I know what you are thinking: The enemy of my enemy is my friend?! Things are getting serious and maybe even a bit hostile at The Driller! Who is the enemy?

We find ourselves segmented into roles: drillers, geologists, engineers, etc., each with distinct perspectives and occasional frictions due to our different responsibilities and approaches. On a random day in the office, a colleague jokingly asked why I hated our resident engineer. Perplexed, I immediately started questioning and saying I could never hate “Eddie Engineer.” After reading 'Drilling in Harmony: The Symbiotic Relationship Between Scientists and Drillers,' I appeared to have specifically called out engineers instead of using the wider umbrella of project manager. I chuckled, “You caught that?”

The truth is, I was very tactical when I chose to say, “An engineer may have picked that location based on available maps and utility plans, which inaccurately marked the overhead utility in a different area.” Instead of a project manager, I said ‘engineer’ on purpose because I wanted to find a connection with the driller audience. In the context of our projects, it might seem odd to label anyone as an 'enemy,' given our shared goals, but hear me out. 

Engineer VS Project Manager: The Power of Words

Every time I have been in the field for an environmental drilling project, drillers are on site with me, but never engineers. I would venture to say that drillers work countless times alongside geologists in the field more than engineers; it’s the nature of our roles. Drillers and geologists are out there working together and feeling those beads of sweat rolling down our faces and backs. After those particularly heinous, hot, and what seems to be never-ending Murphy's law type of days out in the field, you can hear the grumbles about the role who is not on site. 

Saying project manager instead of engineer would simply not have hit as hard (sure, an engineer could be a project manager, but a geologist and a driller could also be a project manager). I admit I used engineers as a common ‘nemesis’ to drillers and geologists in the spirit of fostering friendship between geologists and drillers. I would love nothing more than to make connections with all the drillers I work with, but the truth is, some connections are easier than others. It is a hard line to walk working as the geologist supervisor on site for a drilling project.

From the Geologist’s Perspective

In solidarity, I’m usually outside my truck observing site activities, even when those do not directly involve a geologist. However, I have found that tends to make some drillers nervous or antsy. I get asked if I need anything, but I don’t. Sure, I'm required to be observing and making sure we are following our standard processes and being safe, etc., but I promise, I'm not out of my truck watching site activities to be nitpicky or to say, ‘I got ya!’ I am outside of my truck, showing you that I know you’re out here working hard, and I appreciate your work. Sometimes, I even get wild and try to help. I always joke about lying on my application when I said I could lift 50 pounds…but I do what I can. I will happily drag a 50lb bag of sand, bentonite, or whatever to help.

I have never felt right sitting in a truck while people are outside working. It is a catch-22, though, because a geologist standing outside can make the drillers uncomfortable, but a geologist sitting in a truck can make a driller bitter. I have had drillers come to me and say, “You know ‘Gerry Geologist?’ That guy was useless; he sat in the truck all day!” 

Building Better Bonds

What is a geologist to do? All I am saying is I see you and am right there with you. How about we bond over our similar circumstances in the field? After all, we are both out there away from our homes, our precious dogs, kids, etc., or maybe we can bond over our love of beer. You can't go to field camp as a geologist without being able to slam a few, and I know plenty of drillers who can keep up. While an engineer might not be on-site or even appreciate a good beer like us, let's be real for a second: they’re keystones in our complex projects. Engineers are the ones sweating the details and crunching numbers. 

While we find ourselves segmented into roles with distinct perspectives and occasional discord due to our different responsibilities and approaches, imagine if we shifted our view slightly, recognizing that any tension between roles isn't about opposition but diverse angles converging towards a common purpose. It’s a triad where each member plays a critical role in the narrative of success. Engineers, with their meticulous planning; drillers, with their hands-on execution; and geologists, with their insightful analyses. The common ‘enemy’ is truly the project challenges. We can unite more effectively by identifying the real 'enemy' as the project challenges and hurdles we face. 

By adopting this mindset, we can transform potential rivalries into powerful partnerships where the success of one is the success of all. This is how we can truly embody the spirit of 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend'—by seeing past divisions and rallying together against the true challenges we face. 

Let’s celebrate the collaboration that propels us forward, acknowledging that while we may tease, our success hinges on our ability to work together, leveraging each other’s strengths for the common good.

Here’s to breaking ground (or drinking beer) together, with every role recognized and valued in our shared mission.

P.S. We love you, ‘Eddie Engineer!’