Traditionally, when working in extreme conditions, the welfare of the drill crew has been the primary concern. However, the situation is changing as machinery develops. While automation allows drill crews to be removed from the more extreme conditions, it brings its own set of challenges: how reliable is the remote control, where is the power supply, and what happens in the event of a breakdown?

It is not only the environments where drilling is taking place that are becoming more extreme; drilling capabilities are constantly pushing boundaries; holes are ever deeper, piles are greater in diameter. When will the breaking point be reached, and what will happen when it is reached?

Every issue of GDI is filled with stories of boreholes being drilled faster, foundations being sunk deeper, and boundaries being pushed as new technology is developed, but what will happen when the realities of the jobsite exceed the available technology?

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