57 



ODP has returned to the world oceans as its operating area. After the OMDP 

 experience, we have worked hard to restore the trust of the international 

 coimunity in the open, non-proprietary nature of the research, and to 

 demonstrate the willingness of the U.S. to keep it that way. Any future 

 plan for riser operations must deal forthrightly with this inherent 

 conflict between national and international interests, and find a formula 

 which balances them to mutual benefit. 



4. Cost 



Drilling is expensive. The costs of building, outfitting and operating a 

 drillship and supplying the necessary scientific and logistical services 

 are beyond the means of all but a few countries. In today's market, the 

 cost of building a state-of-the-art ship approach $100 million. It cost 

 over $10 million to convert JOIDES RESOLUTION by installing laboratories 

 and scientific drilling and coring capabilities. Joint ODP operations and 

 services cost about $35 million per year, and additional support for the 

 individual research efforts provided separately by each nation to its own 

 research community probably adds $20 million or so to that amount. 



While these costs do not approach the expense of, say, a big accelerator or 

 a space telescope, they are nevertheless a substantial demand on any single 

 nation's science budget. This makes collaboration financially desirable, 

 and limits the likelihood that a competing program may suddenly develop. 



5. Personnel Requirements 



Perhaps the most important motive for international collaboration in ocean 

 drilling is its enormous demand for scientific, engineering, and technical 

 talent. One of the senior U.S. founders and supporters of ocean drilling. 

 Prof. Charles Drake of Dartmouth, often refers to the program as a 

 "people-eater". This causes consternation and merriment at international 

 conferences when translators not familiar with American slang render this 

 as, "ODP is -a cannibal," 



But consider these facts: 



- About 280 scientists, engineers, technicians, seamen, drillers, 

 curators", and administrative and support personnel are full-time 

 employees under ODP contracts. 



- Another 250 are unpaid members of planning groups and advisory 

 panels, most of which meet several times annually. 



- One hundred fifty (150) individuals go to sea each year to take part 

 in scientific cruise legs averaging about 2 months each in duration; 

 they also formally commit themselves to 2 to 6 months of work in the 

 following year to process, analyze and edit the data collected by 

 the group, postponing individual research until they have fulfilled 

 this collective responsibility. 



- Although not sailing on the drillship, another 150 scientists will 

 collect or analyze geophysical data, survey potential sites, or 

 perform shore-side analysis of cruise results. 



