Conveners
Drilling technologies and logistis
- Michael DuVernois (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
The search for a new environmentally friendly low-temperature drilling fluid for deep drilling in ice is one of the most pressing tasks. ESTISOL 140 was identified as the most suitable fluid and has recently been used in several ice drilling projects, for example, SPICEcore project at South Pole. Unfortunately, no new progress has been made in identifying new drilling fluids. While ESTISOL 140...
The IceCube Enhanced Hot Water Drill (EHWD) is being refurbished and put back in service to drill holes for the a 7 hole IceCube Upgrade. A preliminary redesign of that system using microturbines, low pressure water heating, high pressure pumping of hot water, and larger sleds is underway to prepare for a potential GEN2 drilling program with 120 holes. Special attention to changes in the...
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) has developed a larger diameter (~285mm) version of the record-breaking Rapid Access Isotope Drill (RAID) known as BigRAID. The increase in size brings new design challenges but also new opportunities. The drill is described alongside the modifications to the RAID design, data from increased diameter drilling and the pre-deployment testing regime.
BigRAID...
