Mohole Project Records
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2024
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Business Number: 858-534-2533
Fax Number: 858-534-5950
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Mohole Project Records
Creator:
Project Mohole
Identifier/Call Number: SAC 0011
Physical Description:
11.6 Linear feet
(29 archives boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1943, 1958-1967
Abstract: Project Mohole (1958-1967) was a multi-institutional federally funded science program to retrieve a sample of the Earth's
mantle layer by drilling through the crust layer in the deep ocean. This collection documents its committee support, technical
progress, and contributions to oceanography and ocean drilling.
Languages:
English
.
Scope and Content of Collection
This collection documents the operations of Project Mohole from its inception in 1958 to its termination in 1967. The majority
of the collection consists of progress reports to the NSF from the primary contractor Brown & Root with updates on technological
developments in areas of drilling, naval architecture, logistics, geology, seismology, bathymetry, instrumentation design,
site survey, and land- and sea-based experimental drill holes. A master index exists for navigating these Progress and Technical
Reports.
The remaining collection consists of administrative materials discussing AMSOC's inception of the Mohole project, early planning
meetings, the process of site selection, contractor selection, discussion on the nature of and need for an "intermediate"
stage, the evolving duties of AMSOC, LOCO, and CORE in Mohole activities, and congressional inquiry into Mohole spending.
Committee scientists also kept extensive research files on contemporary Soviet drilling projects. The collection contains
two artificial files by SIO archivists on project chronologies and bibliographies, consisting of selected AMSOC memoranda,
correspondence, and documents, including a 1943 proposal "Core Drilling Under the Oceans" from Thomas Jaggar to the International
Union for Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).
The collection is arranged into five series: 1) COMMITTEES, 2) CORRESPONDENCE, 3) CONTRACTORS, 4) RESEARCH FILES, 5) PRESS
COVERAGE.
Administrative History
Project Mohole was a multi-institutional federally funded science program to retrieve a sample of the Earth's mantle layer
by drilling through the crust layer in the deep ocean. The project began under the leadership of the American Miscellaneous
Society (AMSOC), an informal group formed at the Office of Naval Research in 1952, with Walter Munk and Roger Revelle of Scripps
Institute of Oceanography (SIO) among the members. In 1958, AMSOC received approval and funds from the National Science Foundation
(NSF) to begin experimental ocean drilling. At this time AMSOC began functioning as an official unit of the National Research
Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS).
The project was planned for three phases: experimental drilling and technical feasibility, intermediate vessel construction
and site selection, and final Mohole drilling. The first phase was completed in 1961, after a drilling a shallow experimental
hole offshore of Guadalupe Island, Mexico.
With the success of the first phase, AMOSC relinquished direction of the project to the NSF, who sought proposals for a primary
contractor from oceanographic institutions, construction companies, and oil and gas drilling companies. In 1962 they selected
Brown & Root, a construction company based out of Houston, Texas, and subsidiary of Halliburton Co., as primary contractor
in charge of all aspects of the project. AMSOC officially dissolved in 1964, but members continued to unofficially advise
Brown & Root under the AMSOC title and through two subsequent committees, the Long Core Committee (LOCO) and the Consortium
for Oceanic Research and Exploration (CORE).
Under the direction of Brown & Root, the project progressed into phase two, but faced technical, financial, and managerial
problems. Brown & Root hired numerous subcontractors to develop the technologies needed for deep sea drilling and core retrieval,
at times at odds with NSF and committee recommendations. A significant point of contention revolved around the need for "intermediate"
stage drilling, with Brown & Root preferring to begin drilling the Mohole as soon as possible while the scientists advised
the need for more shallow trials in geologically different sites. Sites considered for drilling included areas around Hawai'i,
Puerto Rico, Brazil, and the North Atlantic Ocean. In 1965 the project officially selected the area off the north shore of
Maui as the Mohole site.
In 1963 the US Congress began to question the use of funds by NSF for project Mohole, and in 1966 they terminated the project.
Following the termination of Mohole, many scientists and materials were transferred to the related Deep Sea Drilling Project
(DSDP) or Joint Oceanographic Institutions for Deep Earth Sampling (JOIDES) program.
Preferred Citation
Mohole Project Records. SAC 11. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 1981, 1991
OFF-SITE STORAGE
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS.
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Related materials
To view the 1961 film "Experimental deep water drilling: Project Mohole," see the UC San Diego Library Digital Collections
(
available online ).
For additional material at UC San Diego related to ocean drilling, see the Deep Sea Drilling Project Records, SAC 12. Special
Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library.
Provenance
In 1978, SIO Archivist Elizabeth (Betty) Shor gathered items for a collection of documents related to the Mohole Project from
the offices of project members George Shor, Russell Raitt, William Benson, and others. This material was officially accessioned
into the SIO Archives in 1981 and represents the participation of SIO scientists in the Mohole Project. In 1991, an additional
accession of Brown & Root and subcontractor reports were added from the SIO Library. These materials were processed together
and represented in one finding aid in 2024.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Underwater drilling
Project Mohole -- Archives
COMMITTEES
Scope and Content of Series"
SERIES 1) COMMITTEES: Contains meeting minutes, memoranda, and planning notes from the various Mohole committees, in addition
to materials generated by and for the US Congress for their inquiry into the Mohole project, including estimated budgets,
summary progress reports, and statements for the Congressional Record. The collection contains two artificial files by Elizabeth
(Betty) Shor on project chronologies and bibliographies, consisting of selected AMSOC memoranda, correspondence, and documents,
including a 1943 proposal "Core Drilling Under the Oceans" from Thomas Jaggar to the International Union for Geodesy and Geophysics
(IUGG).
