This will be our final daily update from the SAFOD drill site for the Phase 1 drilling campaign. Phase 2 activities will commence around June 1, 2005. In the interim, please check this website for updates, as information will be posted periodically during this drilling hiatus. In the past two weeks, the hole was successfully logged, casing was installed to 10,010 ft MD, and 38 feet of core was obtained from the bottom of the hole. In addition, a fiber optics laser strainmeter was just installed behind casing above 4700 ft. Over the next week, a long-term fluid build up test will be initiated and the hole will be secured for the winter. Nabors Rig 633 will be released in a few days. On October 15th, a seismic monitoring sonde will be installed in the hole to record both earthquakes and shots set off at some of the surrounding surface seismic stations. In preparation for next summer's drilling, these data will be used to further refine geophysical models of the region near the San Andreas fault and improve our locations for the SAFOD target earthquake. It has been an amazing (and exhausting) five months. It's gratifying to know that Phase 1 was carried out successfully as planned. To say the least, everyone involved is looking forward to the continuation of exciting science next year!	Image of the day.
	The equipment to cap the well waits on site to be installed at the very end of this year's operations.

Date	Image of the Day	Message of the Day
10/06/2004		This will be our final daily update from the SAFOD drill site for the Phase 1 drilling campaign. Phase 2 activities will commence around June 1, 2005. In the interim, please check this website for updates, as information will be posted periodically during this drilling hiatus. In the past two weeks, the hole was successfully logged, casing was installed to 10,010 ft MD, and 38 feet of core was obtained from the bottom of the hole. In addition, a fiber optics laser strainmeter was just installed behind casing above 4700 ft. Over the next week, a long-term fluid build up test will be initiated and the hole will be secured for the winter. Nabors Rig 633 will be released in a few days. On October 15th, a seismic monitoring sonde will be installed in the hole to record both earthquakes and shots set off at some of the surrounding surface seismic stations. In preparation for next summer's drilling, these data will be used to further refine geophysical models of the region near the San Andreas fault and improve our locations for the SAFOD target earthquake. It has been an amazing (and exhausting) five months. It's gratifying to know that Phase 1 was carried out successfully as planned. To say the least, everyone involved is looking forward to the continuation of exciting science next year! more...
10/05/2004		The 9 5/8 inch casing was cemented in place last night, and the final touches were put on the fiber optic strainmeter this afternoon. Scientific and drilling operations are wrapping up for the season. We'll spend the next several days packing up and rigging down. more...
10/04/2004		We had a busy day at the SAFOD site today. Sixth graders from Shandon Elementary School stopped by to learn about the project and get a tour of the site. Meanwhile the casing operation continued in conjunction with installation of the fiber optic strainmeter. Tomorrow we expect to be cementing the casing. more...
10/03/2004		A science team from U.C. San Diego worked through the night last night and all day today installing a fiber optic strainmeter on the outside of the 9 5/8 inch casing. Meanwhile more media (Second German Television station and CNN.com) visited the site to talk about the SAFOD project and last week's Parkfield earthquake. more...
10/02/2004		High torque during the second coring run in this well section resulted in only eight feet of recovery. However, adding this to the full 30 feet from yesterday's run, we consider the coring program to be a big success. During the day today, the core sections were carefully processed and sealed at Core Labs and are now on their way to the USGS in Menlo Park, en route to storage at Texas A&M University. more...
10/01/2004		Today we aquired the first of two 30 foot cores and it appears that we have 100% recovery. The core is made up of an interesting melange of granite and sedimentary rock. We are currently tripping back in for the second 30 foot core run. more...