New Deep Lake Drilling System Launched
Climate Change Studies Expanded with New Equipment
Lake Drilling Platform Marks Important Step in Scientific Research
Lakes are archives of climate history, and deep drilling in lakes has produced a wealth of information of how the Earth’s climate has changed over time.
Enabling scientists worldwide to delve deeper into past climate changes and biological evolution, DOSECC has designed and built the new Deep Lake Drilling System (DLDS) specifically for sampling sediments from deep lakes. The DLDS platform made its maiden voyage on Lake Van, Turkey in July and August 2010.
The DLDS is designed to drill 1400 meters (4593 feet). The DLDS platform consists of two main parts: the drilling rig and associated equipment, and the barge itself.
The drilling rig is a top-head-drive rotary rig designed for water well and oil and gas drilling. DOSECC has made extensive modifications to the rig, which has turned it into a deep coring rig capable of collecting scientific samples.
The drilling barge is constructed with six separate containers connected in a two-by-three configuration. Drilling is done through a hole (called a moonpool) built into one of the modules. The barge is a modular system which enables easy shipping anywhere in the world. It is 24.4 m (80 feet) long by 7.3 m (24 feet) wide.
Along with the drilling rig, drilling pipe, mud tanks and associated supplies, the platform also accommodates both a science lab and a driller’s shack. The science lab is used for on-board sampling from the core catcher and for labeling and orienting the core samples. During the drilling crew shift change the cores are transported to the shore for additional sampling and testing.
DOSECC operated in Van at a water depth of 360 m. The deepest borehole at the Lake Van project was 250 m below the lake floor. Upcoming projects for the DLDS include the Dead Sea in Israel and Lake Ohrid in Macedonia.
DOSECC (Drilling, Observation and Sampling of the Earths Continental Crust) is a not-for-profit corporation whose mission is to provide leadership and technical support in subsurface sampling and monitoring technology for addressing topics of scientific and societal importance. Fifty-seven universities, colleges and research organizations are members of DOSECC. More information is available at www.dosecc.org.
National Driller press release
Scientific Drilling Magazine announcement
Positions Open
DOSECC seeks a President and a Director of Scientific Drilling.
