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Marine Ecosystems Research Department - jamstec japan agency ...

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Japan <strong>Marine</strong> Science and Technology Center<br />

OD21 Program <strong>Department</strong><br />

significantly to advancing earth and life sciences.<br />

Construction of CHIKYU began at the end of FY<br />

, with the main contract for construction awarded<br />

to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. In FY outfitting<br />

of equipments on hull parts and interior works<br />

at laboratory/accommodation areas were carried out at<br />

the Tamano Shipyard of Mitsui Engineering and<br />

Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., which is in charge of hull construction.<br />

In this fiscal year, hull construction was<br />

almost completed. Regarding the drilling part of the<br />

vessel, equipment for pipe handling and mud circulation,<br />

drilling control system and derrick were fabricated.<br />

At the beginning of FY , sea trial on the hull<br />

part will be carried out. After that, CHIKYU will be<br />

shifted to the Nagasaki Shipyard of Mitsubishi Heavy<br />

Industries, Ltd., and outfitting of drilling related<br />

equipments will be started.<br />

Observatory<br />

Station<br />

Borehole<br />

Sensor<br />

Vehicle<br />

(2) <strong>Research</strong> and Development on a Borehole<br />

Observatory System<br />

The borehole is not a mere relic after recovering the<br />

core sample from the sea floor, rather it is a scientifically<br />

very important window for monitoring the<br />

earth's interior. The BENKEI borehole reentry/observatory<br />

deployment ROV is a tool to deploy observatories<br />

and to conduct various measurements inside boreholes,<br />

for the purpose of scientific research. It has<br />

been developed over three years since FY .<br />

Figure is a photo showing the appearance of<br />

BENKEI.<br />

The BENKEI system consists of a borehole sensor<br />

lowered into a borehole; an observatory station, to<br />

Fig. 3 Appearance of BENKEI<br />

function as the platform (hereinafter referred to as the<br />

"station"); a vehicle to transport, deploy, and recover<br />

the station; and a support vessel, the KAIREI, to monitor<br />

and control all these instruments. Table shows the<br />

principal specifications of the BENKEI system. The<br />

primary cable, launching, and recovery system on the<br />

KAIREI are used for not only the KAIKO, but also the<br />

BENKEI. The maximum operation depth of the<br />

BENKEI is , meters. One of the important missions<br />

of the BENKEI is the preliminary survey inside<br />

boreholes before deploying a long-term borehole<br />

observatory. The BENKEI system can measure pressure,<br />

temperature, pH and borehole diameter up to a<br />

Table 2 Principal specifications<br />

Maximum operation depth 6,000m<br />

Maximum operation borehole depth 1,000m<br />

Vehicle dimension – weight in air (weight in water)<br />

Station dimension – weight in air (weight in water)<br />

Sensor dimension – weight in air (weight in water)<br />

Maximum sensor payload (weight in water)<br />

5m 2.6m 2m 48.0kN31.4kN<br />

2.3m 2.8m 35.3kN24.5kN<br />

205mm 5.1m 1.8kN1.1kN<br />

4.5kN3.3kN<br />

173

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