drilling
Science

The Insanely Deep Layers Of Ice Covering Lake Vostok, Visualised

Earlier this month, a team of Russian scientists finally drilled down into Lake Vostok. Everyone was incredibly excited, but how deep can a lake really be, right? Um, it turns out very, very deep, and this visualisation lends some perspective.

November 5, 2011
Geek Out

The Massive Deep-Water Drilling Rig Searching For Black Cuban Gold

Despite the Deep Water Horizon fiasco, deep-water drilling remains one of the worlds’ primary sources of crude. And among deep drilling rigs, this 51,582t Scarabeo 9 is king.

August 18, 2011
Science

How Car Crash Modelling Technology Could Predict Drilling Disasters

It’s the billion-dollar question for offshore drilling giants: Could the Deepwater Horizon disaster have been prevented? Researchers at MIT’s Impact and Crashworthiness Laboratory may have found at least a partial answer — the same kind of computer modelling that predicts whether car components can hold their own in a crash could also forecast whether pipes will fracture at offshore drilling sites. A fractured pipe can mean the difference between a stable operation and a massive oil spill.

July 1, 2011
Science

Fly-By-Wire Seafloor Drill Works 10,000 Leagues Under The Sea

Traditional deep sea drilling rigs are bulky, expensive, and need a relatively stable platform to operate, so they can’t work in rough weather. These next-generation drill systems, however, bypass the problem completely by setting up shop on the seafloor.

October 9, 2010
Science

Arctic Researcher Gets To Drink 100,000-Year-Old Glacier Water

The scientists who research our planet’s poles have a tough, incredible job. Drilling thousands of metres into the icy surface to retrieve core samples reveals a lot about our planet. It also provides a refreshing, pre-historic drink.

August 9, 2010

Specialised Drill Robot To Unlock The Final Secrets Of The Great Pyramid Of Giza

Like a massive stone puzzle, the Great Pyramid has refused to give up all of its secrets. One of the last are two shafts out of the “Queen’s Chamber”. Purpose? Unknown, even to this day. Robots to the rescue.

May 6, 2010
Science

How Can They Try To Fix The BP-Halliburton Louisiana Oil Disaster?

Cleaning up the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf Coast is a huge job. Here’s a look at some of the tech options available when it comes to cleaning up a mess of this scope.

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