DFDP-2 @ 202 m: drill sediments

Rupert Sutherland, GNS Science
John Townend, Victoria University of Wellington
Virginia Toy, University of Otago

Covered area being constructed at drill site 6/10/14.

We are now simultaneously drilling and advancing 12” casing (inside 16” casing) using a dual-rotary drilling method. We have reached 202 m. In fact, we have spent several hours drilling since we were at 201 m and there is an exciting possibility that we have finally hit solid rock*(see below). The cuttings and thin-section lab is up and functioning, and the rock type appears to be consistent with local basement rock. However, we will continue on until we are confident this is not just a locally-derived boulder.

Dual-rotary drilling and advancing 16” casing 28/9/14.

The site is really starting to take shape, but is noticeably less busy since the ICDP training course started yesterday. The centre-piece of the science facility is 7 containers housing: mud gas monitoring equipment; wireline logging tools; a rock preparation and thin-section lab; a core scanning lab; a clean(ish) lab for data entry and microscopes; an operations centre and site office from which earthquakes and drilling parameters can be; and a coffee room.

The wireline logging container should arrive tomorrow and the office and coffee room have just arrived and are being fitted out. The large outdoor covered area got tested by driving rain and strong winds that were strong enough to move several of the shipping containers. It is amazing that the cover could withstand such a battering.

John Townend arriving on site at dawn 4/10/14.

*It turns out that it wasn’t. We continue drilling.

Primary funders of the DFDP-2 project are: the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP), the Marsden Fund of the Royal Society of New Zealand, GNS Science, Victoria University of Wellington, and the University of Otago.