June 30, 2009 (Day 52)
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Drilling has continued at about 25 m/hr so we are making good progress. The cuttings are being handed over to the scientists at regular intervals. Analysis of the sample material is now taking place at 10 m intervals rather than the previous 5 m, to keep up with the cuttings supply at higher penetration rate. This will give us a better overall impression of downhole changes in lithology and age to the bottom of the hole in preparation for coring. The sediments have, in general, become finer grained downhole and real cuttings are being generated in contrast to the unconsolidated sands shallower in the borehole. We are now alsomaking thin sections of some of the larger cuttings and clasts. Analysis of nannofossils suggests a preliminary age. Gas concentrations reached high values at 950 m below sea floor - hot works outside were temporarily suspended as a safety measure. Gas levels have now reduced and this suspension has been lifted. The scientists examined the seismic reflection data and conjectured that a possible negative polarity reflector may be coincident with this zone. We are currently just above the possible over-pressured zone identified from seismic velocity data, so care will be taken drilling through this interval.
Logging Staff Scientist has been discussing the future logging operations with the engineers who arrived on the ship this morning. Weather is good, but increased wind speed and swell is expected
over the next 1-2 days.
Best regards,
Lisa McNeill, Tim Byrne and Nobu Eguchi
June 29, 2009 (Day 51)
Weather: Fine but Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Drilling continued until 801.7 meters below the seafloor. At this time, the brakes on the top drive was repaired and resumed drilling until 928 meters at 16:30.
The first cuttings arrived at 02:15 and were quickly processed by the Lab. technicians and the science party. The samples are unconsolidated sands with a wide range of grain and mineral types. Paleontologist Dr. Shijun Jiang has also been identifying microfossils within the cuttings to assess the likely age. The gas monitoring group, Dr. Thomas Wiersberg and Keika Horiguchi, successfully sampled gas originating from the formation as we drilled. A safety drill was held at 10:00, followed by a talk about the Sumatran subduction zone by Lisa McNeill. The science party gathered for a group photo and thanked Kyoma Takahashi (Expedition Project Manager), who will be leaving the ship tomorrow, for all his hard work during and prior to the Expedition.
Best regards,
Lisa McNeill, Tim Byrne and Nobu Eguchi
June 28, 2009 (Day 50)
Weather: Overcast
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The assembly for the Leak Off Test was pulled out of the hole and the (BHA) Bottom-Hole Assembly was made up for drilling the hole to about 1500 meters below sea floor. The BHA includes the tool which is able to control the position of the drill bit to maintain the orientation of the borehole (vertical in this case) and the MWD (Measurement while drilling) tool which sends measurements of drilling parameters and gamma ray data during the drilling process via a pressure pulse within the mud. The BHA was then run in the hole and reached the base of the casing around and start drilling from 22:45. The MDT (Modular Dynamic Tester) group met with Moe Kyaw Thu (Logging Staff Scientist) to develop the plan for this logging run.
Best regards,
Lisa McNeill, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 27, 2009 (Day 49)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
After the leak off test, drilling assembly pulled out and 12-1/4 inch MWD assembly is prepared to run.
Late 25th night, we received our first real cuttings - unconsolidated sands! This is not entirely unexpected, as we know that this part of the forearc basin contains very young and rapidly deposited sediments. The leak off test was conducted with shipboard scientists Dr.Mai-Linh Doan and Dr. Weiren Lin observing. The test can give us information about the fluids within the sediments we are drilling and how easily fluids flow through them. The results have been analyzed carefully yesterday by the team.
The Co-Chief Scientists and EPM discussed this drilling plan with the new Operations Superintendent Abe-san, who arrived yesterday morning. Kyoma also met with the new Wellsite Geologist, Furuya-san, to discuss mud logging. Just after lunch shipboard scientist Dr. Anja Schleicher gave a very interesting presentation about her recent work on clay mineralogy and timing of fault activity as part of the SAFOD (San Andreas Fault Drilling) project. Moe Kyaw Thu joined us yesterday morning as the Logging Staff Scientist for the wireline logging preparations and met with the scientific logging team.
