Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: Transit to the port of Shingu
Anchor at the port of Shingu at 6:00 AM and docked at 9:00 AM. 49 days of Expedition 316 completed today.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: Transit to the port of Shingu
Final expedition report complete. All samples processed and packed ready for shipping. Shingu port. Time of dock will be 9:30 AM, Feb. 5, 2008
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
Waiting on weather to recover transponders. Current activity rigging down guidehorn. Final processing of last cores (Paleo-magnetism and Physical Properties) all else completed. Preliminary report near completion.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
Coring continued to completion in C0008C, with good recovery using the HPCS piston coring system in slope basin mudstone with intercalated silt, sand, and ash. We reached refusal with the HPCS, and switched to ESCS, and collected one core. The quality of the core was ok for basic description but not suitable for collection of the gas, fluids, hydrates, or fine-scale materials that were of interest in the lower porting of Hole C0008C. It was determined that the scientific goals at this site had been complteed, and TD was reached. Following completing the scientific goals of the site, we tested a modified ESCS system, the "Punch," designed by core technician Jim Aumann with excellent results in terms of both quality and recovery.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
Coring continued in C0008C, with good recovery using the HPCS piston coring system in slope basin mudstone with intercalated silt, sand, and ash. Some faulting and fracturing have been observed at shallower depths. Disseminated gas hydrates (no massive samples, generally found in porous sand/ash layers) were detected via use of the infrared camera in some of the deeper cores.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
After ESCS and HPCS coring through nearly 80 meters of nearly unrecoverable material inferred to be unconsolidated or loose sand based on minimal recovery, core catcher samples, and drilling parameters, we determined to move to C0008B. After asking for and receiving permission to relocate to Hole B, we completed Hole A, shifted the vessel, and began HPCS operations. The initial attempt to recover a mudline core was unsuccessful, requiring coring in Hole C, with a successful mudline core. Coring in slope basin sediments continues.
Several cores containing low, but measurable quantities of H2S gas will require time for processing in order to allow venting of gas. This will add time to both the core processing and the lab work. Based on the time available for lab work and the time remaining in the expedition, we have been in touch with several of the relevant Specialty Coordinators and the scientists involved and are working on solutions to allow the minimum required data to be gathered, reported, and distributed during the expedition.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
After changing over to the extended shoe coring system and recovering several cores containing lithified mudstone, drilling penetration rates increased dramatically and recovery decreased dramatically, down to near 0%. What material was recovered was dominantly sand. After coring through nearly 100 meters of sandy material, we requested permission to abandon this hole and permission to spud a new hole at this site.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
We have continued to core through the slope basin deposits at site C0008 (proposed as NT2-10A), and have switched to ESCS coring due to increasing lithification and several HPCS cores that required overdrilling to recover. The cored material consists of mudstone with some sand and ash intervals and minor deformation features.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
We have continued piston coring through the slope basin deposits just seaward of the megasplay, recovering several turbidite sequences with common volcanic ash deposits, some deformation, and some sandy intervals. Coring continues to progress smoothly and quickly, with core flowing well in the labs.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
HPCS coring began at Site C0008 from 3:17 AM. We continued coring smoothly and rapidly through the slope basin deposits. Recovery and quality remain high in soft mud and clay, with recovery of short intervals of sand and ash. There is evidence for internal deformation within the mud/clay deposits.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
Move ship to new Site C0008 and deployed transponders. Make up and run with HPCS/ESCS coring BHA while drifting.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0008 (NT2-10) (33°12’ N, 136°43’ E)
We have begun recovering relocating to beacons from sites C0006 and C0007, and following that operation we will be and spudding into site C0008 (proposed as NT2-10A). Final description, analysis, and sampling of the last cores from C0007 completed. Several faulted/brecciated zones identified with a wide array of fault rocks and associated with a tentative age reversal based on nannofossil analysis. Confirmation and cross-checking of these results is underway. Initial results from Site C0007 to be reported in general science meeting today, and Site Reports for C0007 will be finished in 2 days.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Following three coring runs with 0 to <1% recovery under a wide array of drilling/coring parameters, we ran the deplugger to try to maximize the chances of recovering material. Drilling and coring parameters indicated extremely fast rates of penetration under almost no weight on bit and very low pump rates. Minor amounts of recovered material in the last two cores suggested that the formation was very sandy and unconsolidated, and based on this information, seismic and nearby LWD data suggesting a thick package of sand in the lower section of this site, plus the increasingly poor hole conditions, we decided to stop coring in this hole. We are currently attempting to find fossil age markers in material from the deepest cores.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Coring has progressed through fractured and faulted siltstone and mudstone, however cores -30R to -33R have had zero to very low recovery (recovery was of questionable material based on XCT and visual inspection). This coupled with high penetration rates during coring (7 minutes to cut a 9.5 m core) suggest that the formation is unconsolidated and non-cohesive.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Coring continued smoothly throughout the entire day with good quality and good recovery. We are now coring through moderately lithified mudstone with some sandier and siltier intervals and some occurrences of volcanic ash. There are some intervals that are fractured and or faulted.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Coring continued throughout the day with generally good results. Recovery and quality have improved overall, with the exception of two empty cores thought to be related to high heave during coring. We continue to core through moderately lithified mudstone/claystone. The mudstone is now becoming much more dominant in the deeper portions of the hole.
