Site CAS-06A
Proposed site:
CAS-06A
Priority:
Primary
Position:
48°40.050'N, 126°51.053'W
Water depth (m):
1280
Target drilling depth (mbsf):
300
Approved maximum penetration (mbsf):
300
Survey coverage:
• SCS 3-D data 2000 (inline 16)
• MCS 3-D data 1999 (inline 27)
• Regional MCS Line PGC9902_XL07
Figures F14, F15, F16, F17, F18
Objective:
Site CAS-06A is located in an active cold vent area. There are shallow massive gas hydrate occurrences, carbonate outcrops, and chemosynthetic communities.
The primary objectives are to characterize
• gas hydrate and free gas occurrence throughout the cold vent
• nature of the fluid flow regime
• pore-water chemistry
• core physical properties
A further objective is to determine the nature of the BSR reflection and the thickness of the free gas zone (if any) underneath the BSR by wireline and LWD logging.
A main open question from previous analyses is if a BSR is present underneath the vents (model by Riedel et al., 2002) or if the BSR is elevated (model by Wood et al., 2002).
Drilling and Logging program
APC to refusal; XCB; PCS and HYACINTH (pending funding) pressure cores
Logging program
LWD, triple combo, FMS-sonic, multiple use of APCT, DVTPP
Nature of rock anticipated:
Interlayered silts and clays, some authigenic carbonates possible