Method of underground fluid sampling

A method of avoiding future undetected leakage of an existing underground storage tank containing a fluid medium comprising the steps of:

• locating an underground storage tank;
• determining the boundary of the storage tank;
• providing a probe having a sample inlet in fluid communication with a sample outlet in turn in fluid communication with a tube through which a subsurface sample medium reflective of storage tank leakage can be conducted from a desired subsurface point adjacent the storage tank to a second point thereabove;
• positioning the probe upon the surface of the earth at a point outboard of the storage tank boundary;
• covering the sample inlet with a tubular end portion of a tubular member;
• driving the probe into the ground to the desired subsurface point;
• performing the probe driving step by placing the tubular member in external telescopic relationship to the tube and against the probe and forcefully driving the tubular member into the ground until the probe is at the desired subsurface point;
• uncovering the sample inlet while the probe is at the desired subsurface point thereby creating a flow path for sample medium at the desired subsurface point into the sample inlet to and through the sample outlet and into the tube;
• performing the probe sample inlet uncovering step by withdrawing the tubular member entirely from the ground while leaving the probe and tube in place;
• and
• monitoring the sample medium through the tube after the tubular member has been totally withdrawn from the ground.

A method of subsurface sampling comprising the steps of:

• providing a probe having a sample inlet in fluid communication with a sample outlet in turn in fluid communication with a tube through which a subsurface sample medium can be conducted from a desired subsurface point below ground surface to a second point thereabove;
• covering the sample inlet with an impact sleeve having a sample inlet of a size to permit flow of sample medium therethrough without extraneous material passage;
• effecting fluid communication between the probe sample inlet and the impact sleeve sample inlet while the probe sample inlet remains covered by the sleeve;
• inserting the probe progressively downwardly below ground surface toward the desired subsurface point while the probe sample inlet is covered by the sleeve;
• and
• while the probe sample inlet remains covered by the sleeve drawing a subsurface sampling medium into and through the sleeve sample inlet, through the fluid communication means, and into and through the probe sample inlet and outlet and into the tube whereby monitoring of the sample medium can be effected.