Weather: Rain
Site: C0007 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
RCB coring continues with moderate to good recovery and good quality in mudstones with some ash layers, some evidence for fracturing and/or faulting.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0007 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
After jetting, washing, and drilling down to the coring point at 175 mbsf, we began RCB coring at site C0007D. The first two cores were very low recovery, with evidence in the core catchers for sand similar to those recovered at C0007C. The third core recovered, however, recovered >3 meters of moderately lithified mudstone, and recovery of mudstone has continued to the writing of this report. Core processing operations are again underway in concert with completion of scientific analysis and write-up of data from previous wells.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0007 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
After recovering the BHA, we recovered beacons from previous site C0006 while waiting for confirmation and permission to drill in Hole C0007D. At ~4pm local time, we received permission from CDEX to incorporate C0007D into site C0007 (formerly NT1-03A), and immediately began preparation and operations to RIH with the RCB BHA. We are now drilling down to the coring point (175 mbsf), and currently are at 114 mbsf.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Coring operations became quite difficult as we continued to encounter significant sandy layers. Attempt to increase recovery by using HPCS in the sandy layers was somewhat successful.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
ESCS coring continued throughout the day, with variable recovery related to encountering thick sands. Problems with the core line winch caused several short delays.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
HPCS coring (with APCT3 measurements every 2 cores) continued until refusal (at relatively shallow depths, probably due to the presence of significant sand layers). At that time, ESCS coring (with DVTP measurement every 50 meters) was initiated. Initial recovery was low, again probably related to the same sand layers, but recovery has improved with stiffening of the formation and decrease in sand thickness.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0007 (NT1-03A) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
The Chikyu was onsite and the Borehole Assembly (BHA) run to the seafloor by 10:30 pm, and after confirming a tag about 4082.5m mean sea level, the BHA was lifted, cleaned, and run down to 8 meters above tag depth. The first core at site C0007 was shot at 11:45 pm and recovered the mudline. HPCS coring with APCT3 measurements every two cores continues through the slope apron sediments in the shallow subseafloor.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Hole conditions required abandoning Hole C0006F at a final depth of 603 meters below seafloor (mbsf). After determining that Hole C0006F was unsafe to drill, we determined that Site C0006 would present the same risks and problems for coring at any further hole intended to penetrate below 600 mbsf. Time, operational, and scientific constraints are being evaluated to determine the alternative operations required achieving the scientific targets at this site - Site NT1-03A (see Expedition 316 Prospectus) has been chosen as the best alternative. Pull out of the hole, Spot drilling fluid, trip pipe and recover Borehole Assembly were completed, the ROV was launched in order to deploy transponders below the current, and the Chikyu is currently being repositioned and transponders calibrated.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Continued reaming/wiping/sweeping operations to try to improve hole condition for further drilling. After retrieving 22nd core, hole condition was getting worse and drill bit stuck several times.
Weather: Overcast
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
RCB coring continued through 590 meters below seafloor (mbsf) with variable recovery and generally good quality. Several areas of interest (potential fault rocks) have been identified with XCT scanning and held back for discussion prior to splitting. Splitting will occur today. Drilling and hole conditions have become a bit more difficult below several of the faulted intervals, and reaming/wiping/sweeping operations are being carried out to try to condition the hole for further drilling.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
We continue to RCB to 533 meter below seafloor through relatively lithified silty mudstone (with occasional ash layers) with variable amounts of faulting and fracturing. Core recovery is generally low but getting better, core quality is equally variable, with both primarily depending on the degree of fracturing present in the formation. Several generations of fracturing/faulting have been observed.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
The first core from C0006F came on deck at 3:55 AM this morning with 22.7% recovery in silt and silty clay. We continued RCB coring through to 457 meter below seafloor in silty mudstones. The core material recovered consists of 5-15 cm long intact pieces with well preserved textures and structures interspersed with fragmented rubble and fractured material. Recovery is generally low, and quality quite variable, primarily related to rotary coring in highly fractured rock.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Most of the day was taken up with running in and drilling down to the coring point. Reached at 395 meters below seafloor at midnight and prepared for coring operation.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
We continue to wash down to 395 meter below seafloor to collect overlap cores between Hole C0006E and present hole C0006F. Processing of cores from C0006E is nearly complete, with one remaining to describe and sample.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
ESCS coring continued to produce high-quality, high-recovery cores in moderately lithified sand, silt, and clay. However, large decrease in rate of penetration, increase in lithification, increase in time to cut cores resulted in decision to switch to RCB coring in hole C0006F. We are running the drill string to the seafloor while drifting down current to the location of C0006F.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
ESCS coring continues to provide excellent core quality and recovery in more lithified sand, silt and clay. DVTP operations and whole core thermal conductivity have both been suspended with increasing lithification of the formation.
