BEST PRACTICES IN THE DEVELOPMENT

OF SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROJECTS

EDITED BY

ANDREW S. COHEN

DENNIS L. NIELSON

NOVEMBER 2003

Andy Cohen...........................

David Dinter..........................

John Eichelberger..................

Wilfred Elders........................

John Farrell..........................

Emi Ito..................................

John King..............................

Kate Moran ...........................

Dennis Nielson.....................

Paul Olsen............................

Terry Quinn...........................

Doug Schnurrenberger..........

Buck Sharpton......................

Donald Thomas....................

Mark Zoback........................

University of Arizona

University of Utah

University of Alaska

University of California, Riverside

JOI

University of Minnesota, LACCORE

University of Rhode Island

University of Rhode Island

DOSECC

Columbia University, LDEO

University of South Florida

University of Minnesota, LACCORE

University of Alaska

University of Hawaii

Stanford University

BEST PRACTICES WORKING GROUP

BEST PRACTICES IN THE DEVELOPMENT

OF SCIENTIFIC DRILLING PROJECTS

Edited by

Andrew S. Cohen

Dennis L. Nielson

Report of a Workshopheld on May 31, 2003

Radisson Metrodome HotelMinneapolis, MN

November 2003DOSECC, Inc.

Funded by Continental Dynamics Program of the

U.S. National Science Foundation

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Title Page

Executive Summary 5

Introduction 7

Concept Development andProject Team Formation 10

Critical Background for Preparationof a Successful Proposal 15

Funding 18

Project Coordination 19

Logistics and Project Execution 21

Onsite Management ofDrilling Operations 23

Post-Drilling Considerations 25

References 25

APPENDICES

Appendix 1. Roles and Responsibilitiesin a Scientific Drilling Project 26

Appendix 2. Scientific Drilling PlanningChecklist 28

Appendix 3. Scientific Drilling Logistics 29Checklist

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARYContinental Scientific Drilling has anestablished record in the advancement of theearth sciences. The Continental ScientificDrilling Program was carried out in the U. S.between 1985 and 1994 and has beensucceeded by the International ContinentalScientific Drilling Program. Currently,projects of national and internationalinterest are underway, and the distinctionbetween continental and ocean drilling isbeing crossed. However, the process ofdeveloping a scientific drilling project,particularly one of international scope, iscomplex and both scientists and fundingagencies need to understand the practicalrequirements that lead to a successfulproject.

In an effort to provide input to fundingagencies concerning the scientist’sperspective of the proposal process and toprovide a road map for scientistscontemplating a scientific drilling proposal,DOSECC convened a workshop in May 2003 toaddress Best Practices in the Development ofScientific Drilling Projects. This reportdefines the stages from initial conceptthrough the post-drilling activities, andpresents recommendations that will be ofinterest for proponents of scientific drillingprojects, particularly those that will haveinternational participation.

The initial stage of a drilling project ispresented in the context of ConceptDevelopment and Project Team Formation. Ascientific drilling project is a complexundertaking, and the make up of the team ofscientific investigators and drilling experts iscritical for success. The best approach toinitiate a project is a workshop where the

project team is formed and plans areestablished for preparing a scientific drillingproposal. At this early stage, funding optionsare discussed and the fund-raisingresponsibilities of investigators areestablished. Interpersonal relationships areextremely important, and a cooperativeatmosphere must be established at this earlystage. Following the workshop, the PI’s mustdecide whether to move the project to theproposal stage.

The next component of the projectdevelopment process is described as theCritical Background for the Preparation of aSuccessful Proposal. This stage is where allof the information for the preparation of asuccessful proposal comes together. Theworkshop may identify additional scientificinvestigations necessary to complete theproposal. A detailed drilling plan and anadministrative plan will be required for theproposal as will a schedule that takes intoaccount the integration of the scientific anddrilling requirements of the project. It isalso necessary for the project team toestablish policies with respect to sampleaccess and publications. Since there willcommonly be applications to multiplefunding agencies, the mechanics of proposalpreparation and the requirements and timingof different funding agencies will influencethe proposal preparation process.

Funding for scientific drilling projectscommonly involves multiple agencies ofdifferent nationalities that may also requiretheir funding to be used for specificpurposes. Also, it has become common forsome funding agencies to separate fundingfor drilling from the subsequent scientific

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investigations. Some investigators may notbe able to satisfy their funding obligationsand may have to leave the project, making areevaluation of project scope and staffingnecessary.

Following funding, the scientific andengineering team enters a predrilling phaseof project preparation that this report termsProject Coordination. This stage requiresregular communication between the principalproject participants. This is the periodduring which contracts are established, andbudgets are updated and finalized. Shortlybefore operations are initiated, the PIs needto hold a kickoff meeting and assure theirprocedures are in place for communicationwith the project team, sponsors and thescientific drilling community.

Logistics and Project Execution describesmany of the logistical details that must beaddressed before drilling equipment andscience and drilling crews arrive at thelocation. At this time, final decisions will bemade concerning the people who will beresponsible for different aspects of theproject. For instance, it may be beneficialto designate a person who will be responsiblefor handing onsite logistics. Permittingrequirements vary widely and must becompleted at this stage of the process.

Mobilization and demobilization must beaddressed, and arrangements for sitesecurity should be completed. Anenvironmental and pollution preventionreview should also take place. Sincescientific drilling projects will be of interestto the local population, a program of publicoutreach should be planned.

Onsite Management of Drilling Operationsdescribes activities and decisions to beexpected while the drilling operations are inprogress. Personnel and environmentalsafety are important components duringoperations. Unforeseen circumstances mayrequire deviations from the drilling plan, anda formal management structure is requiredto avoid confusion. Timely dissemination ofinformation to project team members andsponsoring organizations is essential. Also, ascientific drilling operation provides theopportunity to hold workshops that should beattended by proponents of future projects.

Following the completion of operations, thePost-Drilling considerations will involvesample handling and initiation of scientificinvestigations. It is important to publicizethe initial results to other scientists,educational organizations and the public atlarge as soon as possible following drilling.

