GFZ German research centre for geo sciences

25 years ago: Drilling Begins at KTB

08.09.2012|Windischeschenbach:
With a celebration at the GeoCentre in Windischeschenbach the Continental Deep Drilling Program of the Federal Republic of Germany (KTB) was started 25 years ago, in September 1987. The drilling operation for the 4003-meter-deep pilot hole was the visible start for the largest-ever single geoscience project in Germany.

08.09.2012 | Windischeschenbach:  With a celebration at the GeoCentre in Windischeschenbach the Continental Deep Drilling Program of the Federal Republic of Germany (KTB) was started 25 years ago, in September 1987. The drilling operation for the 4003-meter-deep pilot hole was the visible start for the largest-ever single geoscience project in Germany.

The pilot hole was used to probe the substrate and for the recovery of the cores with high scientific value. Over 562 days, the drill bit spun to its final depth. The findings of the pilot hole were used for the final planning of the main hole, which began in October 1990 and after 1468 days of drilling operation reached a final depth of 9101 meters. The rig of the main bore with its height of 83 meters is to this day a technical monument and attracts many visitors.

"The aim of the continental deep drilling program was the direct study of the Earth's crust with an unprecedented accuracy," said Dr. JörnLauterjung, spokesman for the geoengineering centersofthe GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. Lauterjung, himself a KTB veteran, acted at the ceremony in place of the head of the GFZ, Professor ReinhardHuettl, who could not make it himself. JörnLauterjung continues: "Many innovative drilling and monitoring technologies, scientific methods and patents were developed and tested for the KTB and now serve as the standard in research and exploration drilling." The former Federal Ministry for Research and Technology funded the project with some 530 million DM, which today is about 270 million euros.

Scientifically the KTB was a resounding success. The world's largest onshore drilling rig to date revealed significant new insights into the structure and processes of the Earth's crust, which in some instances led to the revision of previouslyacceptedgeoscientific hypotheses.

From 1996 to 2001, the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences operated a depth observatory that allowed anenhanced scientific use of the two wells. Both wells are still accessible today and are still used, especially for experiments and technology development.

As continental deep drilling the KTB was the inspiration and impetus for an international scientific drilling program on the continents. The know-how gained in the KTB and the achieved scientific findings were incorporated into the ICDP (International Continental Scientific Drilling Program), which - upon initiative of the GFZ - was launched in 1995 in Tokyo by Germany, the U.S. and China. The ICDP is the complementary counterpart on land to the previously implemented ocean drilling programs and since its inception has established itself as an indispensable geoscientific drilling program: 24 nations and UNESCO are members of the ICDP, over 30 international drilling projects on all continents and an extensive academic network are evidence for the successful outcome of this drilling program, which has its main roots in the KTB.

 

See also:

http://www.gfz-potsdam.de/portal/gfz/Struktur/Wissenschaftliche+Infrastruktur+und+Plattformen/Wissenschaftliches+Bohren

http://www.icdp-online.org/

 

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