Weather: Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
The operation has continued to be smooth and steady, with successful ESCS coring in more lithified sands, silts, and clays. There is an increase in the amount of observable fracturing and faulting in the cores. DVTP measurement and operations have been successful. In laboratory, measurement, description and sampling have been keeping pace with the flow of core from the drill floor.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
ESCS coring is continuing with good results: core quality and recovery have been consistently good. Some core disturbance related to drilling is occurring, but structures and sedimentary features remain readily observable. ESCS coring will continue as long as the situation remains the same. Several DVTP runs have been attempted, with variable success, however the last run was smooth and the data appears to be good. We will continue to attempt DVTP measurements as long as the equipment is operational and the formation is appropriate for the operation. Material recovered is consistently comprised of interbedded sand/silt/clay with some ash. Minor deformation structures observeed intermittently.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Drilling operations with the ESCS system continued with good recovery and good quality cores. Coring time increased due to the necessity of removing sinker bar and wireline from drill pipe during coring - this both increased the control over flow rate at the bit (better core quality/recovery), and decreased the amount of water leakage at the wireline BOP and coreline mud bucket (decrease chances for more electrical problems on the drill floor). DVTP runs had mixed success - two runs had delivery/recovery problems and two runs had data recording problems. We are continuing to work on these issues. Material recovered is becoming more lithified, but we are still recovering interlayered sand, silt and clay with some ash, all of relatively young age.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
Coring resumed after repairs on the Top Drive lubrication system motor. Core quality and recovery remain excellent. DVTP run was accomplished, however some problems resulted in the need for fishing operations and data loss. Both issues have been addressed, and DVTP operations will continue based on hole condition and formation condition.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
The drilling operation was on standby due to the need for repairs to the motor that drives the Top Drive lubrication system.
Operations in the labs moved along well, and we have finished processing all the cores we have received.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
We reached refusal point (0 penetration) for HPCS coring at 79 meters below seafloor (mbsf), and began using the ESCS system. ESCS coring recovery and quality has improved, even in the relatively sandy materials we have been encountering at this site. Two APCT measurements and one DVTP measurement were collected. At about 4:30 AM there was a failure in the top drive lubricating pump motor and operations were suspended pending repair or replacement.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
HPCS coring of site C0006E continues, however, delays due to mechanical issues with coreline winches and top drive lubrication system caused some down time. Coring recommenced and recovery of interlayered sands, silts, and muds has been excellent.
Weather: Rain
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
As of yesterday evening we arrived on location and spudded in to C0006C (formerly NT1-03). Due to missing the mudline in the first core, we shifted position by 5 m, tried a mudline core again, shifted again, and have commenced HPCS coring at C0006E.
Weather: Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
While the Chikyu conducted tests in preparation for trial run of the Under Water TV camera, the core lab continued to process the remainder of the cores collected from C0004D. Due to the fragility of the material and the high interest in preserving the faulted material as intact as possible, we are taking extra caution and care with these cores.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0006 (NT1-03) (33°01’ N, 136°47’ E)
After reaching Target Depth of 400 meters below seafloor in Hole C0004D, we have been processing the remaining cores, except for those held back for careful review prior to sampling, splitting, sub-sampling. The meeting for determining the plans for the above issues will be held today, and sampling/processing should continue on schedule this afternoon, following decisions on how to handle the fault zone cores.
Currently, the vessel is running the initial test of the underwater camera equipment, and we should begin drilling again sometime tomorrow.
Weather: Cloudy
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
We reached TD at site C0004, Hole D last night at ~midnight, and the procedures for completing the hole and pulling out were commenced. These will be followed by tripping the drill string, recovering beacons, recovering ROV and transit to site C0006, where we will start out with a test of the underwater camera system.
