Scientific ocean drilling and the capabilities of the IODP drillship JOIDES Resolution

Abstract

Scientific ocean drilling uses several drill ships to work on global scientific problems. These include changes over various time scales in climate, biology and oceanography, extreme life forms beneath the sea bed, planetary dynamics and geological hazards. The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) involves 27 countries, including Australia and New Zealand, and is the world's largest scientific geoscience program. One IODP drill ship, JOIDES Resolution, is working in our general region at present and for several years to come. Although the primary aim of the work is purely scientific, deep stratigraphic wells are always of interest to the petroleum exploration industry. This talk will cover IODP in general, ocean drilling in our region, and the capabilities of the JOIDES Resolution.