Ground Investigations in Frozen Terrain at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica

Kolibri Geo Services was contracted by geoscientist Mauro Guglielmin on behalf of the Italian National Antarctic Research Program to support ground investigations at Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. The work was based at Mario Zucchelli Station and focused on characterising frozen ground conditions in support of permafrost and environmental monitoring.

Kolibri’s task was to operate and adapt a drill rig already stationed at the base, assembling the right configuration of tooling and support equipment to carry out core drilling through a variety of materials—including glacial sediments, fluvial deposits, and ice. We coordinated the transport of the rotary rig across the research area using wheels, tracks, and aerial lifts, depending on terrain and distance.

Several of the boreholes yielded cores containing salt-rich brine, adding valuable data to studies of Antarctic permafrost and hydrology. At one location, we also established a 10-metre-deep borehole equipped for thermal ground regime monitoring, allowing researchers to observe temperature changes in the frozen ground over time.

This project underscores Kolibri’s capability to operate internationally, work with existing field infrastructure, and deliver precise results in some of the world’s most remote and challenging polar environments.