International Continental Scientific Drilling Program

• The Union Cabinet recently gave its approval for Indian membership of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) consortium by signing MoU with the Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for geosciences.
• Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for geosciences is a government-funded, Public Law Foundation of the State of Brandenburg, Germany.
• As a part of the membership agreement, India will get a seat on two ICDP panels – Executive Committee (EC) and Assembly of Governors (AOG).
• And ICDP will provide technical / operational support, facilitate capacity building in terms of manpower training in key scientific areas, sample and data management and support workshops for the Koyna scientific deep drilling project undertaken by Ministry of Earth Sciences in Maharastra.

About International Continental Scientific Drilling Program:

• The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program is a multinational program to further and fund geosciences in the field of Continental Scientific Drilling. Scientific drilling is a critical tool in understanding of Earth processes and structure.
• It provides direct insight into Earth processes and critically tests geological models. Results obtained from drilling projects at critical sites can be applied to other areas worldwide. It is, therefore, believed that international cooperation in continental scientific drilling is an essential component for a responsible management strategy for the Earth's natural resources and environment.
• The ICDP was founded in February 1996 in the German Embassy in Tokyo as a result of the German Continental Deep Drilling Program
• Members of ICDP: Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, the UK and USA.

Analysis:

• This MoU will enable India in engaging internationally renowned experts with profound expertise in different aspects of scientific drilling.
• ICDP will provide technical / operational support, facilitate capacity building in terms of manpower training in key scientific areas, sample and data management
• As a member of ICDP, scientists/engineers from India would have right to submit proposals, to participate in all ICDP co-funded workshops and drilling projects.
• They will get access to all data results from ICDP projects. This will shed new light on the genesis of seismicity and better understanding of earthquake processes.

By: Vishal