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INTRODUCTION

Within the US science establishment,scientific drilling on the continents hasfollowed a separate path from the OceanDrilling Program (ODP). Between 1985 and1994, a U.S. Continental Scientific DrillingProgram (CSDP) was established under theguidance of an Interagency CoordinatingGroup (ICG) formed by the National ScienceFoundation (NSF), U. S. Geological Survey(USGS) and the Department of Energy (DOE).The scientific basis for this program wasdescribed in Zoback et al. (1988), and thatreport concluded “...it is fair to say thatthere is no branch of the solid earth sciencesthat would not benefit greatly from acontinental scientific drilling program.” Inorder to aid the ICG in the implementation ofscientific drilling projects, DOSECC (Drilling,Observation and Sampling of the Earth’sContinental Crust, Inc.) was formed in 1984.The CSDP completed a series of successfulprojects that involved a total of 948individuals representing 184 institutions.

In 1994, the International ContinentalScientific Drilling Program (ICDP) wasestablished through funding from the US,Germany and Japan (Zoback andEmmermann, 1993). This program resides atthe GeoForschungs Zentrum in Potsdam,Germany and, since its establishment, it hasexpanded to include many other membercountries. ICDP funding is generallyrestricted to drilling operations, and ittypically funds only a fraction of total drillingcosts. Project proponents must raise theadditional funds necessary for drilling and allfunds required for scientific investigationsfrom the scientific funding agencies of theirrespective countries. As a consequence ofthe international aspect of ICDP, legitimate

scientific drilling projects may not qualify forfunding because the scope of the proposedinvestigation is of regional or national ratherthan international interest.

In keeping with ICDP’s theme, a recent trendwithin the scientific drilling community is forprojects to involve principal investigatorsfrom different countries who havemultidisciplinary and interdisciplinaryscientific objectives. These projects utilizemultiple international funding sources thattend to be earmarked for specificcomponents of the project. Internationalcooperation and the involvement of multiplefunding agencies increase the complexity oforganizing, funding and implementing drillingprojects.

This increased complexity requires acooperative team approach by the projectparticipants that must include scientificinvestigators as well as drilling experts. Ahigh degree of communication is necessaryfor the establishment of schedules, budgets,logistics and operations as well as personneland environmental safety plans.Communication should involve face-to-facemeetings by the project participants, thatare both more difficult and more necessaryin the case of international projects. Projectsuccess requires that all principals satisfytheir obligations to the project team.

Investigators wishing to initiate a scientificdrilling project are faced with a number ofhurdles. First, they must understand theprocedures necessary to navigate through anarray of requirements from different fundingagencies. Second, they must understand thecomponents of a successful scientific drilling

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project. Third, they must circumnavigate anumber of gaps in the process that couldaffect both the successful outcome as well astheir ability to participate in the associatedscientific investigations. This report isintended to address these issues by providinga road map for investigators that discussesthe numerous stages through which acontinental drilling project must evolve inthe current operational and fundingenvironment.

In May 2003, a panel of experts convened inMinneapolis to review the current process fordeveloping a scientific drilling project, thisdocument presents the results of thosediscussions. Recommendations for improvingthe supporting infrastructure for U.S.scientists have been proposed separately.

The following sections address thecomponents of best practices for initiatingand completing a scientific drilling project.Figure 1 is a flow chart showing the stepsthat were identified by the workshopparticipants. The following topics wereaddressed by breakout groups and form thebasis for this report.

Concept and Project Team FormationBackground for Preparation of aProposalFundingProject CoordinationLogistics and Project ExecutionManagement of Drilling Operations

Throughout the presentation that follows,the major elements in the development andoperation of a successful continental drillingproject and the roles of key participants arediscussed. Although the titles and jobdescriptions may vary, the roles describedare required to plan and implement a projectsuccessfully. Appendix 1 lists the roles andresponsibilities of key individuals and servesas a reference for the following discussion.

The panel also recognized that scientificdrilling projects display a range ofcomplexity from a single investigator whohires a local drilling contractor through aninternational multi-investigator deep drillingproject with a budget of more than $10million. The following discussion is weightedtoward the larger, more complex projects toprovide a more extensive discussion ofoptions.

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Figure 1. Scientific

Drilling Flow Chart.

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CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

AND PROJECT TEAM FORMATION

Project Initiation

A scientific drilling project is generallyinitiated by a small group of scientists whorequire drilling as a research tool. Scientistswho are contemplating a continentalscientific drilling project need to recognizefrom the outset that they are embarking on alarge, complex and expensive endeavor; onethat currently has few clear road maps. Thusit is incumbent upon project proponents thatthey approach the problem realistically,while at the same time framing their projectin a way that is likely to excite the widerscientific community.

A scientific drilling project must be based ona very strong scientific premise to be asuccessful candidate for funding. Projectsthat cannot formulate clear and broadlyappreciated scientific goals are unlikely togarner the support needed to proceed. Thus,from the outset PIs need to “think big” andstate in a few words the “global” significanceof their project. In addition, they need to beable to articulate the reason that drilling isthe key to attaining their scientificobjectives. These statements can beintegrative but should not exceed two orthree key points so as not to dilute the coremessage. Potential PIs without priorexperience in drilling project developmentshould seek out advice at a very early stagefrom experienced colleagues who may have abetter grasp of the importance of this goalsetting process.

Identifying A Team

Most successful drilling projects result fromthe efforts of a small group of extremely

committed scientists who are willing to takethe lead and invest large amounts ofenthusiasm, time and energy. Converselymany projects fail because the participantsdo not have a sufficiently high level ofcommitment, or because the commitmentand effort falls disproportionately on a singleindividual who lacks the ability to organizethe project alone.

We refer to the core group of committedscientists as the Principal Investigators (PIs).A successful PI team will consist ofindividuals with very different skills, somewho understand broad scientific issues (the“big-thinkers”) who can give direction toformulating the project’s overall messageand objectives, some with technicalexpertise or interpersonal skills, that areimportant for keeping the project on track,and some with political savvy, who cannegotiate the complex set of activitiesneeded to fund and operate the project. It isimportant to identify a core team of PIs whoagree on a minimal set of objectives requiredfor the success of the project. All of theseaspects will become important at differentstages of the progress of the proposal andprogression of operations. PIs need to givethis issue some attention as they developtheir core team and add additionalparticipants.