Best regards,
Lisa McNeill, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 26, 2009 (Day 48)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Co-Chief Scientist Lisa McNeill arrived and joined the science party. We drilled through the cement down to 712.7 meters below the seafloor (bottom of the hole) and at 20:45, we start riser drilling operation for the first time in IODP. Drilling fluid (mud) flow level was checked to adjust the position of the science gas sampler. The leak off test was conducted last night; shipboard scientist Dr. Weiren Lin and Dr. Mai-Linh Doan were guests in the cement pumping room during the test. The first cuttings sample was recovered from 712.7 to 715.7 meter below seafloor.
Dr. Natalia Efimenko lead a discussion on "Sediment Inputs to Subduction Zones" which is a comparative study of four subduction zones around the Pacific. Again, a lively discussion preparing everyone for our study of the Kumano Basin.
Best regards,
Lisa McNeill, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 25, 2009 (Day 47)
Weather: Rainy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Now that we're back in operation there's more talk of cores, cuttings and logs, and how can we get everything down - since it's all critical. Although we're still watching the new typhoon most of the morning meeting was about minor repairs and planning for various experiments, especially MDT and VSP. Drilling bit started down yesterday afternoon and is on its way to meeting cement at 700 meter below the seafloor, then drill a few meters and run the leak off test.
Yesterday afternoon shipboard scientist Dr. Christophe Buret talked about a late Cenozoic forearc basin in the North Island of New Zealand that has many similarities to the Kumano Basin - as well as some major differences. Lead to lots of discussion about basins in general, what's going on in New Zealand and what we might find in the bottom of Kumano.
Today, Co-Chief Scientist Eiichiro Araki will disembark, being replaced by another Co-Chief Scientist Lisa McNeill.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 24, 2009 (Day 46)
Weather: Rainy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The BOP was pressurized and tested successfully, yesterday. Mild sea conditions were still around and are supposed to continue for a day or two. Another typhoon has developed near the Philippines that the Captain is watching.
An Operation Geologist visited the lab this afternoon and spent an hour or so discussing various drilling parameters. Many the parameters are displayed in real-time in the lab so we'll be able to watch them. We've also been discussing various contingency options.
We'll be looking at the latest schedule from the OSI carefully and as next Co-Chief Scientist Dr. Lisa McNeill and the logging staff scientist Dr. Moe come onboard later this week, when the core lab should be flooded with cuttings.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 23, 2009 (Day 45)
Weather: Overcast
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The load ring was turning without problem and the typhoon has headed to China, so we're back in operation. The riser diverter has been re-installed so the BOP was pressurized and tested in the few hours. Waves and wind have picked up as predicted but we hoping to run the leak off test and cuttings.
Our afternoon meeting focused on the origin of forearc basins followed by a review of a couple research projects. Very useful discussion, providing background for understanding the Kumano Basin.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 22, 2009 (Day 44)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The load had been disassembled for investigation and maintenance, and assembled again. The BOP has landed and latched again at 21:00 yesterday. We'll be several days behind schedule, so we've started to discuss options. The typhoon is approaching but predictions are ambiguous so far.
Shipboard scientist Dr. Shijun Jiang summarized his work on GeoTech cores at afternoon break with lots of nice scanning electron microscope photos of microfossil among others, which tells us everything we sampled is younger than about 300,000 years. There was a surprisingly high degree of reworking throughout the cores which raised questions about the source of the sediments and the origin of the basin itself.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 21, 2009 (Day 43)
Weather: Overcast
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The load ring has been disassembled, cleaned, polished and nearly reassembled. We spent most of the day flagging for sampling the GeoTech cores, writing various parts of the Proceedings (mostly the Methods sections), and planning a few new research projects related to the cores.
