s commitment to clean power and a sustainable future while decreasing their carbon footprint.
The number of boreholes was determined by the new building’s size-need-demand. Vertical boreholes were specified to accommodate more geothermal loop in a smaller footprint, limiting what would have been an expansive bore field of horizontal trenching.
insert here: Screenshot 2025-12-08 at 3.18.43 PM.png
Birmingham, Alabama-based Morris-Shea mobilized two advanced drill rigs, a CPT test unit and other support equipment to the plant expansion job site. Geothermal drilling began in mid-July and was completed on schedule on November 24, 2025. The team drilled 5.5 inch diameter boreholes to a depth of 400 feet from drilling grade. The Morris-Shea team installed 1.25 inch SDR-11 ground loop piping with 1.07 Btu/hr-ft °F geothermal grout. Temporary casing for most boreholes was installed to 20 linear feet to prevent soil collapse and then removed before grout was fully set.
Advanced Equipment Fleet
insert here: #4 Screenshot 2025-11-03 at 3.23.35 PM 2.png
Morris-Shea mobilized GTD60 and GTD35 drill rigs to the job site from its advanced equipment fleet. These rigs ensure vertical borehole stability for bores up to 12.5 inch diameter, even in the most difficult strata. The drills utilize monitor-while-drilling (MWD) software and a mud conditioning system that recaptures all drilling fluids, as well as drill cuttings. These compact track-mounted rigs offer innovative derrick and casing handling that assures drilling efficiency and decreases the footprint on wide-ranging job sites such as the Indiana project. Morris-Shea’s GTD fleet offers incomparable functionality and move easily in restricted spaces.
insert here: #6 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.45.19 AM 2.png
Morris-Shea also fielded the industry’s most powerful compact sonic drill rig. Sonic drilling was used to sample the subsurface material and set casings. A TerraSonic rig is the ideal equipment for expediting casing installation. The portable drill platform performs well in soft formations because it can set surface while drilling. The GTD rigs then drilled out each hole to full depth and the TerraSonic rig removed the temporary casing after the borehole construction was completed.
The initial installation site offered little resistance, but in an isolated area across the street, difficulties arose. The upper material was collapsing during installation. Morris-Shea utilized their cone penetration testing (CPT) rig to discover the extent of the problem and resolve this subsurface concern. Soft fill material was found to be causing the issue in an area where a pond once existed. Increasing the depth of the casing to 30 feet solved the problem. Morris-Shea routinely performs supplemental geotechnical investigations with a 30 ton CPT rig. Morris-Shea relied on their team’s experience as a leading deep foundation contractor to incorporate this essential CPT site investigation into determining the correct resolution of the soil problem. This onsite testing kept the project moving forward on schedule.
Drilling Process
insert here: #9 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.51.34 AM 2.png
A form of Wyoming bentonite was introduced into the mud conditioning system during the drilling process to assist in the building of a wall cake to aid in the stabilization of the borehole and removal of the drill cuttings. The drilling fluid was introduced into the borehole through a tricone bit while drilling to depth. Once the borehole depth of 400 feet was achieved, a 1.25 inch tremie grout line was attached to the SDR-11 loop and both were lowered into the borehole simultaneously from portable spooling equipment. A weight was attached to aid in inserting the loop through the bentonite slurry until it reached the proper borehole depth. The grout tremie was separated from the loop, withdrawn, and respooled carefully to maintain accurate grout advancement, forcing the bentonite from the borehole and back into the mud system. The grout mix met the requirements for the specified thermal conductivity and was verified through independent outside testing.
insert here: #7 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.47.18 AM 2.png
Morris-Shea’s state-of-the-art proprietary onboard software provided MWD drill reports for both onsite and remote monitoring. All drilling functions, including drill rotation and mud flow advancement, were observed and recorded for future reference. Upon completion of each borehole an extensive bore log was generated.
Morris-Shea Geothermal Professionals
Each Morris-Shea geothermal team consists of a supervisor, driller, assistant driller and grouter. All Morris-Shea professionals participate in comprehensive training sessions and attend ongoing industry-based continuing education initiatives at the contractor’s training facility in Harpersville, Alabama. Additionally, safety is firmly embedded in the Morris-Shea corporate culture and construction methodologies. The Indiana project, like all Morris-Shea job sites, was closely analyzed to identify and mitigate risks to the health and well-being of workers and the public.
Morris-Shea is a leading geothermal drilling contractor for commercial, institutional, and industrial applications. The Morris-Shea team can manage geothermal installations from drilling to horizontal tie-in. Our professionals work closely with project engineers and operators to assure production efficiency.
article overview
Morris-Shea relied on decades of extensive geotechnical experience and advanced drilling equipment to solve subsurface challenges during geothermal loop installation at an expansive technical facility project in Columbus, Indiana.
Innovative Vertical Ground Loop Heating/Cooling Project (GeoOutlook Magazine Article)
insert here: Screenshot 2025-12-08 at 3.16.33 PM.png
Morris-Shea drilled 350 vertical boreholes and installed 140,000 linear feet of ground loop heat exchanger piping at a Columbus, Indiana plant expansion. This proven geothermal system will provide energy-saving climate technology to nearly 100,000 square feet of new buildings at the midwest technical facility. The innovative ground loop heating and cooling furthers the plant’s commitment to clean power and a sustainable future while decreasing their carbon footprint.