In the earliest phases of projectdevelopment, formulation of scientificobjectives and definition of study locations,depths and numbers of holes, are likely todominate PIs’ discussions. Initially these arebest addressed in small informal groups,through e-mail or phone conversations. Asthe concept begins to mature, however, it

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will quickly become important for theproponents to enter into a more formal andlarger-scale team building phase. PIs need todo this with their eyes open to a host ofpossible problems. Probably the mostcommon mistake is recruitment of co-investigators who are not really committedto the project. These may be identified outof convenience (“scientist X is in mydepartment and might be willing to beinvolved”) or from misinterpretation ofcasual but noncommittal conversations. Suchindividuals may not have the commitment to“stay the course” through what is likely to bea long and arduous road to an actual drillingcampaign. Projects with Co-PIs who do nothave a strong interest, or who areparticipating as a result of top-downdirectives are less likely to be successful.Clearly it is sometimes necessary to recruitindividuals with specific technical expertise,but the core PIs should be alert to thepossibility that such individuals may be overcommitted. It is essential to recruitindividuals with a direct professional interestin the project’s scientific objectives tomaximize the likelihood that their interestwill be strong. Friction can arise if factionswithin a drilling research team feel thatother workers were foisted on them.Interpersonal problems that develop early inthe project are unlikely to go away later.

Formation of a team of highly interestedparticipants is best accomplished through anopenly advertised workshop whereparticipation is self-selected. Very early inthe drilling planning process science teamsshould seek funding to hold such meetings.

Organizing A Drilling Workshop

A drilling workshop is generally the first fullpublic airing of the scientific drillingconcept. The project should not bepresented as an accomplished fact, butneither should it be so immature that time iswasted in overly wide-ranging discussions.This issue is usually addressed during reviewof the workshop proposal. The workshopgives interested scientists a chance tobecome involved and shape the program,while at the same time giving the leadershelpful feedback, a general sense of the levelof enthusiasm and “marketability”, and inputon key contributors and proponents. Goals ofthe workshop should be to:

Establish a core PI team (projectleaders, ~3)

Establish science teams, chaired by PIs Refine and prioritize scientific

objectives Formulate a drilling strategy Review the feasibility and cost ranges

of different alternatives Develop an overall project plan.

To insure a broad range of scientificparticipation, the workshop should beadvertised in a widely read scientificnewsletter. The response to this can aid thePIs by strengthening the scientific team andattracting complementary science.

The purpose of a workshop is to organize andplan. PIs should take considerable pains toinsure that participants understand theseobjectives through pre-meeting circulars,websites, and e-mail correspondence.

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Although discussion of prior results isvaluable in allowing individual participants todemonstrate their interest in the project, thePIs should make sure that this componentdoes not dominate the time available for themeeting. Allotting time for plenary discussionof major science objectives and technicalissues is critical.

In reviewing the workshop participant list,the PIs need to ask themselves if thecapabilities of candidate team members areadequate for the mission. Well before theworkshop, the core team should go throughthe exercise of identifying the necessary andappropriate scientific and technical/engineering expertise required for theirobjectives to be met and making sure each ofthose areas is well represented in theparticipant list.

PIs need to insure group cooperation andcommunication. At a drilling workshop manyideas will be presented, often coveringconceptual ground well beyond what the corescience team originally anticipated. The PIteam needs to think carefully about thepluses and minuses of altering its directionto accommodate additional team memberswith different objectives. The PIs also needto pay close attention not only to what isbeing said and by whom, but also to howgroup interactions develop. A successfulteam will be one where the participants aredetermined by a consensus of otherscientists. Core PIs should avoid artificialgroupings of researchers with highlypolarized approaches to science. Ininternational projects, PIs need to be awareof differences in approach to science thatare culturally based and should adjust their

working relationship with their colleaguesaccordingly if they are to avoid problemslater.

A major outcome of the workshop should bea prioritization of the scientific objectives ofthe drilling program that identifies thefollowing.

1. The core scientific sampling and on-site measurement program that isrequired for the success of theproject (i.e., the on-site work thatwould be sufficient to declare theproject had achieved the major goalsof drilling).

2. The highest priority science thatmust be completed in order todeclare the project a success.

3. Worthwhile additional scientificstudies that should be carried out astime and resources permit.

4. Lower priority add-on science.

Before convening a drilling workshop, thecore PI team should begin discussions withdrilling experts from organizations such asDOSECC, the commercial drilling industry,ICDP and engineering groups familiar withthe challenges likely to be faced by theproject. Core PIs are strongly encouraged tomake use of the DOSECC (www.dosecc.org)and ICDP (www.icdp-online.org) websites toobtain information on the drilling and loggingequipment available to the scientificcommunity. It is critical to begin thesediscussions before a drilling workshopbecause some suggested directions of inquirymay be impractical for technical reasons.Before, during and after the workshop thereis a need to continuously integrate the

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scientific, logistical and technological needsof the project. Appendix 2 is a planningchecklist of topics that should be consideredin project formulation.

PIs should identify necessary drillingexpertise needed to guide them through thedevelopment of their technical proposal.Small projects using standard drillingtechniques may not require a dedicatedengineer to guide the project leaders thoughthe project design. However, PIs developinglarge projects, or ones using innovativetechnology, should consider hiring acompetent and independent engineer to helpthem prepare the drilling plan and budget.This person will also function as the team’srepresentative, assist in selection of adrilling contractor and serve as the interfacewith their drilling operator. PIs may need tobudget ~$500/day for the services of such aperson.

During the drilling workshop, the PIs need toinsure that consideration is given to allcritical points necessary to allow the projectto move forward to a proposal developmentphase. Important issues include thefollowing:

1. Have important scientific questions andinformation gaps been identified?

2. Have the PIs and engineers made anadequate assessment of the technologyrequired for the project?

3. Is there general agreement about aproposal strategy and/or potentialfunding sources?

4. Are there a sufficient number ofcommitted participants for the projectto succeed?

5. Is there good agreement betweenscientific and technical participantsconcerning objectives and general plans?

6. Are additional site surveys or feasibilitystudies necessary?

PIs will spend a considerable amount of theirown and other people’s time organizing andparticipating in the meeting. It is imperativethat the discussion doesn’t get bogged downon side issues or turn into a mini-symposiumof individual investigators’ research withoutadequate time being allotted to discussion ofthe road ahead.

