The Antarctic environment poses many challenges to deep field operations, including scientific drilling for the SWAIS 2C project! In preparation for creating the hole through the ~590 m of Ross Ice Shelf using a hot water drilling system to access the sediments below with the Antarctic Intermediate Depth Drill (AIDD) system, two members of the drilling team excavated a “cellar” below the area where the two drilling systems will be set up.
This cellar, which is 3 m deep, will allow space below the rig floor for various activities, including hanging the sea riser – the fiberglass pipes that will run from the surface to the seafloor and through which the drill string will be deployed. The temperature at the base of the cellar is -35.3°C!
Adam Rutten excavating the cellar hole in the drill tent