The number of boreholes was determined by the new building’s size-need-demand. Vertical boreholes were specified to accommodate more geothermal loop in a smaller footprint, limiting what would have been an expansive bore field of horizontal trenching.
insert here: Screenshot 2025-12-08 at 3.18.43 PM.png
Birmingham, Alabama-based Morris-Shea mobilized two advanced drill rigs, a CPT test unit and other support equipment to the plant expansion job site. Geothermal drilling began in mid-July and was completed on schedule on November 24, 2025. The team drilled 5.5 inch diameter boreholes to a depth of 400 feet from drilling grade. The Morris-Shea team installed 1.25 inch SDR-11 ground loop piping with 1.07 Btu/hr-ft °F geothermal grout. Temporary casing for most boreholes was installed to 20 linear feet to prevent soil collapse and then removed before grout was fully set.
Advanced Equipment Fleet
insert here: #4 Screenshot 2025-11-03 at 3.23.35 PM 2.png
Morris-Shea mobilized GTD60 and GTD35 drill rigs to the job site from its advanced equipment fleet. These rigs ensure vertical borehole stability for bores up to 12.5 inch diameter, even in the most difficult strata. The drills utilize monitor-while-drilling (MWD) software and a mud conditioning system that recaptures all drilling fluids, as well as drill cuttings. These compact track-mounted rigs offer innovative derrick and casing handling that assures drilling efficiency and decreases the footprint on wide-ranging job sites such as the Indiana project. Morris-Shea’s GTD fleet offers incomparable functionality and move easily in restricted spaces.
insert here: #6 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.45.19 AM 2.png
Morris-Shea also fielded the industry’s most powerful compact sonic drill rig. Sonic drilling was used to sample the subsurface material and set casings. A TerraSonic rig is the ideal equipment for expediting casing installation. The portable drill platform performs well in soft formations because it can set surface while drilling. The GTD rigs then drilled out each hole to full depth and the TerraSonic rig removed the temporary casing after the borehole construction was completed.
The initial installation site offered little resistance, but in an isolated area across the street, difficulties arose. The upper material was collapsing during installation. Morris-Shea utilized their cone penetration testing (CPT) rig to discover the extent of the problem and resolve this subsurface concern. Soft fill material was found to be causing the issue in an area where a pond once existed. Increasing the depth of the casing to 30 feet solved the problem. Morris-Shea routinely performs supplemental geotechnical investigations with a 30 ton CPT rig. Morris-Shea relied on their team’s experience as a leading deep foundation contractor to incorporate this essential CPT site investigation into determining the correct resolution of the soil problem. This onsite testing kept the project moving forward on schedule.
Drilling Process
insert here: #9 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.51.34 AM 2.png
A form of Wyoming bentonite was introduced into the mud conditioning system during the drilling process to assist in the building of a wall cake to aid in the stabilization of the borehole and removal of the drill cuttings. The drilling fluid was introduced into the borehole through a tricone bit while drilling to depth. Once the borehole depth of 400 feet was achieved, a 1.25 inch tremie grout line was attached to the SDR-11 loop and both were lowered into the borehole simultaneously from portable spooling equipment. A weight was attached to aid in inserting the loop through the bentonite slurry until it reached the proper borehole depth. The grout tremie was separated from the loop, withdrawn, and respooled carefully to maintain accurate grout advancement, forcing the bentonite from the borehole and back into the mud system. The grout mix met the requirements for the specified thermal conductivity and was verified through independent outside testing.
insert here: #7 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.47.18 AM 2.png
Morris-Shea’s state-of-the-art proprietary onboard software provided MWD drill reports for both onsite and remote monitoring. All drilling functions, including drill rotation and mud flow advancement, were observed and recorded for future reference. Upon completion of each borehole an extensive bore log was generated.
Morris-Shea Geothermal Professionals
Each Morris-Shea geothermal team consists of a supervisor, driller, assistant driller and grouter. All Morris-Shea professionals participate in comprehensive training sessions and attend ongoing industry-based continuing education initiatives at the contractor’s training facility in Harpersville, Alabama. Additionally, safety is firmly embedded in the Morris-Shea corporate culture and construction methodologies. The Indiana project, like all Morris-Shea job sites, was closely analyzed to identify and mitigate risks to the health and well-being of workers and the public.
Morris-Shea is a leading geothermal drilling contractor for commercial, institutional, and industrial applications. The Morris-Shea team can manage geothermal installations from drilling to horizontal tie-in. Our professionals work closely with project engineers and operators to assure production efficiency.
article overview
Morris-Shea relied on decades of extensive geotechnical experience and advanced drilling equipment to solve subsurface challenges during geothermal loop installation at an expansive technical facility project in Columbus, Indiana.