Planning for sampling and logging (both coreand geophysical) should begin during theworkshop. Frequently, the enthusiasm of co-investigators will depend on their perceptionof how valuable the cores and holes will beto their objectives. A thoroughly discussedand well conceived logging plan will go a longway towards satisfying these concerns formany participants. On-site core logging isstrongly advised and PIs may wish to discussthis option during the workshop. ICDPcurrently has a GeoTek logging systemavailable for use on ICDP projects and otherGeoTek systems are probably available withinthe scientific drilling community. At present,downhole logging can be arranged throughICDP using slim-hole logging tools. PIs shouldconsider the possibilities of logging whiledrilling (LWD) technology, as it becomes morereadily available.

Depending on the complexity of the drillingproject, more than one workshop may berequired to organize and provide input to theproposal. This may be the case if the initialworkshop finds the concept to be tooimmature to justify a proposal. It also maybe the case if the PIs determine it isnecessary to address technology (drilling)issues separately from scientific issues,

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particularly if the proposed drilling presentsunusual or difficult technological challenges.

Moving Ahead

Shortly after a drilling workshop is held, thePI team needs to decide if there aresufficient information, scientific questionsand expertise to move ahead to a proposalplanning stage. PIs need to assess thisquestion honestly and carefully; the timeinvested in organizing a workshop is trivialcompared with what comes next. PIs need todetermine if they have the expertise to makequalified decisions. They should know thelimits of their knowledge and not be afraid toseek out additional help on key decisions.Some scientific drilling projects havebenefited greatly from input from technicaland scientific advisory groups.

PIs should understand the ramifications ofusing particular sources of funding. Differentagencies have different rules concerning thecomplex procedures involved in proposing aproject. PIs need to educate themselvesabout such differences if they areconsidering multiple funding sources.

By this stage, if not earlier, the core sciencegroup should identify its project leaders,those who will be responsible for makingdecisions. The team building process alsoinvolves pruning the list of goals of theproject to an achievable whole. There is a

fine balance between learning about new andexciting directions from workshopparticipants and becoming distracted bydirections that are unlikely to hold theattention of the team or the scientificcommunity during the proposal reviewprocess. It is also valuable for the PIs todefine the decision making process amongproject leaders as well as between projectleaders and collaborators at this time. Themanagement structure may evolve over thecourse of the project, but unfortunateinterpersonal consequences can result if theproject proceeds to the proposal submissionstage without leadership and collaboratorselection/coordination issues having beenadequately addressed.

Part of establishing a scientific managementstructure in the project development stageinvolves ensuring that both the immediatescientific community and the key programofficers at relevant funding agenciesunderstand this structure. It is useful to layout an explicit organizational structure withidentified responsibilities prior to proposalsubmission.

By the end of the workshop, many aspects ofthe drilling project will have been decided.However, it is likely that additionalinformation will be required prior tosubmittal of a proposal.

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Determination of technologicalrequirements and expertise

Once a scientific and engineering workshophas been held, the PIs are in a position tobegin preparing their drilling proposal. PIsby this time will have paid close attention toscientific objectives and hypotheses to betested through drilling, but they may havegiven incomplete consideration to thetechnical aspects that can also make orbreak a proposal. PIs should pay particularattention to the recommendations of theirdrilling workshop in areas such as technologyand safety and environmental concernswhere their expertise may be more limited.

Post-workshop, On-SiteInvestigations

Many scientific and technical questions mayarise from a drilling workshop that can onlybe addressed by additional surveys. Despitethe perception PIs may have that more workis unnecessary or redundant, theinvestigators must pay close attention tosuch recommendations, especially when theyarise from experts in the field. The samequestions are likely to be raised by panelistsat the time the proposal is reviewed.

Although the PIs may have a great deal ofexperience working in the area where drillingis proposed, it is unlikely that they will haveconsidered all of the challenges from thedrilling engineering standpoint. Therefore,prospective PIs are well advised to organize asite visit with their drilling engineer in theearly stages of post-workshop planning. Theengineer will have questions on a wide rangeof subjects, from road/port conditions toaccommodations and meals for the crew, to

safety hazards. Almost all of these are bestconsidered when the engineer is on-site andcan more easily anticipate potentialproblems.

Establishing a drilling plan

A major evaluation point of any scientificdrilling project will be the quality of itsdrilling plan. In the pre-funding period theplan will be a more generalized document,which will evolve as the resources availableand timetable become clearer. Thus we willreturn to the development of a drilling planat several points in this document. Thedetails of the drilling plan and schedule mustbe discussed between the PIs and theirengineer prior to final proposal submission toinsure that the proposed budget is adequatefor the operations anticipated. The initialschedule should be science driven (i.e., whenwill everything be in place to do the bestscience). However, a host of secondaryconsiderations need to be taken underadvisement in developing the plan. At somesites weather windows are a strong factor inscheduling, for example, in determining drillrig transport to off-road locations, orbecause of wave problems in lake or coastalsites. The best available synoptic climateinformation should be used to makescheduling decisions. Once funding is inplace and contracts are let, it will be moredifficult and expensive to effect a change inthe schedule.

The planning document should include awritten agreement among projectparticipants outlining their respectiveresponsibilities to the project. Although sucha document is not currently required byfunding agencies it should be a standard

CRITICAL BACKGROUND FOR PREPARATION

OF A SUCCESSFUL PROPOSAL

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element of good planning to insure properoperation of drilling activities.

Establishing an AdministrativePlan

The administration of a scientific drillingproject can be complex and should bediscussed between the PIs and drillingengineer or knowledgeable consultants. Thisrole involves establishing subcontracts,tracking expenses, verifying invoices andpaying vendors. Large drilling projects willoften have 10 to 20 subcontractors.Unexpected events are common in drillingprojects, and the administrator must beprepared to establish new subcontracts andmodify expected spending patterns quickly.Expenses must be tracked carefully andfinancial status reports must be available ona daily basis if needed. For these reasons,administration of a drilling project,particularly one that is large, is often runthrough a general contractor. The use of ageneral contractor will have a costimplication; and therefore, this aspect of theproject must be determined before budgetsare submitted.

Scheduling project phases

Given the complexity inherent in scientificdrilling projects, PIs need to pay closeattention to project scheduling. Early in theproposal development phase, the PIs shoulddetermine a realistic timeline of specificactivities. This includes development ofspecialized equipment/tools, predrillingpreparation activities, equipment shippingand project mobilization, drilling, samplingand logging, demobilization, post-drillingsample shipment and handling, and post-

drilling science. Frequently this schedulewill be driven by external realities imposedby weather windows, funding cycles,schedule conflicts, and equipmentavailability, all factors which may not be easyto synchronize.

