Chikyu (Japanese for “Earth”) is the largest

scientific drilling vessel in the world, outfitted

with technology developed by the oil industry

that enables it to drill in water 2,500 meters

deep, down through 7,000 meters of crust

below the seafloor. It is one of the world’s few

ultra deepsea drilling vessels, with a length of

210 m, breadth of 38 m, draft of 9.2 m, and

gross tonnage of 56,752 metric tons. A total

complement of 200 people, including scientists,

l ab techn ic ians , and crew members are

expected to join duty tours aboard Chikyu.

Chikyu is a riser-dril l ing vessel that uses a

Blow-Out Preventer (BOP), designed to

prevent dangerous formation over-pressure to

protect the drill vessel, crew, and environment.

The enclosing pipe of the riser provides a

channel for drilling mud -- a viscous slurry of

clay, water, and chemicals -- which is pumped

down through the drill pipe and circulates back

up in the space between the drill pipe and the

surrounding riser. The dense mud helps prevent

the drill hole from collapsing, lubricates and

cools the drill bit, and flushes cuttings away, in

principle, allowing the vessel to extend deep

beneath the sea floor.

Chikyu’ s uniqueness is its coring and laboratory

capabilities. One of Chikyu’s missions is to collect

cores from specific target zones, to collect

continuous core samples, and examine cores

aboard during operations. The core is extracted

by using coring tools and the Wireline method,

which has been adapted to a riser drilling ship

for the first time. This method places, inside the

drill pipe, one of four types of core barrel

carried aboard Chikyu , each designed for

different geological conditions to allow efficient

and un interrupted core co l lect ion . The

laboratories are spread out over four decks,

and lab facilities aboard Chikyu are as well

equipped as those ashore.

For more details about Chikyu, please visit

http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/

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Chikyu Overview

Bridge

Research Laboratory

Drill Floor

Living Areas

DerrickRiser Pipe

Drill Pipe

Helicopter Deck

3

GENERAL

Rig Type Drill ShipDesign JAMSTEC(1) / MHI(2) / MES(3)

Built Year 2005Builder MHI / MES Flag JapanClassi�cation NK: NS*(Mobile O�shore Drilling

Unit), MNS*(M0), DPS BStation Keeping Dynamically PositionedAccommodation 200 personsHelideck EH 101 CapableDrill String Length 10,000 m (12,000 m in future)Max Water Depth 2,500 m for Riser Drilling (4,000 m in future)Drilling Conditions Wind 23 m/s, Wave 4.5 m sig.,

Current 1.5 knots

(1) JAMSTEC : Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology(2) MHI : Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.(3) MES : Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co., Ltd.

PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS

Length Overall 210.0 mBreadth 38.0 mDepth 16.2 mDraft (max) 9.2 mGross Tonnage 56,752 tVariable Load 23,500 t (Operating)

STORAGE CAPACITY

Bulk Cement 467 m3 (4 x 4,125 ft3) 58 m3 (2 x 1,030 ft3)Bulk Mud 701 m3 (6 x 4,125 ft3) 57 m3 (2 x 1,000 ft3)Sack Storage 500 m2

Active Mud Pit 6 x 85 m3 (510 m3)Reserve Mud Pit 8 x 212.5 m3 (1,700 m3)Fuel 9,300 m3

Helifuel 3 X 2,500 lPotable Water 740 m3

Drill Water 2,550 m3

Pipe Storage 1,020 m2

Riser Storage 780 m2

Technical Spec

MACHINERY

Main Engines Mitsui 12ADD30V, 6 x 5,270 kW

Main Generators Nishishiba, 6 x 5,000 kW

Auxiliary Engines Mitsui 6ADD30V, 2 x 2,640 kW

Auxiliary Generators Nishishiba, 2 x 2,500 kW

Emergency Engine MHI S12A2-MPTA, 1 x 600 kW

Emergency Generator Nishishiba, 560 kW

DYNAMIC POSITIONING SYSTEM

Model MES

Triple Redundancy DPS

Class Class B

Position Reference 2 x DGPS (Sky�x XP)System 2 x DGPS(Star�x HP) 2 x Acoustic Position Reference System (LBL + USBL)

PROPULSION/THRUSTERS

Azimuth Thrusters (4P, 4S) 2 x Non-Retractable 4,200 kW (1C, 2P, 2S, 3C) 4 x Retractable 4,200 kW

Side Thruster 1 x 2,550 kW

Transit Speed 10 knots (Design Speed Rating)

MAJOR DRILLING EQUIPMENT

Derrick Bailey Dual Well Derrick21.95 m(L)x18.3 m(W)x70.1 m(H)

