184 



In addition to the scientific advantagfes of the program (which the 

 reply discussed at some length) , there were many engineering benefits : 

 the various jjossible uses of the stable platform to place equipment on 

 the ocean floor and recover it, to track satellites, and to perform heavy 

 work at sea; various components developed in the project would be of 

 direct value to the petroleum industry. 



With respect to organization, the subcommittee had asked concern- 

 ing the "Foundation's plans and prospects for having scientific guid- 

 ance of the project moved outside of the Foundation." The response 

 to this question was of considerable interest because in his testimony 

 in 1963, Director Haworth had indicated his intention to try to ar- 

 range for management of the program by some academic institution 

 or research institute. However, at this time he added merely that tliis 

 was still his intention. There were two groups that had expressed in- 

 terest : JOIDES (Joint Oceanogi'aphic Institutions for Deep Explora- 

 tion of the Sea) comprised of Columbia University, the Woods Hole 

 Oceanographic Institution, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 

 and the University of Miami ; and GURC (Gulf Universities Research 

 Corporation) comprised of the University of Houston, Rice Uni- 

 versity, University of Texas, Florida State University, Louisiana State 

 University, Southern Methodist University, and Texas A. & M. Uni- 

 versity. The JOIDES group had indicated that it would not be in- 

 terested in taking over the project until the Mohole platform had been 

 operationally demonstrated. There had been one informal and unoffi- 

 cial visit to NSF by representatives of GURC. 



As to the cost of the program, it was now possible to provide a firmer 

 set of estimates. Bids had been received from four shipyards, and the 

 apparent low bidder. National Steel & Shipbuilding Co., of San Diego, 

 had offered a bid of $29,967,000 to construct the platform. The "total 

 estimated cost of the prime contract prior to drilling is $77 million." 

 (This was an increase of between $25 and $30 million over cost esti- 

 mates in 1964.) Operational cost estimates were now set at $11 million 

 annually. (In 1964, the figTirehad been $9 million.) 



The cost summary of the project to date (apparently to the end of 

 the fiscal year 1964) included : 



Phase I $1, 810, 000 



Phase II — Funds allocated : 



Fiscal year 1962 1. 5M, 490 



Fiscal year 1963 3, 289, 100 



Fiscal year 1964 7, 977, 338 



Fiscal year 1965 24, 699, 300 



Total 37, 560, 228 



NSF had paid out $1,410,228 for advisory services; the remainder 

 had been allocated to Brown & Root, of which $22,459,872 remained 

 uncommitted. 



A separate question from Representative Daddario to NSF con- 

 cerned the report of the Piore panel. Had it ever been released? What 

 were its recommendations? Were they implemented? The answer was 

 that no written report was ever transmitted or formalized. The "urgent 

 points made by Dr. Piore's committee" were : 



That work be performed with an "intermediate" drilling imit before con- 

 struction of a drilling system having full depth capability ; 



That it was acceptable to conduct intermediate drilling from a platform 

 having adequate size and power supply to accept and operate full depth 

 drilling equipment ; 



