Do we have any ways to drill through oceanic crust?

  • Thread starter Simfish
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In summary, the crust is tens of miles thick and we have no technology that even comes close to being able to drill that far.
  • #1
Simfish
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So that we could understand it?
 
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  • #2
If I understand it correctly, the crust is tens of miles thick. We have no technology that even comes close to being able to drill that far.
 
  • #3
Well, how about just the first few layers just so that we can know about it better?
 
  • #5
Using natural earthquakes and the use of seismic surveying are the 2 major ways of determining layers for the first ~ 5 km of crust.
Tho it doesn't specifically tell you what those layers are made of it does tell you about the thickness of each layer, depth below surface and velocity factor of each layer ( from which you can make educated guesses of the type of rock the different layers are)

When i was doing my BSc in geology at Uni, part of the course was learning to interpret seismic surveys

just a little correction... phinds commented on the crust being 10's of miles thick, whilst this is correct for the thickest parts of continental crust, it isn't for oceanic crust which avg's ~ 10km (6 miles) thick. Which is what you originally asked about.

cheers
Dave
 
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  • #6
Wikipedia came up with some interesting facts.

the greatest depth drilled so far is ~ 12,289m 12km ... 7.5 miles ! awesome
there appeares to be a number of drill sites around the world that have got between 5 and 12 km

cheers
Dave
 
  • #7
davenn said:
the greatest depth drilled so far is ~ 12,289m 12km ... 7.5 miles ! awesome
That is somewhat misleading. I believe you are quoting the figures for a Qatar well that reached total depth in 2008. This is an extended reach well, so that the true vertical depth (TVD) is considerably less than the measured depth (MD) - the depth quoted. The horizontal portion of the well is around 10km, so TVD will be not much more than 1km.

The only slightly shorter (12,262 m MD) Kola well remains - to my knowledge - the deepest TVD achieved to date.
 
  • #8
davenn said:
just a little correction... phinds commented on the crust being 10's of miles thick, whilst this is correct for the thickest parts of continental crust, it isn't for oceanic crust which avg's ~ 10km (6 miles) thick. Which is what you originally asked about.

Thank you for that correction. I did not realize there was such a significant variation.
 
  • #9
You could just walk around on Iceland, where the Mid-Atlantic rift is on the surface !

Okay, sorry, that's a bit facetious, because you won't get the complex chemical changes due saline hydrothermal circulation etc etc...

IIRC, there's a drill-ship hoping to retrieve gabbro from ~2km depth off Costa Rica this Summer. Borek's post's search parameters have it in the top ten Google hits...
 
  • #10
Ophiolite said:
That is somewhat misleading. I believe you are quoting the figures for a Qatar well that reached total depth in 2008. This is an extended reach well, so that the true vertical depth (TVD) is considerably less than the measured depth (MD) - the depth quoted. The horizontal portion of the well is around 10km, so TVD will be not much more than 1km.

The only slightly shorter (12,262 m MD) Kola well remains - to my knowledge - the deepest TVD achieved to date.

NO, I was quoting the Kola ! :) give or take a few metres, Not familiar with the Qatar one

Dave
 

1. How deep is the oceanic crust?

The oceanic crust varies in thickness, with an average depth of approximately 5-10 kilometers. However, it can reach a maximum depth of 20 kilometers in some areas.

2. What materials are used to drill through oceanic crust?

Specialized drilling equipment and tools are used to drill through oceanic crust. These typically include drill bits made of tungsten carbide, drilling fluids, and specialized rigs that can withstand the high pressures and temperatures of the deep ocean.

3. How do scientists know where to drill through oceanic crust?

Scientists use various techniques, such as seismic surveys and satellite imaging, to identify potential drilling sites. They also study the geological structure of the ocean floor to determine the best locations to drill for research or resource extraction purposes.

4. Can we drill through oceanic crust to reach the Earth's mantle?

While it is technically possible to drill through the oceanic crust to reach the Earth's mantle, it is currently not feasible due to the extreme pressures and temperatures at those depths. Scientists have only been able to reach the uppermost layers of the oceanic crust so far.

5. What are some challenges of drilling through oceanic crust?

Drilling through oceanic crust is a complex and expensive process that requires advanced technology and equipment. Some of the challenges include the extreme conditions of the deep ocean, such as high pressures and temperatures, as well as the risk of encountering unexpected geological formations or hazards.

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