Sample and data access/distribution procedures

Core handling, including archiving andstorage, is an issue that merits particularattention because much of the value ofdrilling resides with the long-term archivingand preservation of the samples collected.For the US lake-drilling community, the post-drilling handling and storage of cores iscurrently managed by LacCore, the NationalLake Core Repository located at theUniversity of Minnesota. PIs in lake drillingprojects should consult with LacCore toformulate a sample preservation/state/archival plan.

PIs should be aware that funding agenciesdiffer in their requirements for sampleaccess. PIs must familiarize themselves withthese rules from a very early point indetailed planning, particularly when multiplefunding sources are envisioned. The DOSECCwebsite (http://www.dosecc.org/html/documents.html) links to a table thatsummarizes sample access policies ofdifferent organizations.

As part of the project plan, the core PIsshould lay out a process for distributingsamples, deciding sampling priorities, andgenerally insuring that samples will be usedmost efficiently. For example, carefulforethought on the part of the PIs willestablish that materials subject to

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nondestructive analyses can be subsequentlyused in destructive analyses. PIs are stronglyurged to establish a sampling flow chart thatplots the fate of materials obtained fromworking core splits, to insure maximalbenefit to the scientific community and toreduce confusion and friction betweendifferent groups of researchers studying thesame core.

Communication of results anddecisions regardingpublications

PIs are urged to follow the successful ODPmodel of publication planning. In brief, thePIs and their collaborators should have a planfor submission of publications (includingauthorship) following conclusion of drilling.PIs should make every effort to rapidlypublish their initial results in summary formin journals such as EOS, Geotimes, etc.Generally it should be understood among thescience team that such publication should becoauthored by the scientific party of theproject, including PIs and other co-investigators heavily involved in variousdrilling and early post-drilling aspects.

Preparation Of A SuccessfulProposal

PIs should work closely with their engineer indeveloping drilling budgets. There may beseveral options for tackling a particulardrilling project with pluses and minusesattached to each. PIs should go through acareful cost-benefit analysis with theirengineer. PIs should be particularly carefulnot to become wedded to a specifictechnology without considering alternatives.Cost estimation should be done with a

contingency of ~20% to accommodateunforeseen difficulties and a probable timelag of approximately two years from proposalsubmission to drilling time. It is important toremember that budgets will be fixed when agrant is awarded. However, drilling costs arenot fixed and always seem to increase withtime. Experience shows that projects thatare delayed suffer financial problems as aconsequence.

An initial drilling proposal should be theproduct of the workshop; however, it is likelyto go through a number of iterations duringthe peer and panel review process. PotentialPIs should be aware that different fundingagencies organize this review process in verydifferent ways. Also, funding agenciescurrently have different policies with respectto mentoring reviews prior to final projectevaluation. The ICDP proposal processencourages the submission of a pre-proposalto receive general review and advice fromthe ICDP Science Advisory Group. Similarly,NSF’s Continental Dynamics Programencourages preliminary proposals. PIs areencouraged to take advantage of this freeadvice.

Serious problems can arise if the PIs do notunderstand the policies of different fundingagencies. The PI team is strongly advised toseek advice on appropriate strategies fromscientists who have trodden the path beforethem.

PIs have commonly used a strategy of writinga master proposal that outlines the entirescope of the project. This includes theentire statement of work as well as thecomplete budget. Individuals can use thisdocument to support funding requests totheir respective funding agencies.

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The funding of continental drilling projects istypically more complex than for stand-aloneresearch projects. Increasingly, scientificdrilling projects utilize multiple fundingsources that commonly include NSF, ICDP andthe scientific funding agencies of theinternational project participants. There area number of difficulties that PIs mayexperience using multi-agency funding.

· Different organizations have differentschedules for proposal submittal andfunding.

· Some funding is restricted, in thatdifferent agencies, or even differentsections of the same agency, may requiretheir funds be used for particular aspectsof the project.

· Funding for drilling activities isseparated from the funding for scientificinvestigations. The rationale for this isthat drilling is risky and the amount ofcore available for analysis is not assured.However, it is necessary for the projectproponents to discuss the timing offunding with agency representatives priorto proposal submittal so that sciencefunding can be scheduled toaccommodate the expected amount ofsample. Separate funding of drilling andscience raises the possibility that PIscould be able to do all the work insample collection but not be able toperform their scientific studies before

samples come off a moratorium periodand are available to the community atlarge.

• There may be gaps in funding at criticalpoints. In particular, funding for projectcoordination meetings betweenparticipants, and advisory panels, isoften neglected.

· The timing of funding is critical to theefficient management of a scientificdrilling project. Potential PIs need to beaware of the current limitations, andfunding agencies need to be alerted tothe timing problems that complexfunding processes engender.

Multi-agency proposals have the drawbackthat one or more funding entities may rejectthe proposal. If that happens, the PIs mustreevaluate the scope of the project as wellas the level of participation of differentinvestigators. It is often the case that amore limited but worthwhile range ofscientific objectives can be met at lower costthan originally proposed. This also may bethe point where some team members areforced to drop out due to lack of support.The agencies that have agreed to sponsor theproject may be able to provide supplementalfunding, although that may require anotherfunding cycle with associated delays.

FUNDING

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Once a scientific drilling project has beenfunded, the science and engineering teamenters the predrilling phase of projectpreparation. This intense, detailed planningprocess typically involves an array ofexpertise in final site selections, contracting,borehole design, science, and permitting.The PIs should monitor who will be makingdecisions on specific activities, how RFPs areto be developed for subcontracts, how thebidding process will proceed, and howcontractors and subcontractors are to bereviewed for performance. Depending on thescope and complexity of the drillingoperation, this task may be assigned to oneof the PIs, the drilling engineer, or anadvisory group. PIs may be in the bestposition to understand potential problemsthat will require contingency planning, forexample adverse or dangerous drillingconditions, adverse weather or civil unrest.A small focused workshop involving bothscientists and drilling experts may benecessary at this stage to consider siteselection details, technological issues,materials and supplies and instrumentationto be used. Based on any plan revisionsadopted at this point, PIs should implementsupplementary safety, environmental andbudget reviews. PIs should establish aschedule for regular meetings and/orconference calls if required by location. PIsshould view their planning document as ageneral template for activities, but shouldupdate it regularly as information, costs andconditions change prior to drilling. Goodcommunication between the science anddrilling team is essential. Inevitably,compromises will be necessary betweenscientific goals and technical and budgetrealities.