After dinner we gave a tour of the Laboratory to about a dozen of the ships crew. Excellent idea suggested by shipboard scientist, Dr. Mai-Linh Doan.
The tropical storm north of the Philippines is being watched carefully. Wind, rain and waves have picked up today (related toa separate storm south of us).
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 20, 2009 (Day 42)
Weather: Foggy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
After many attempts to loosen the load ring through the night and early morning, the BOP had to be pulled out of the wellhead and the load ring assembly was being removed and disassembled.
The science party has come up with several new questions related to the GeoTech cores so we've called for a new round of sample requests and plan to collect "ship" samples (for onboard measurements) and flag the cores for samples for post-cruise studies of individual scientists. We're also arranging a number of seminars on the projects that have been completed on board as well as more general topics related to Nankai Trough.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 19, 2009 (Day 41)
Weather: Foggy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
After latching the BOP on the wellhead, we had trouble with the tensioner "load ring", which is attached to the riser tensioners that allows the ship to rotate above the hole without twisting the pipe and continued investigation.
We're working on a number of different research projects - drafts and revisions of various methods sections for the Proceedings, setting up a computer and monitor in the library that will monitor drilling parameters in real-time (e.g., drilling fluid logging, weight on bit, rate of penetration), learning about the parameters that influence the quality of cuttings and continuing to fine tune the match between seismic, logs and cores from the Geotec core.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 18, 2009 (Day 40)
Weather: Foggy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
At 15:30, the BOP has landed and we're now attached to the sea floor. Actually landing of the BOP was the most excitement yet. Several pictures of the group watching and cheering as it latched on - now we're really ready for core and cuttings.
Quite a buildup getting here - Our 9:30 morning meeting was actually fairly routine after explaining that counter measures to tentioner, that a Task Based Risk Assessment had been discussed with onshore bases. At 13:00, meeting was a more detailed discussion of the risk assessment and various backup plans. After the meeting when the "OK" was concluded, about 13:30, the OSI and the dozen or so people around the table closed up their notebooks and headed to the drill floor - the BOP was latched an hour later. Clearly everyone was ready to start the riser drilling.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 17, 2009 (Day 39)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The cause of problem on riser tensioner was identified. After system test, BOP and riser pipe will land on the well head.
We've had a number of impromptu discussions about the Kumano Basin as people are pulling the GeoTech data together and reading Stage 1 reports. We've also continued fine-tuning parameters for the MDT(Modular formation Dynamic Tester) experiment, involving ship and shore based groups.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 16, 2009 (Day 38)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Continued investigation on the riser tentioner. After taking counter measures, BOP and riser pipe will be latched on the well head.
We had most of the major equipment in the core processing lab tested and we did the set of sample requests - fluid gas, drilling fluid before and after its mixed with cuttings, cuttings before and after being washed, whole round cores of various sizes and collected at various frequencies and some collected at specific, but as yet undefined intervals, clusters also of various sizes, Anyway, we think we ready to start drilling.
At afternoon, we started a review of NanTroSEIZE Stage 1 and celebrated shipboard scientist Dr. ShiJun Jiang's birthday with a nice fresh cake.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 15, 2009 (Day 37)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Almost completed to descend BOP and riser pipes and waiting connecting to the well head on the seafloor. The problem on part of riser tensioners has been found and continued investigation.
At science party's presentation, the Co-Chief Scientist, Araki summarized his work on observatories and the plan for NanTroSEIZE, including DONET (Dense Oceanfloor Network System for Earthquakes and Tsunamis) and Sites 319-C0009 and NT2-1J.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 14, 2009 (Day 36)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
We spent the morning meeting explaining and discussing the logistics of the VSP experiment. The plan is for the Kairei to deploy 8 OBSs around the drill hole and trace two cross lines and a small circle centered on the Chikyu while shooting air guns every 40 sec. We're hoping for good weather.