Draw Works National Oilwell Model EH-V-5000, DC Drive

Hoisting Capacity 1,250 tMotion Hydralift Crown Mounted TypeCompensator Max Compensating Load: 518 t Max Static Load: 1,250 t Stroke: 25 ft (7.62 m)Top Drive System Hydralift Model HPS 1000 2E AC,

1,000 st(4)

Rotary Table Main Hole Varco BJ Model RST 60-1/2, 1,250 t Aux. Hole Varco BJ False Rotary 49-1/2, 680 tDual Elevator Blohm+Voss Hydraulic OperatedHandling System Load Capacity: 750 st(4) Pipe Range : 2-3/8" - 9-7/8"Pipe Handling 2 x Hydralift HydraRacker-IV System Vertical Pipe Racker for stands (Quad : four-joint)

(4) t : Metric ton s t : U.S. short ton

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MAJOR DRILLING EQUIPMENT (con’ t)

Mud Pumps 3 x National Oilwell 14-P-220, 7,500 psi, 2,260 hp

Solid Control Gumbo Separator: 2 x Brandt Single Gumbo Scalper

Shale Shaker: 6 x Brandt Double VSM 300

Desander: 2 x Swaco, Model 3-12 D-SANDER

Mud Cleaner: 2 x Swaco, Model 8T4 D-SILTER with Adjustable Linear Shaker

Cenrifuge: 3 x Brandt, Model RT HeviJet 362

Degasser: 2 x Burgess Magna-Vac Model 1500

BOP/RISER

LMRP 18-3/4" 10,000 psi, Sha�er Dual Spherical BOP

BOP 18-3/4" 15,000 psi, Cameron Model 15TL Double

18-3/4" 15,000 psi, Cameron Model 15TL Triple

Diverter ABB Vetco Gray, Model KFDS/CSO 60-1/2" Support Housing,

Working Press. 500 psi

BOP Control System ABB O�shore Systems Inc., MUX Control System

Marine Riser Cameron Load Share Type, 21-3/4" & 21-3/8" OD x 90 ft jt

Connector Type Load King 4.0 (Load Rating 1,814 t)

Choke/Kill : 4-1/4" ID, 15,000 psi Booster : 4" ID, 7,500 psi

Telescopic Joint 65 ft (19.8 m) stroke, Load Rating 1,814 t, Working Press. 500 psi

Riser Tensioners Hydralift Direct Cylinder Tensioner N-line System

6 Cylinders, 52' Stroke, 363 t /ea. capacity

Riser Management Fugro/MCS, On-Line Riser System (RMS) Analysis System

Choke Manifold Cameron, 3-1/16" 15,000 psi / 4-1/16" 5,000 psi

2 x Hydraulic Remote Choke, 2 x Manual Choke

PURPOSE-BUILT DRILL PIPE

Drill Pipe 5-1/2" DP x 0.506" S-150, 5-3/4" FH NK DSTJ 3,250 m

5-1/2" DP x 0.415" S-140,5-1/2" FH NK DSTJ 1,500 m

5" DP x 0.362" S-140,5-1/2" FH NK DSTJ 5,000 m

CORE SAMPLING SYSTEM

Soft Sediments Hydraulic Piston Coring System (HPCS)

Soft to moderately Extended Shoe Coringhard formations System (ESCS)

Medium to hard Standard Rotary Core Barrel (RCB)formations

Tool for drilling Small Diameter Standard Rotary depth/Larger Core Barrel (SDRCB)diameter than RCB

OTHERS

Deck Crane Hydralift Electric-Hydraulic Knuckle Boom Crane2 x 85 t, 2 x 45 t

Laboratory 2,300 m2

Sewage Sasakura Engineering, Treatment Plant Super Trident ST-15

Drill Cuttings & Sasakura/Telnite/Apollo, IHI MUWaste Mud 1. Mud Drain Concentration Treatment Unit System

2. Condensed Water Purifying System

3. Solidify & Dehydration System

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X-ray CT Scanning X-ray CT Scanner GE Light Speed Ultra 16Core logging (NGR, GRA, MS, NCR,

MSCL-W, MSCL-S Geotek _

PWV for Whole & Split Core)Thermal Conductivity Thermal Conductivity

Teka Berlin TK04(Whole Core and Pieces) SystemSplit-Core Digital Photography MSCL-I Geotek _

Color Re�ectance MSCL-C " _

Natural Remanent Magnetization Cryogenic 2G Enterprises 760

(W/Step-Wise Demagnetization) Magnetometer System

Moisture and Density/Porosity Penta-Pycnometer Quantachrome PPYC-KU

Electric Balance OHTI _X-ray Di�raction XRD Spectris PW3800Electric Resistivity Analysis Impedance Analyzer Agilent Technology 4294A P-wave Velocity Measurement System Marui MIS-235-1-075-055 for Discrete SamplesElastic Wave Velocity Analysis