PROJECT COORDINATION

Selecting a Drilling Operator

Since most scientific drilling projectsconducted by US-based PIs will be sponsoredby the Federal Government, the use of acommercial drilling contractor will require aprocurement with a public notification, bidpackage, review and award. Although this isa step that could happen prior to proposalsubmission, in practice, it takes place afterfunding is in hand. The time span betweenproposal submission and projectimplementation is long enough (~2 years)that bids would not be valid for that lengthof time.

There are several cost options that arecommonly used in the drilling industry,including turnkey, day rate and footage ratecontracts. A turnkey contract requests thatspecified work be completed for a fixed cost.The disadvantage of such a contract is that itplaces the full risk of performance on thedrilling contractor and therefore, the cost ofassuming these risks is high. The day ratecontract is perhaps the most commonly used,and is often seen as an IADC (InternationalAssociation of Drilling Contractors) contractform that is used both as a bid request andcontract. This approach establishes ratesthat are based on operational days plusmobilization/demobilization and materials.Inherent in this type of contract is theunderstanding that the drilling contractor isoperating under the direction of the client. Afootage contract will base the cost on thefootage drilled. This type of contract iscommonly used by the mining industry;however, it is less appropriate in scientificdrilling where scientists may wish to suspend

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operations while measurements are made inthe hole. It is also common to see acombination of the day rate and footagecontract where the contractor requires abase price per day plus a rate per footdrilled. In any case, the bid documents mustbe carefully constructed and fit the purposesof the project.

For large projects, it is often desirable toschedule a site visit for prospective drillingoperators. This visit should be held at thedrill site and should familiarize contractorswith local conditions. It will also serve toclarify any questions prospective drillingcontractors may have concerning the RFP.

Following submission of proposals by drillingcontractors, the PIs and the drilling engineerneed to jointly review the offerings andchoose a contractor. Federal guidelinessuggest that the low-cost bid should receivethe award. However, in the drilling business,the low-bid may prove more expensive in thelong run. At this point, it is oftenappropriate for the drilling engineer to visitrigs that were offered in the proposals. Thecondition of the rig and support equipmentwill be a critical factor in the success of thedrilling project.

PIs should use their drilling engineer tofollow the general contractor’s decisions onselection and management of specificsubcontractors. In many cases the PIs mayhave a better understanding of theavailability of specific subcontractor servicesin the drilling locality than the drillingcontractor, and should make sure that thegeneral contractor knows of all availableoptions for controlling costs whilemaintaining quality.

Final drilling implementationand workshop

Shortly before drilling is to commence, akickoff meeting of PIs and other key on-sitescience personnel (especially downholeexperiment personnel) and the drillingcontractor should be held to finalize the dutyschedules for the drilling team and onsitescience team. PIs should organize a websiteto provide daily reports and data to keyparties not participating in onsite activities.It may be advisable to organize the websitein such a way as to limit access to someareas to team members needing to seesensitive information.

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Logistical Considerations

Depending on the size of a drilling projectand its location, logistical considerations candominate the operations stage. Often, someor all of the logistics are handled by the PIsbecause of their knowledge of the localenvironment. However, it may be cost-effective to hire a logistics coordinator,particularly when operating overseas wherelocal customs and language are factors orwhere there are a large number of personnelonsite (it is not uncommon for science plusdrilling crews to number more than 20persons). The science team needs toremember that the drill crews and drillingsupervisor are hired to run the drillingoperation, not logistics.

Appendix 3 is a generalized logistics checklistfor the items that need to be considered foreffectively running a drilling operation.These are also important cost componentsfor budgeting, so they should also beconsidered when budgeting for the drillingoperations.

There is a great deal of work that must bedone prior to the drilling crews andequipment arriving at the project area. Thisincludes permitting, site preparation,acquiring local labor, arranging foraccommodation and food, etc. In addition, itis important to assess the local availability ofsupplies and services (machine shops,welding). In remote areas, it is advisable tobring a good inventory of spare parts andconsumables rather than try to find themlocally.

Permitting needs to be addressed far in

LOGISTICS AND PROJECT EXECUTION

advance of the drilling operations. Thepermits required, and the procedures fortheir acquisition are determined locally, andvisits to regulatory agencies well in advanceof drilling are recommended. The PIs areoften in a good position to acquire permitssince they have experience in the area. Inaddition to environmental permits, it isnecessary to determine whether crews willrequire work permits.

Mobilization and demobilization of thedrilling equipment will require outsideassistance in most cases. For internationalprojects this would include a shipping agentwho will handle the formalities at the port ofentry including customs clearance. Truckswill be required to move equipment to thedrill site and a crane and forklift may berequired to unload and assemble the drillingequipment.

Security is an important consideration bothto prevent equipment and supplies frombeing stolen and to reduce the likelihood ofbystanders being injured. All equipmentshould be stored in locked containers whennot in use. During periods when the drillingoperations are shut down, the project teamneeds to consider hiring guards forequipment and supplies.

During the drilling operations, it may benecessary to hire a person who is dedicatedto handling the logistics of the operation.This is particularly true for lake drillingwhere the science and drilling crews are notable to easily leave the drill site. In thesecircumstances, it is necessary to have goodcommunications between the drill rig andshore. The duties envisioned for a logistics

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coordinator may include arranging forhousing and meals, coordinating fueldelivery, trips for supplies and personnel,communications, arranging for water deliveryand interaction with the local population.

Site Safety Review

For many projects a pollution prevention andsafety review will take place prior to theinitiation of drilling operations. This outsidepanel will evaluate the overall project andmake recommendations concerning potentialdrilling hazards. The drilling operator willhave final authority on rig safety. Thegeneral contractor will be responsible foroverall site safety.

Public Outreach and Publicity

Scientific drilling projects will attract a greatdeal of attention from the local population.This is an opportunity to showcase work andestablish a positive impression. Tours atsome sites have been sufficiently popularthat they were conducted on a regularschedule. It is often advisable to have asupply of hard hats available for the visitors.Care must be taken to keep visitors out ofareas where they can interfere with thedrilling operations or be injured.