At our afternoon coffee break we discussed the plan for moving core through the core lab, trying to incorporate half the normal number of techs and scientists, an overlap between "cuttings on deck" and "core on deck", the need to preserve time sensitive materials and capture time-sensitive data. We're also trying to come up with a reasonable way to collect whole round cores from the area sampled by the MDT (Modular formation Dynamic Tester).
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 13, 2009 (Day 35)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The highlight of the day was the launching of the ROV off the starboard side. All went well and within a few hours it was 2 km below sea level.
The rest of the day was spent putting lithostratigraphic data into database, writing reports, planning science projects, including refining sample and data requests, and testing equipment. We discuss options for synchronizing the Kairei and Chikyu for the VSP (Vertical Seismic Profiling) experiment in the middle of July.
We also had a detailed discussion with the Operation Superintendent and the mud engineer about the physical properties of the mud, particularly viscosity.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 12, 2009 (Day 34)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Continued descending riser pipe with BOP (Blow Out Preventer).
Science party finished processing the last geotech core. Discrete sample measurements are still ongoing. We started the transition to cuttings with an afternoon talk by Shijun Jiang who worked as a cuttings-based biostratigrapher for several years before moving to ODP and IODP - the bottom line is: we hope the material is more rock-like than mud-like. We also reviewed the planned flow for cuttings through Chikyu's Core Processing Deck and plan a more detailed explanation this weekend.
The onboard MDT (Modular formation Dynamic Tester) team has scheduled a meeting for tomorrow morning and hopes to develop a revised blueprint for MDT deployment. We're also working on a whole round core sampling plan. At 14:00, a meeting was held to define the protocol for scientists' works outside the laboratory; Operation Superintendent, Chief HSE Officer and others attended. After the meeting, inspected the work place.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 11, 2009 (Day 33)
Weather: Overcast
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Describing the geotech cores and watching the riser pipe with BOP descend through the moon pool continue to be the center of attention on Chikyu. We've passed from blue colored rings on the riser pipe to green and expect to see fairing in the morning, which means the BOP is within a few hundred meters of the sea floor.
This morning a small group of us toured the cement pumping room (where the LOT will be run in a few days) and watched the cement engineer perform a testso we could have a suite of data to play with and evaluate.
The Co-Chief Scientists and EPM worked this morning with the OSI, OIM, Captain and the Chief HSE Officer to develop a plan so the mud gas geochemists and logging scientists could work outside lab stack while the ship is drilling.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 10, 2009 (Day 32)
Weather: Overcast
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
The BOP (Blow Out Preventor) continues to move down and the weather is great; actually pretty exciting to see the riser pipe and floatation collars moving down regularly - the drillers are rigged up like astronauts tethered to the space shuttle. At 06:00, lowered 940 meters and it is about half of riser pipes. A couple dozen fairing collars were also unloaded from the supply boat this afternoon and evening.
Mud mixing has become one of the main activities and shipboard scientist Dr. Thomas Wiersberg has mud gas line up and running.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 9, 2009 (Day 31)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
For preparation of riser drilling, continued lowering BOP (Blow Out Preventor) and riser pipe, 172 meters at 6:00.
The science party continued processing the geotech cores at Site 903-C9003 (NT2-11B).
The Co-Chiefs Scientists and others had a meeting with engineers about mud water sampling. At the daily afternoon meeting, shipboard scientist Dr. Weiren Lin had a presentation about extended leak-off test.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 8, 2009 (Day 30)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Continued mixing drilling fluid for riser drilling. Thruster investigation confirmed system recovery and from 10:00, esumed lowering BOP (Blow Out Preventor) and riser pipe.
The science party started processing the geotech cores, which had been collected by CDEX/JAMSTEC in this March at this site (903-C9003, NT2-11B). In afternoon, scientists as well as several Lab. technicians got a ship tour of the drill floor. They appreciate Abe-san, OSI, who took them the tour.