Pressurization Elastic Wave Velocity OHTI HSOHT-1201 Measurement System Multi-Wavelength Particle Analyzer with Particle Size Analysis

Micro Volume Beckman Coulter LS13320, S/N

Module (MVM) System

AL38627

Core Splitting Core Splitter Maruto MC-904

Partial An Hysteric ASC Scienti�c

Dtech D-2000 Remanence MagnetizerARM & IRM Rock Magnetism AF Demagnetizer Natsuhara Giken DEM-95Experiments Thermal Demagnetizer " TDS-1 Spinner Magnetometer " SMD-88

Pulse Magnetizer Magnetic MMPM10

MeasurementMagnetic Susceptibility Kappabridges AGICO KLY-3S KappabridgesAnalysis Magnetic Susceptibility Bartington MS2B System

Close-up Photo System Canon WFT-E1Close-up and Micro Imaging Digital Microscope Keyence VHX-900 SEM-EDS JEOL JCM-5700LVBiostratigraphy/Petrology Microscopes Carl Zeiss SV11, SV12

Gas Chromatograph Agilent Technology 6890N

(ECD)Contamination Testing

Fluorescence Carl Zeiss

Axio Microscope Plan/Skop/Imaging Liquid Chromatograph

Agilent Technology 1100Volatile and Soluble Organic (HPLC)Compound Analysis Gas Chromatograph

"

5973N (MSD)

Lab Equipment

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Category Measurement/Preparation Instrument Manufacturer Model

Pale

omag

netis

mM

icro

biol

ogy

Mic

rosc

opy

Phys

ical

Pro

pert

y

Gas Chromatograph Agilent Technology 6890N

(NGA)

Gas Anaiysis Gas Chromatograph (FID) " " Gas Chromatograph (TCD/FID) (MSD)

Agilent Technology 6890N

Squeezing Squeezer Carver Inc. AUTOFOUR/30

Salinity Refractometer Atago RX-5000a

Ammonia Spectrophotometer Shimadzu UV-2550PC

(UV-Vis)

Phosphoric Acid " " "

pH, Alkalinity, Chlorinity Titrator Metrhom Basic

Titrino Model 794

Sulfate, Nitrife Silicate, Cations Ion Chromatograph Dionex ICS1500 Ammonia

Major Element ICP-AES Horiba Ultima2

Minor Element " " "

Trace Element ICP-MS Agilent Technology 7500ce

XRFCL JOEL

JSX-3600CA1 (TATSSCAN-F2)

X-Ray Fluorescence Rigaku Supermini

Whole Rock and Major Elements ICP-AES Horiba Ultima2

ICP-MS Agilent Technology 7500ce

Laser Ablation System New Wave Research UP-213

Bead Sampler Tokyo Kagaku TK-4100

Micro Region Chemistry Analysis SEM-EDS JEOL JCM-5700LV

Bulk Carbon-Nitrogen Analysis CHNS/O Analyzer ThermoFinigan FlashEA1112 NC

Bulk Sulfur Analysis " " "

Hydrocarbon Maturity Monitoring Rock Eval Vinch Technologies Rock-Eval 6 "Standard"

Carbonate Analysis Carbonate Analyzer

UIC & MWJ CM5012 (coulometer)

Cut O� Saw Struers _

Thin Section Equipments " _

Vacuum Impregnation " _

Smear Slide / Thin Section Polishing System " _

Micro Cutter BUEHLER Isomet Low Speed Saw

Microscopes Carl Zeiss SV11, SV12

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Thin

Sec

tion

Geo

chem

istr

y

Pore

wat

er c

hem

istr

y

Category Measurement/Preparation Instrument Manufacturer Model

The Measurement Service Catalog is available in the Chikyu Hakken WEB site.URL : http://www.jamstec.go.jp/chikyu/eng/Expedition/laboratories/

Contact:

JAMSTEC Press O�ceNatsushima-cho 2-15, Yokosuka

Kanagawa 237-0061, JAPAN

E-Mail: press@jamstec.go.jp

Center for Deep Earth ExplorationShowa-machi 3173-25, Kanazawa

Yokohama 236-0001, JAPAN

E-Mail: cdex@jamstec.go.jp

Chikyu Hakken Web Sitehttp://www.jamstec.go.jp/Chikyu/

Riser Pipes

2P

2S

4P

4S

1C3C

Bridge

Side(Bow)Thruster

Derrick

Research Laboratory

No.1 Deck Crane

No.2 Deck Crane

No.3 Deck Crane

Drill Floor

No.4 Deck Crane

Living Areas

Helicopter Deck

Thrusters