The Deep-sea Drilling Vessel Chikyu Test Drilling off the Shimokita Peninsula
- Interruption of Operation -

    The Deep-sea Drilling Vessel Chikyu of Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC; Yasuhiro Kato, President) is continuing test drilling off the Shimokita Peninsula (100 kilo meters north east off Hachinohe City) at the test site (Appendix). However, the test drilling had to be suspended because a malfunction of the cuttings transfer mechanism had found in the mud disposal unit (*1) at 5:30am on Oct. 6th, when it had reached 647m under the sea floor. At this moment, cause of the defect is under investigation on the vessel. Since approach of a low-pressure to the site is predicted, Chikyu is standing by beneath a stormy sky under the condition of the emergency disconnect sequence available any time.

*1 the mud disposal system: Equipment to separate drilled unnecessary debris from mud with fluid used for the riser drilling, thicken and dry to discard.