Innovative Vertical Ground Loop Heating/Cooling Project (GeoOutlook Magazine Article)
insert here: Screenshot 2025-12-08 at 3.16.33 PM.png
Morris-Shea drilled 350 vertical boreholes and installed 140,000 linear feet of ground loop heat exchanger piping at a Columbus, Indiana plant expansion. This proven geothermal system will provide energy-saving climate technology to nearly 100,000 square feet of new buildings at the midwest technical facility. The innovative ground loop heating and cooling furthers the plant’s commitment to clean power and a sustainable future while decreasing their carbon footprint.
The number of boreholes was determined by the new building’s size-need-demand. Vertical boreholes were specified to accommodate more geothermal loop in a smaller footprint, limiting what would have been an expansive bore field of horizontal trenching.
insert here: Screenshot 2025-12-08 at 3.18.43 PM.png
Birmingham, Alabama-based Morris-Shea mobilized two advanced drill rigs, a CPT test unit and other support equipment to the plant expansion job site. Geothermal drilling began in mid-July and was completed on schedule on November 24, 2025. The team drilled 5.5 inch diameter boreholes to a depth of 400 feet from drilling grade. The Morris-Shea team installed 1.25 inch SDR-11 ground loop piping with 1.07 Btu/hr-ft °F geothermal grout. Temporary casing for most boreholes was installed to 20 linear feet to prevent soil collapse and then removed before grout was fully set.
Advanced Equipment Fleet
insert here: #4 Screenshot 2025-11-03 at 3.23.35 PM 2.png
Morris-Shea mobilized GTD60 and GTD35 drill rigs to the job site from its advanced equipment fleet. These rigs ensure vertical borehole stability for bores up to 12.5 inch diameter, even in the most difficult strata. The drills utilize monitor-while-drilling (MWD) software and a mud conditioning system that recaptures all drilling fluids, as well as drill cuttings. These compact track-mounted rigs offer innovative derrick and casing handling that assures drilling efficiency and decreases the footprint on wide-ranging job sites such as the Indiana project. Morris-Shea’s GTD fleet offers incomparable functionality and move easily in restricted spaces.
insert here: #6 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.45.19 AM 2.png
Morris-Shea also fielded the industry’s most powerful compact sonic drill rig. Sonic drilling was used to sample the subsurface material and set casings. A TerraSonic rig is the ideal equipment for expediting casing installation. The portable drill platform performs well in soft formations because it can set surface while drilling. The GTD rigs then drilled out each hole to full depth and the TerraSonic rig removed the temporary casing after the borehole construction was completed.
The initial installation site offered little resistance, but in an isolated area across the street, difficulties arose. The upper material was collapsing during installation. Morris-Shea utilized their cone penetration testing (CPT) rig to discover the extent of the problem and resolve this subsurface concern. Soft fill material was found to be causing the issue in an area where a pond once existed. Increasing the depth of the casing to 30 feet solved the problem. Morris-Shea routinely performs supplemental geotechnical investigations with a 30 ton CPT rig. Morris-Shea relied on their team’s experience as a leading deep foundation contractor to incorporate this essential CPT site investigation into determining the correct resolution of the soil problem. This onsite testing kept the project moving forward on schedule.
Drilling Process
insert here: #9 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.51.34 AM 2.png
A form of Wyoming bentonite was introduced into the mud conditioning system during the drilling process to assist in the building of a wall cake to aid in the stabilization of the borehole and removal of the drill cuttings. The drilling fluid was introduced into the borehole through a tricone bit while drilling to depth. Once the borehole depth of 400 feet was achieved, a 1.25 inch tremie grout line was attached to the SDR-11 loop and both were lowered into the borehole simultaneously from portable spooling equipment. A weight was attached to aid in inserting the loop through the bentonite slurry until it reached the proper borehole depth. The grout tremie was separated from the loop, withdrawn, and respooled carefully to maintain accurate grout advancement, forcing the bentonite from the borehole and back into the mud system. The grout mix met the requirements for the specified thermal conductivity and was verified through independent outside testing.
insert here: #7 Screenshot 2025-11-05 at 6.47.18 AM 2.png
Morris-Shea’s state-of-the-art proprietary onboard software provided MWD drill reports for both onsite and remote monitoring. All drilling functions, including drill rotation and mud flow advancement, were observed and recorded for future reference. Upon completion of each borehole an extensive bore log was generated.
Morris-Shea Geothermal Professionals
Each Morris-Shea geothermal team consists of a supervisor, driller, assistant driller and grouter. All Morris-Shea professionals participate in comprehensive training sessions and attend ongoing industry-based continuing education initiatives at the contractor’s training facility in Harpersville, Alabama. Additionally, safety is firmly embedded in the Morris-Shea corporate culture and construction methodologies. The Indiana project, like all Morris-Shea job sites, was closely analyzed to identify and mitigate risks to the health and well-being of workers and the public.
Morris-Shea is a leading geothermal drilling contractor for commercial, institutional, and industrial applications. The Morris-Shea team can manage geothermal installations from drilling to horizontal tie-in. Our professionals work closely with project engineers and operators to assure production efficiency.
article overview
Morris-Shea relied on decades of extensive geotechnical experience and advanced drilling equipment to solve subsurface challenges during geothermal loop installation at an expansive technical facility project in Columbus, Indiana.