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Ocean Drilling Consortium (ODC) Proposal for Industry-Sponsored Drilling
Message from Manik Talwani, IODP-MI President/CEO
The SASEC Implementation Plan states that funding is not available for year-round operations on the drillships, only for an average of seven months per year, from 2008-2013. This newsletter is sent to inform the community about an avenue that IODP-MI and the USIO have explored together over the last six months or more, with a number of energy companies: an industry-sponsored ocean-drilling program that would be funded by a consortium of energy companies and that would utilize the JOIDES Resolution for an average of four to five months each year.
The merits of utilizing the drillship for the entire year are obvious, both for maintaining the scientific and technical infrastructure on the ship and ashore, and for maintaining the scope of scientific activities for the full year. This initiative, if successful, would not replace or displace IODP. Instead, it would provide an independent program to support IODP and help maintain its viability.
We are developing a proposal for an industry-sponsored consortium in which research challenges common to the academic community and industry would be pursued. The new program would support long-term industry research interests, rather than serve its short-term exploration interests. This approach obviates a large part of the confidentiality needs inherent to an industry-supported program.
In February, an ad hoc "core group" of academic scientists held a preliminary meeting with industry representatives who chose to start shaping this new drilling initiative by selecting themes rather than sites. Subsequently, sites would be chosen where those themes could best be investigated.
The following (tentative) themes and subthemes were suggested:
1. Genesis and evolution of extensional margins and basin architecture
Hyperextension, volcanic versus magma-poor systems Heat flow history Nature of outer highs, crustal type and origin Burial/subsidence history
2. Stratigraphy and process sedimentology of deepwater systems
Architecture of deep-water reservoirs and seals Shelf margin and upper slope processes Instrumentation experiments, including pressure connectivity Slope stability and mass-transport complexes
3. Distribution, character, and genesis of hydrocarbon source rocks
Mesozoic through Paleogene critical time slice Global anoxia and productivity Defining temporal and spatial limits (and why) Forcing mechanisms—paleoclimate, etc.
At a continuing meeting in April, the outline for an industry-supported drilling program will be further developed, based on the themes stated above. This meeting also will plan an industry-supported workshop of industry and academic scientists to be held in June, to finalize proposal content with an emphasis on sites that address the themes’ academic and industry interests. The completed program proposal would be submitted to industry in the August to September 2008 time frame. Commitments from the energy companies would be sought by May 2009.
The proposal would fund drilling on the JOIDES Resolution for an average of four to five months each year, from 2010-2013. Specifics of the budget are not even close to being resolved, but the following figures are under consideration: $7 million dollars per month; includes $3.6 million for basic shipboard drilling services, $1.7 million for infrastructure that USIO needs to maintain required services, and $1.7 million for science. Annual science funding in the amount of $6.8 million if just four months are funded, $8.5 million if five months are funded; sum would provide for scientists' salaries for shipboard and shore-based work, as well as ancillary studies.
This program would be independently funded, and therefore, rules regarding proposal submission, review, and implementation will differ from those of IODP. Because the two programs will use the same drillship, coordination with regard to logistics, minimized transit times, and maintaining the continuity of infrastructure will be essential.
There may be overlaps between sites proposed for IODP and sites developed for the new program. However, the new program will meticulously refrain from infringing on the intellectual property rights of scientists who have submitted proposals to IODP. On the other hand, all scientists will be free to submit their proposals to the new program, if they so choose.
Enormous hurdles, both managerial and financial, must be overcome for the Consortium to become a reality. If we are successful, the rewards will be large and long-lasting. There are many as yet unanswered questions about the optimum program plan. We believe the guiding principles should be 1) to design the best possible scientific program that is of mutual academic/industry interest, and 2) to create enhanced research opportunities for the entire Earth science community. We invite scientists, irrespective of their national origin, to provide their comments and indications of interest to
or
. A more formal invitation to attend the June workshop will be extended to the community.
Ultimately, it is the input from academic and industry scientists that will determine the shape of the program undertaken by the consortium.
Hyperextension, volcanic versus magma-poor systems