Ice stops drilling project

Press, 27 November 1979, Page 21

Ice stops drilling project

PA Wellington The main drilling project of the New Zealand Antarctic research programme has been abandoned because of early movement of annual sea ice in McMurdo Sound. Drilling stopped on Friday when what appeared to be an obstruction was encountered. Inspection showed that the drill bit had been bent five degrees as a result of movement of the sea ice, which put the drilling rig platform out of alignment with the drill hole. Although the McMurdo Sound sediment and tectonic studies project had drilled 230 metres into the seabed, the obstruction occurred only six metres beneath the seafloor and was serious enough to cause curtailment of drilling Mr R. B. Thomson, Superintendent of the Antarctic Division of the D.5.1.R.. said scientists and drillers at the site were disappointed to have got so deep, but not to have reached target. “However, we are very satisfied with the data obtained and the 230-metre core will tell us much about development of the Antarctic ice sheet, the flora of old Antarctica, and more recent geological events in the Ross Sea area.” Mr Thomson said the drillers had worked hard under most difficult conditions; some would return to New Zealand this week.