Standardization of Suppliesand Consumables

PIs should attempt to standardize suppliesand consumables to be used by the scienceteam prior to the drilling campaign. This andother points below can be efficiently

coordinated through the Chief Scientist, whomight be one of the PIs or another well-organized person who is very familiar with allaspects of the science operation. PIs shouldseek advice on use of supplies, which may bestandardized throughout their scientificcommunity, especially when it will impactdownstream core handling and storage. Forexample, the LacCore curatorial staff canadvise lake-drilling project PIs on specificsupplies that have proven effective in pastlake drilling campaigns. For lake-drillingprojects, experienced curators may beavailable to participate in the drillingproject.

Standardization of corehandling, storage and shipping

A detailed plan for core handling, storageand shipping must be prepared and budgetedas part of the project planning document. PIsshould consult closely with all anticipatedusers of the core materials to insure thatcore handling does not violate particularsampling and/or quality assurance protocolsimportant to individual team members’efforts.

Onsite training

Since science teams often have littleexperience in drilling operations, it isadvantageous to schedule onsite trainingduring an earlier project. This allows drillingproponents to spend several days on siteacquiring hands-on experience with drillingand sample handling activities. ICDP has, inthe past, sponsored such workshops.

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Management of drillingoperations

PIs and drilling operators should insure thatthe drilling supervisor is present duringmobilization/demobilization and drilling andgeophysical logging activities, to serve as aninterface between the science and drillingteams. This is critical for success because ofthe limited understanding each team has ofthe other’s activities and the great potentialfor misunderstandings.

The chief scientist, as day-to-day manager ofthe onsite science team, needs to remainabreast of all developments occurring in thedrilling operation, including scientific,engineering, and logistical issues. This is bestaccomplished by having a regularly scheduledmeeting of the chief scientist, drillingsupervisor, tool pusher and any other logisticscoordinators during each operational day toreview the past 24 hours progress and planfor the next day.

Site Safety

Ensuring site safety is a primaryresponsibility of the general contractor andthe head of that team will always have thefinal say on “go/no go” decisions vis-à-visdrilling. The drilling contractor and the PIsshould organize emergency drills prior to thestart of operations, including assemblypoints, evacuation plans, emergency contactinformation (and location of such informationon site) and immediate response. Onsiteteam members who arrive after the start ofdrilling should also go through these briefingsand exercises. It is very stronglyrecommended that at least one (and

ONSITE MANAGEMENT

OF DRILLING OPERATIONS

preferably more) members of the onsiteteam have emergency medical training suchas CPR and First-Aid.

The drilling operator will have establishedsafety policies and should be able to give thescience team a written safety plan. Thedrillers will commonly hold a safety meetingat the start of each shift. The science teamshould keep the numbers of their personnelaround the drilling equipment to a minimum.

Access to information andsamples and teamcommunication

PIs should develop a uniform policy governinginformation and samples to reduce thelikelihood of misunderstanding amongparticipants. In the past, relationshipsbetween team members of some drillingprojects have been severely strained byinadequate understanding of who will haveaccess to what information and/or samplesat the time of drilling. Timely disseminationof information to team members is essentialboth for science and team morale purposes.A website that is updated daily is aneffective means for disseminatinginformation to the scientific team.

Deviations from the drillingplan

It is not uncommon that a drilling plan willneed to be revised during the course ofoperations, as a result of budget, weather,safety or science considerations. Ideally,alternate sites for drilling or alternatestrategies for the same site will have alreadybeen anticipated in the drilling plan, and

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these alternatives will themselves have beenpresented to a safety and environmentalpanel for review. However, even with suchalternatives in hand it often becomesnecessary to make further changes to thedrilling plan. When this occurs, it isimportant that the PIs have established amechanism for smoothly making suchdecisions. A chain of command should bedefined in terms of the scientific decisions onthe suitability of the alternate plan. This isparticularly important in cases where all PIsare not on site when decisions are beingmade. PIs should also try to make priorarrangements with their safety andenvironmental review panel for on-the-flyopinions of the advisability of alternativeplans. PIs should also be aware thatdeviations and/or addition of last-minuteexperimenters and add-on science may berestricted by their funding agency; they areadvised to discuss this extensively with theirprogram officer in advance of drilling. Asalways, the final decision to proceed with aparticular site must rest with the drilling

operator, who is taking overall responsibilityfor the safety of the team.

Unknowables

PIs, the drilling supervisor, and drillingoperators should always make allowances forthe possibility of unforeseen developmentsduring drilling. Particular attention shouldbe put on planning for succession/change inPIs, schedule changes, legal liability issuesand environmental issues. Also, it isstandard practice in the drilling industry thatthe project is responsible for any tools lost ordamaged downhole (below the keel inoffshore operations). The loss of equipmentwill have an adverse budget consequence atany time during the project; however, it isparticularly difficult when it comes in thelatter parts of a project when the budgetsare depleted. Although it is not possible tobe prescriptive here, PIs should considerthese points carefully in advance and HAVE APLAN.

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Zoback, M.D., Elders, W. A., Van Schmus, W.R. and Younker, L., 1988, The role of conti-nental scientific drilling in modern earthsciences scientific rationale and plan for the1990’s, Stanford University, 151 pp.

Zoback, M.D. and Emmermann, R. (eds),1993, Scientific rationale for establishmentof an international program of continentalscientific drilling, Potsdam, Germany, 194pp.

As soon as drilling is completed, theimportant tasks of data management, sampledistribution, hole use, monitoring; andcompletion come to the fore. PIs shouldanticipate these activities in their drillingplans as appropriate. It is particularlyimportant that post-drilling core shipping,handling and archiving plans be establishedin advance, and that contingency plans beconsidered.

As soon as possible, there should be asymposium on initial results, probably inconjunction with a regularly schedulednational or international meeting. PIs shouldstrongly consider announcing their initialresults in an appropriate science news venue,such as EOS. Later, the end of the samplemoratorium period is a good time for asymposium or workshop to discuss andsummarize results and introduce newscientists to research opportunities.

