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Welcome to the HYACINTH web site
HYACINTH (Deployment of HYACE tools in New Tests on Hydrates) is a European Framework Five project which began on 1st December 2001. The purpose of HYACINTH is to put the HYACE system, developed under an earlier European MAST III project for the sampling and study of gas hydrates, to operational use. Participation in three scientific drilling operations is planned: (a) Leg 201 of the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) in late February-March 2002, (b) Leg 204 of the ODP in summer 2002, (c) on a small geotechnical drillship in European waters in summer 2003 or 2004. The success of the HYACINTH project depends on close collaboration with the Ocean Drilling Program and a formal agreement between the HYACINTH partners and the ODP has been agreed.
Techniques for the preservation of hydrate cores will be explored. Continued engineering development will be carried out in order to provide the means of sub-sampling the cores under pressure. Sub-samples are needed for chemical, microbiological and petrophysical study. Uncontaminated sub-samples will be provided for the study of the deep sub-seafloor biosphere, opening up the possibility of studying barophilic micro-organisms. Improved techniques will be developed for the resistivity imaging of hydrate cores under pressure. |
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