Initial results from site C0004 have proven to be very, very interesting: After drilling through accretionary prism materials (with poor recovery of very highly fractured material), we began to get good recovery materials just above and through the fault zone interpreted from seismic and LWD results. We have several sections with well preserved faulted material, and these are being inspected via CT scan before any splitting, sampling, or other destructive procedure is undertaken.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
Overall coring operations and core recovery have improved very, very much, and we have recovered material that we believe to be within the splay fault, including an age reversal (tentative). Cores are being CT scanned, sampled for IW, and then refrigerated pending review by science party for an integrated/comprehensive sampling strategy using the CT imagery. Aside from the short interruption due to the IAS failure, all is going relatively smoothly.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
Due to a storm, there was a wait on weather between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM, and another short wait on weather between 8:00 AM and 11:00 AM this morning. Except for minor Wait on Weather (excessive heave was making coring essentially impossible), we spent the entire day and night collecting RCB cores. The core quality and core recovery have been quite variable: highly fractured and faulted accretionary prism material has been causing quite a few problems with core jamming, heavy drilling disturbance and some bit plugging, requiring several trips with the deplugger and some minor halts in operations to clear the bit with increased drilling fluid flow. Coring is being conducted with 4.5 meter advance to minimize lost section and maximize recovery and quality, and there has been a recent increase in both recovery and quality. Close work with the core technicians, drillers, and operations groups, including core inspections and XCT inspections of cores has proven to be quite useful.
Recovery problems related to condition of material at depth, Core Technicians and drillers suggest jamming as the most likely cause. Current material recovered is quite fragmental and disturbed by drilling, however, some pieces large enough for detailed description indicate that we are sampling sheared/faulted accretionary prism material.
Lab work is moving along quite well: core processing, description and sampling have been keeping up with coring. Report writing (methods and initial introductory materials) is now underway, with the editing cycle starting to move along.
Weather: Rain
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
We have fully processed all HPCS and ESCS cores, and are progressing rapidly through cores 1R-12R. RCB coring has recommenced, and processing, description, and sampling of cores continues.
Received cores 1R-12R, recovery is limited in accretionary prism material. Recovery between 0 and 61 percent. Attempting to use 5 m advance during drilling to minimize loss of recovery. Time permitting, this tactic will be used in the softer materials in the accretionary prism material. XCT measurements, IW and MBIO whole round cores collected, MSCL and ThermCon measurements underway. Cores 1H-16H have been split, described, sampled, and stored. Cores 17H - 12R are in progress.
Weather: Cloudy
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
We cored with ESCS and HPCS to 135 meters below seafloor, and determined that based on core quality and coring conditions, that refusal had been achieved. We then determined to pull out of hole C0004C and relocated to C0004D for RCB coring. RCB coring has just commenced.
Successful coring of the upper section of C0004C with good quality and good recovery in all cores. Cores are being processed and sampled for chemical, microbiological, geological, and geophysical measurements. Processing of HPCS and ESCS is progressing well, sampling, measurement, and description of cores is moving quite well.
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
We spudded into C0004C at approximately 5:30 AM this morning, and collected the mud-line core at about 6:00 AM. Since that time coring has been ongoing with excellent speed and quality. We have also had three very successful runs with the APCT tool.
Core processing is going well - cores are being cut and curated at the core cutting area with excellent efficiency-samples for Interstitial Water are selected, cat-scanned and processed within a matter of minutes. Following complete core CT scan, the sample intervals for the Microbiology samples are chosen and these samples are also being process with great efficiency. The first cores are now starting to roll out of the bench measurement area at an increasing pace, and following the selection and collection of Geotechnical/Physical Properties whole round samples, the cores will be split and processed in the VCD and Structure/Sampling areas.
During the wait for core to describe, the structure, phys props, sedimentology groups, as well as Ginny Lowe (who has been incredibly helpful) took some "extended introductory" training on J-CORES with Kyoma Takahashi. People are beginning to get more comfortable with the system, and we are starting to think about ways to speed up the description-to-data-recording process.
The various discipline-based scientific groups are now starting to work very well together, and we expect to be running at full speed within the next few hours.
Weather: Cloudy
Site: C0004 (NT2-01I) (33°13’ N, 136°43’ E)
Science Operations in Labs: Introductory meetings, lab tour, shift organization, and general science coordination.
Overall Science Update: The last of the science party came on board just after noon. Safety induction and vessel and laboratory familiarization, and organizational meetings took place over the course of the afternoon, and laboratory shifts were organized. Scientists are now on shift schedule and the first cores will be coming on deck sometime after midnight.
