16 CUSS 1

black and white magazine photo cover for GeoTimes magazine with a picture of a ship on the ocean
CUSS 1, drilling barge modified for deep water drilling achieved success in text phases of AMSOC’s Project Mohole. NSF Photo. Cover image from GeoTimes Volume V, No. 8 (May-June 1961) is in the public domain.

 

The CUSS I: From War Surplus to Cutting-Edge Drilling Barge

The development of the CUSS I drilling platform was a pivotal step in the realization of Project Mohole. Originally an old war surplus barge, the CUSS I was a 300-ton vessel with a 98-foot drilling derrick positioned amidships. It was owned by the Global Marine Exploration Company and named for the consortium of oil companies that supported its development: Continental, Union, Superior, and Shell Oil Companies. John Steinbeck famously described the CUSS I as “having the sleek lines of an outhouse standing on a garbage scow,” highlighting its less than majestic appearance.

Transforming the CUSS I

Despite its humble beginnings, the CUSS I underwent significant modifications to become the experimental drilling barge for Project Mohole. The primary goal was to have the ship perform core drilling at significant depths, approximately 180 meters into the seabed,  operate in water depths of up to 3,500 meters and maintain precise positioning without relying on anchors, referred to as “dynamic positioning.”  A new control center was constructed to house the steering console and navigational instruments. This would be the brain of the vessel.  Normally a small craft feature, four outboard motors were installed to more closely control positioning.

The pilot can keep an eye on the ship’s position through  “pings” on both the radar and sonar screen. They sounds were made by echoes received continuously from strategically placed radar buoys on the surface, and sonar buoys beneath it. Their pattern told him at any given moment, whether and where he was drifting so he could compensate by manipulating motors. With this manual control, the CUSS I could remain  inside a 180-meter radius ring of preinstalled buoys both by sonar measurement and visually. This would keep the vessel I close enough to allow drilling in deep water.

CUSS I was also fitted with four azimuth thrusters were also installed to provide the precise maneuverability essential for dynamic positioning.  Advanced sonar tracking systems were added to enhance navigational accuracy and ensure the vessel remained stable over the drilling site.  Finally,  in order for the scientific crew to live and work on the ship for extended periods, laboratories and sleeping quarters were added.

With these innovations and modifications, Project Mohole was ready to embark on its groundbreaking mission. The challenges were immense, but so were the potential rewards. This endeavor not only aimed to penetrate the Earth’s crust but also to push the boundaries of technology and human ingenuity.

Black and white photo of approximately four men standing at the bow of ship behind a hoisted large lenticular buoy.
One of the six submerged buoys used for dynamic positioning in Project Mohole. They were lowered to about 200 ft (60 m) into a circular pattern. The CUSS I would then use sonar to maneuver itself in the center of that circle. Image from NSF is in the public domain.

To see how the CUSS I was modified, the challenges that  Project Mohole faced take a look at this video.

 

 

License

Icon for the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Scientific Ocean Drilling: Exploration and Discovery through Time Copyright © 2024 by Laura Guertin; Elizabeth Doyle; and Tessa Peixoto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book