REMOTELY OPERATED SEAFLOOR ROCK DRILL WITH EXTENDED CORING CAPABILITY

RESEARCHERS ARE INVESTIGATING THE FEASIBILITY OF A REMOTELY OPERATED ROCK DRILL WITH EXTENDED CORING CAPABILITY. A RELIABLE MEANS OF RECOVERING CORE SAMPLES FROM 10 TO 50 METERS DEEP, IN BOTH CONSOLIDATED AND UNCONSOLIDATED SEAFLOOR MATERIALS AT WATER DEPTHS TO 4000 METERS, IS NEEDED BY UNIVERSITY AND GOVERNMENT RESEARCH AND THE OFF-SHORE OIL INDUSTRY. THE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ARE TO DESIGN AND TEST A DRILLING SYSTEM WHICH EXTENDS A SUCCESSFUL DEEP SEA THREE-METER CORING TOOL TO THE GRATER DEPTHS. THE RESEARCH IS ESTABLISHING THE FEASIBILITY OF ASSEMBLING AND DISASSEMBLING DRILL RODS, CORING TOOLS, AND CASING AUTOMATICALLY ON THE SEAFLOOR, A NECESSARY STEP FOR DEEP WATER USE. WHEN COMPLETE, THIS WILL BE THE ONLY DEVICE AVAILABLE FOR OBTAINING CORES AT THESE DEPTHS. THE CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATION OF APPROXIMATELY TEN OF THESE SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE IS ENVISIONED.