A 35 Year Reflection

A 35-YEAR REFECTION OF DRILLING
by co-founder Caron Rossiter

As we look back on the 35 years and where we came from, it might come as a surprise to some that Dave Rossiter first started with Ground Mechanics in 1980. It was then in 1989 when Dave bought out the partners, became the sole owner, and renamed the company Geomechanics. 35 Years later, and I am so proud when I look back at our legacy.

When we first started in 1989, Geomechanics owned 1 bakkie and 1 drill rig. It was only after our first contract that we could afford to buy a Mitsubishi 3-ton truck which they fondly called “Mrs. Bitch”. 

Geomechanics’ first contract was at Amatikulu. It was hard work with Dave being the driller, owner of the business, reporting on the weekends and evenings, and having a young family. It was Dave Rossiter, along with many faces that are still with us today, that grew this business into an empire.

IT’S A CALLING
A driller, or drilling company, is not just someone who drills holes in the ground to prove a geological result for a construction team to better understand the makeup of the soil they are building on;  a driller is an adventurer who goes on quests in various parts of Africa where conditions are difficult, they must endure hardship and in many ways pioneer their way in places where only a few people have been.  They often put up camps in remote places where food stock could only be supplied on a weekly basis.  They need to be resilient and tough, but most certainly experience life in a way most people never get the chance to.  They often see places that a rare few get to go to and experience exciting challenges that aren’t for the faint-hearted.  They must have a passion and love for the drilling industry. 

Our drillers started young in the profession and have grown to be at the forefront of the drilling industry. I admire and respect anyone who takes on drilling contracts in remote parts of Africa, whether it be Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Lesotho, Transkei, or Botswana.  

I can name projects in so many places that no one else has ever been, except for the local population of Africa who are resilient to survive in the toughest conditions. We have drilled in the Cunene where few, except the Himba, have survived in the early 90’s. 

In Lesotho, (where the locals have survived for decades with the snowfall seasons, equipped mainly with Basuto blankets and ponies) we were involved in the difficult Highland Project in 1990/91 at the Metalong and the Katse Dam. Here, we had to set up camp, and contend with snow and river flood. We even had a drill rig drowned in the rivers of Lesotho which at the time seemed to be a catastrophe but in hindsight are part of a day’s work in what we do.  

We have worked in Mozambique where we have drilled amongst the largest Nile crocodiles that infest the waters at Massinger Dam. We had staff stranded on an island, equipped only with an HF Radio to keep in contact with us.

Our work has taken us to Cahora Bassa where local manpower had to physically carry rocks up mountain slopes to create platforms for drill rigs.  Helicopters had to carry equipment and drill rigs in pieces to adits below the dam walls. All of these scenarios almost seem like something out of an Indiana Jones movie.

In the year 2000, we started on a contract in Mepanda Uncua (downstream of Cahorra Bassa) when one of the greatest floods of Tete Mozambique occurred. A rare occurrence that only happens every 50 years! Dangerous to say the least, and the client wasn’t interested in our excuses of floods causing delays. These floods were so extreme that it made world news.  We survived these floods with difficulty as did many of the Mozambique population. There was no stopping Dave’s dedication.

On one project, we had to drill on a barge for a new bridge at the confluence of Botswana, Zambia and Namibia in Kazungula. An interesting and remarkable contract for Geomechanics. If someone said “you can’t”, we proved them wrong.

We have done so many interesting and pioneering contracts over the past 35 years.  I wish I could elaborate on all of them, but we will keep some for upcoming newsletters. 

Drilling Companies are at the forefront of construction.  They pave the way for the construction team to come along after them and are often forgotten in the glory of the contractor who completes the construction of the Bridge, Road or site.   As drillers, we measure our economy by how busy a Drilling Company is. However, we marvel at the reward of knowing that we were there first before any of the construction has even begun.

The drilling industry has changed so much over the years. I remember a time when a driller would sit for weeks on end on the banks of the Zambezi or Amatikulu with only themselves and a few of the local population, on whatever other crocodile-infested River we drilled on. Long gone are the days of our little “Joy” drill rig, one of our first rigs which can be seen as a museum piece in our courtyard at our Lanseria office. Even though these memories are our treasures, we welcome the technological advancements and state-of-the-art equipment with names like Commachio GEO405 and the GEO601 Sonic rig.  We have expanded to Uganda, Sweden and Saudi Arabia and are at the forefront of our field.  We are so proud to have staff that are skilled, experienced, qualified and intelligent. Personally speaking, Dave would have been so proud of our young, dynamic, and enthusiastic board of directors. 

Drilling is a skilled profession, and I hope that the old are training the younger generation, as there is no degree for a drill rig operator.  It is a feel, a touch, listening to the sounds when you drill…all skills that is achieved through years of experience. We are lucky to still have a few of our drilling teams with us from the early days of Geomechanics (who need to be interviewed to tell their stories) but unfortunately, life goes on and we’ve had to say goodbye to some retiring or the passing of many of the old teammates. I want to honour their dedication and memory as we celebrate this momentous occasion. Let’s celebrate 35 years of becoming one of the leading drilling companies in the drilling industry in South Africa. Let’s celebrate our leaders and our team of accomplished drillers, assistants, core writers and supervisors in the field, who endure so much on a daily basis. We celebrate our safety teams who make sure we don’t cross crocodile-infested waters on a child’s blow-up boat to get to the other side, as we did on our first contract in Amatikulu, where we drilled in shorts, no hardhats, and with a baby on the hip.

I would like to take a moment to thank our teams who contribute daily to the running of the business. To our office staff who pour through long emails and accounts to ensure we receive the funds we are due from our hard work in the field. To our Logistics team of a huge company establishing to sites all over the country and continent and de-establishing after we have finished. A team of mechanics and workshop staff who manage our fleet of very technical drill rigs and vehicles. It's ongoing in repairs and management to ensure our rigs perform to their utmost capability.  To our operational team and supervisors who organize, liaise with clients and keep everyone functioning at an optimum level so that we can secure the results we need to keep our clients happy. To our HR department who ensures we get our salaries and handle our personal issues in a caring manner. To our marketing team who ensure we are “out there” and showing everyone who we are and what we can do. To our New Business Development team who handles our quotes and new business and keeps in touch with where we are going in the future.  Without them, we couldn’t secure the contracts we need to keep us going forward. To our branch managers in Cape Town, KZN, Eastern Cape and Uganda who ensure that we perform outside of our head office in Gauteng. To everyone who forms part of the Geo Group team, Geomechanics, Geomech Africa, Terra Monitoring – may you all enjoy the adventure and the challenge in years to come.  Thank you to each and every one of you.

“Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do” – Nelson Mandela

The founder of Geomechanics was passionate about drilling.  He started this company 35 years ago and I know he has some passionate followers who remember who he was and what he stood for in the Drilling Industry. Wishing you success, Geomechanics, for the next 35 years to come.