POST-DRILLING CONSIDERATIONS

Following the end of the sample and datamoratorium, all aspects of the project areopen to participation through normal fundingchannels. In consideration of their time andeffort invested in the drilling program, andfor the broader interests of communitysupport for continental drilling, PIs are urgedto submit their results for publication in atimely fashion. Given the large publicinvestment required for scientific drillingprojects, PIs should make a point ofdisseminating their results widely. Thisincludes peer-reviewed publications,websites, making materials accessible toeducators, and by presenting results atcolleges and universities.

Acknowledgments

As a professional courtesy, the drillingoperator should be acknowledged inpublications on the project results.

REFERENCES

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Principal Investigators (PIs)

Key individuals that are the scientific andmanagement leaders of the project.Normally, there are 1 to 4 PIs who decideamong themselves their relative roles.Responsibilities include the following.

• Raise funds• Interface with funding agencies• Act as spokesperson to the scientific

community and the public• Establish the proposal writing team• Write the proposal• Facilitate logistics• Obtain permits• Establish onsite scientific staffing• Establish subcontracts• Maintain communications with Co-PIs• Carry out the essential science• Monitor budget and adjusting plans

as necessary

Co-Principal Investigators (Co-PIs)Individuals responsible for specific scientificcomponents of the project. Theirresponsibilities include the following.

• Aid PIs in writing proposals• Acquire funding for their scientific

studies• Carry out specific scientific

investigations

Chief Scientist(s) (Onsite Science Manager)

Responsible for onsite management of thedrilling project and making daily decisions.Ideally, this role should be served by one ofthe PIs. The responsibilities include:

• Interface between the onsite scienceteam and the drilling team

• Make daily decisions relating to theconduct of the drilling activities

• Manage the onsite science activitiesincluding sample handling and datacollection

• Provide any needed logisticalassistance to the drilling personnel

• Be a spokesperson to the public,local officials and press

• Monitor the onsite science budget

General ContractorHired by the PIs to handle the contractingand administrative aspects of the project.This role may be filled by a university,nonprofit (DOSECC or JOI) or a commercialfirm.

• Receive money from fundingagencies or universities

• Procure supplies and servicesthrough competitive bids

• Establish subcontracts for theperformance of drilling and scientificoperations

• Site Safety• Handle expenses in accordance with

federal guidelines• Document receipts and performance

of supplies/services• Issue payment to subcontractors/

vendors• Monitor expenditure of the overall

budget

Drilling EngineerA key individual who works for the scienceteam.

• Works with the PIs to formulate aninitial drilling plan and budget thataccommodates the scientificobjectives of the project

• Determines the scope of supply to berequested from the drillingcontractor and the additionalsubcontractors that will be requiredby the project

• Aids the PIs in formulating a Requestfor Proposals (RFP) for a commercialdrilling contractor

• Assembles a list of qualified biddersto receive the RFP.

• Organize site visits for potentialbidders

Roles and Responsibilities in a Scientific Drilling Project

APPENDICESAPPENDIX 1

27

• Aid PIs in reviewing drilling proposalsand negotiating with potentialcontractors

Drilling SupervisorDesignated by the PIs to be their onsiterepresentative during the drilling operations.This role incorporates the responsibilities ofa “company man” in petroleum drilling. Thismay be the same person who serves as thedrilling engineer.

• Works with PIs and selected drillingoperator to expedite mobilization tothe drill site

• Serves as the onsite drilling manageron behalf of the PIs; responsibilitiesinclude interface with the drillingcontractor, approval of daily drillingreports, monitoring of suppliesutilized and cost control

• Interacts with the Chief Scientist toschedule sampling, logging anddownhole experiments

Drilling ContractorThe company that performs drillingoperations.

• Supply drilling equipment andexperienced personnel

• Report on the progress of drillingoperations

• Responsible for Rig Safety

Tool PusherThe drilling contractor’s principalrepresentative on the drill site. The pusherwill normally live at the drill site duringoperations. The responsibilities of thisperson are listed as follows.

• Management of the contractor’sdrilling crews. Drilling will normallyhave two shifts that work 12 hourseach

• Serve as the principal point ofcontact with the client (PIs, ChiefScientist, Drilling Supervisor)

APPENDIX 1 (CONTINUED)

28

Responsibility

Management Project management

Team leadership

On-site management

Budget control

Reporting procedures

Drilling and Casing Depths, Diameters, etc.

Directional issues?

Mud chemistry, weight?

BOP/Safety

Use of liners, temporary casings

Coring Depths, diameters, technique

Special handling procedures

Logging Commercial logging

Other (such as ICDP)

Specialty logs

Depths

Other Downhole

Measurements Fluid Sampling/Well

Tests/Hydrofrac

Geophysical measurements (VSP,

etc.)

Observatory? Long Term Use of Holes

Plug and abandon

On-site Sample

Handling Planned measurements

(Photographs)

Special handling procedures

Short term disposition

Long Term Sample

Disposition Sample handling

Permanent repository

Data Products Real time data (DIS?)

Log & sample database

Publication strategy

APPENDIX 2Scientific Drilling - Planning Checklist

29

Appendix 1. Scientific Drilling Project Checklist

Responsibility Cost

Communications Cell Phones

Satellite Phone

Email

Web Access

Housing Hotel

Apartments

Travel Trailer

Ship-based Accommodations

Meals Cook

Food Supplies

Water

Transportation Vehicles

Crews from Airport

Daily Commute to Rig

Site-to-site moves

Mobilization/Demobilization

Supplies

Courier Services

Customs

Freight Expediters

Money Bank

ATM

Credit Cards

Diesel Drilling

Supplies/Services Gasoline

Mud Supplies

Mud Disposal

Cement

Crane

Forklift

Oil and Lubricants

Machine Shop

Welding

Sanitation Latrines

Trash Removal

Hazardous Material Disposal

Hazardous material containment

APPENDIX 3Scientific Drilling - Logistics Checklist

30

Appendix 1 Continued

Responsibility Cost

Support Facilities Offices

Laboratories

Container Storage

Security

Water

Electricity

Local Employees Payment

Work Rules

Health and Safety Hospital

Ambulance

Fire Department

Safety Training (CPR/First Aid)

Site Emergency Plan

Evacuation Plan

Health Briefing/Inoculations

Permits and Licenses Work Permits

Drilling Permits

Air Quality Permits

Land/Water Use

APPENDIX 3 (CONTINUED)

31

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