A couple of equipments had some troubles in the scientific mud gas monitoring unit.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 7, 2009 (Day 29)
Weather: Fine but cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Drilling fluid was being prepared. Thruster investigation was still ongoing.
Science party prepared core and cuttings processing. Science Cafe was held from 19:00 and seemed to have been successful. Almost 40 people attended. Dr. Tim Byrne summarized NanTroSEIZE Stage 1 and what we're doing here (earthquakes, samples, observatories, downhole seismic experiments). Dr. Thomas Wiersberg gave a presentation on mud gas which also went well.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 6, 2009 (Day 28)
Weather: Rainy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Due to bad weather, waiting to run BOP (Blow Out Preventor) and riser pipes. Mixing drilling fluid for riser drilling. The engineers investigate electrical system of the azimuth thruster.
Science party had first meeting, which was primarily explaining the plans for the next few days as we get ready for the cores sampled during test cruise. We also had a very nice tour of the ship and was nice primarily because OSI (Operation Superintendent) lead the group around and seemed to enjoy the numerous questions. Scientists also organized a daily presentations and planned individual research plan.
Best regards,
Eiichiro Araki, Tim Byrne and Kyoma Takahashi
June 5, 2009 (Day 27)
Weather: Rainy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Two Co-Chief Scientists Araki and Byrne and 11 shipboard scientists embarked with CDEX Expedition Project Manager Takahashi on June 4th, 2009.
Scientists attended safety induction meeting by Chief HSE Officer.
System manager Kido gave them some IT instructions.
Lab. Officer and EPM Takahashi took them to short Lab. tour and instructed them how to use Lab.
Chikyu is preparing BOP running.
Best regards,
Co-Chief Scientist; Eiichiro Araki and Tim Byrne, and EPM; Kyoma Takahashi
June 4, 2009 (Day 26)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Cementing 20 inch casing pipe was successfully completed at 05:00 yesterday morning.
Drill string was pulled out of the hole and BOP (Blow Out Preventer) preparation started in the afternoon. Preparation of BOP continues today.
The first group of the science party will come onboard this morning and the Co-Chief Project Scientist, Dr.Harold Tobin will leave the ship. Although Nobu Eguchi will stay onboard until the morning of June 8th, onboard Expediton Project Manager will change to Kyoma Takahashi from this morning. You will soon hear more scientific aspects of the expedition in this daily report, once riser drilling starts.
Thank you for your support and interest in the expedition and stay tuned.
Best regards,
CPS; Harold Tobin, and EPM; Nobu Eguchi
June 3, 2009 (Day 25)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Operations went smoothly yesterday. The ROV dived to the wellhead, 20 inch casing pipe was lowered to about 2020 m and stayed at that depth until the ship moved to the location.
The casing pipe was stabbed into the wellhead housing at 16:15 and setting was safely and correctly completed. Following the casing set, cement slurry was pumped down into the casing and the cementing work was finished successfully at 05:00 this morning.
Best regards,
CPS; Harold Tobin, and EPM; Nobu Eguchi
June 2, 2009 (Day 24)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
20 inch casing was rigged up and run with inner string.
The ship was moved about 5000 m north of the hole for secure safety operation and started drifting to the hole location this morning while running casing pipe into the water. Sea condition is very calm, good day for the operation.
Best regards,
CPS; Harold Tobin, and EPM; Nobu Eguchi
June 1, 2009 (Day 23)
Weather: Cloudy
Location: NT2-11B, Hole C0009A (33°27’N / 136°32’E)
Implementation of countermeasures of the Dynamic Positioning failure continued and finally agreed to go ahead next operation.
The wiper trip assembly was lowered and ROV examined the well head.
The hole was reentered and two full wiper trips were conducted.
The hole condition is good and we are now ready for 20 inch casing set.
Best regards,
CPS; Harold Tobin, and EPM; Nobu Eguchi
