| Project Engineer: Bill Rhinehart |
| Staff Liaison: Jay Miller |
The reentry cone seal, also referred to as a flow isolation plug or simply the CORK, is used to seal an ODP reentry hole, thus preventing flow into or out of the borehole. The CORK provides a means for monitoring borehole temperature and pressure as well as recovery of borehole fluid samples.
A reentry installation with casing cemented in place is required for installing a CORK. Once in place, all borehole reentry operations are barred until the CORK is removed.
The thermister string/data logger can be removed or replaced by using an ROV or submersible. Removal of the CORK requires use of the JOIDES Resolution or similar vessel.
ODP/TAMU engineers are finalizing the design of special cork fishing tools to be used in recovering the damaged Hole 857D CORK and removing and reinstalling another CORK that is thought to be leaking in Hole 858G. The damaged CORK requires special tools to be built and an extensive contingency plan drawn up for possible scenarios that might occur during the fishing exercise. The tools will be deployed on Leg 169 (Sedimentary Ridges II, August-October 1996).
ODP/TAMU is also in the process of manufacturing six new CORKs, reentry cone platforms, and other tools necessary for CORK installation on Legs 168 and 169. Several different styles of CORK bodies are required to allow installation in the various types of casing hangers that both ODP/TAMU and DSDP have installed in the past. All future installations will allow the CORKs to be of the same design.