Box 1, Folder 1
Project chronology
1943, 1962-1968
General note
Included in chronological reports is a pre-Mohole 1943 proposal "Core Drilling Under the Oceans" from Thomas Jaggar to the
International Union for Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG).
Box 1, Folder 2
Bibliographies
undated, 1967
Box 1, Folder 3-8
American Miscellaneous Society (AMSOC) minutes and memoranda
1958-1963
Box 2, Folder 1-2
American Miscellaneous Society (AMSOC) minutes and memoranda
1964-1966
Box 2, Folder 3
Long Core (LOCO) committee
1962-1964
Box 2, Folder 4
Consortium for Oceanic Research and Exploration (CORE)
1963-1975
Box 2, Folder 5
International Upper Mantle Symposia, Site Selection Committee
1965 September
Box 2, Folder 6
United States Congress hearings, House of Representatives Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Subcommittee on Oceanography
1961-1963
Box 2, Folder 7
Congressional Record
1963-1966
Box 2, Folder 8
Statements before Senate Committee on Appropriations
1963-1966
Box 2, Folder 9
William Benson portfolio for Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing
1963 July 15
Box 2, Folder 10
National Science Foundation (NSF) Mohole Annual Reports
1963-1965
CORRESPONDENCE
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 2) CORRESPONDENCE: Outgoing correspondence, organized alphabetically. Files contain information related to AMSOC, LOCO,
and CORE personnel and duties, including ship and instrumentation design and acquisition, meeting preparation, and personal
notes.
Box 3, Folder 3
Arrhenius, Gustaf
1961-1962
Box 3, Folder 4
Bascom, Willard
1959-1963
Box 3, Folder 5
Benson, William
1962-1964
Box 3, Folder 8
Burk, Creighton (C.A.)
1963-1964
Box 3, Folder 11
Emiliani, Cesare
1962-1964
Box 3, Folder 13
Frautschy, Jeffery (J.D.)
1960-1965
Box 3, Folder 18
Hedberg, Hollis
1962-1963
Box 3, Folder 20
Hersey, John Brackett (J.B.)
1963
Box 3, Folder 21
Hess, Harry Hammond (H.H.)
1959-1965
Box 3, Folder 32
Ladd, Harry (H.S.)
1962-1963
Box 3, Folder 36
Manar, Thomas
1960-1961
General Note
Material on "Experimental deep water drilling" film
Box 3, Folder 46
Pakiser, Louis Charles (L.C.)
1963
Box 3, Folder 47
Petrie, William
1962-1964
Box 3, Folder 50
Revelle, Roger
1961-1964
General note
Materials on CORE.
Box 3, Folder 51
Riedel, William
1962-1963
General note
Materials on LOCO.
Box 3, Folder 52
Robertson, Randal M.
1962
Box 3, Folder 54
Ruttenberg, Charles
1963
General note
Materials related to House Committee.
Box 3, Folder 58
Seitz, Frederick
1962-1963
Box 4, Folder 2
Sides, Joseph D. (J.D.)
1963
Box 4, Folder 4
Stanford, Henry King
1963
Box 4, Folder 8
Terrell, Richard (R.L.)
1961
Box 4, Folder 9
Thornburg, Russell
1961-1963
Box 4, Folder 11
Van Andel, Jerry
1965-1966
Box 4, Folder 15
Woollard, George Prior
1965
CONTRACTORS
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 3) CONTRACTORS: Contains documentation related to the search for a primary contractor and the operation of the program
under the direction of Brown & Root in that role. The series is divided into three subseries: A) Proposals, B) Brown & Root
Reports, and C) Subcontractor Reports.
A) Proposals: Contains the proposals received for the role of primary contractor and other subcontractor roles, as well as
budgets and project cost estimates.
B) Brown & Root Reports: Consists of monthly reports issued from Brown & Root to the NSF for progress in oceanography and
geology, naval architecture, marine engineering, instrumentation, drilling, scheduling, logistics, operations, and subcontracts.
A master index of reports exists for navigating this subseries.
C) Subcontractor Reports: Contains the final reports sent to Brown & Root from subcontractors on specified projects.
Box 4, Folder 17
Primary contractor selection
1961-1963
Box 4, Folder 18
Brown & Root contracts
1962-1964
Box 4, Folder 19
Zapata Off-Shore proposals
1962
General note
Contains signed letter by George H. W. Bush in his capacity as President of Zapata Offshore Company (1962).
Box 4, Folder 20
Battelle Memorial Institute proposals
1961-1962
Box 4, Folder 21
Texas Instruments subcontract proposal
1961
Box 4, Folder 22
Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) subcontract proposals
1961-1962
Box 4, Folder 23
United States Underseas Cable Corporation proposal
1961
Box 4, Folder 24
State Boat Corporation proposal
1961
Box 4, Folder 25
Moore Brothers Electric Corporation drill proposal
1961
Box 4, Folder 26
Ocean Science and Exploration, Inc. proposal
1962
Box 4, Folder 27
Brown & Root Project Estimates
1964, 1966
Box 5, Folder 1
Master Index of Scientific and Technical Progress Reports
1967 February 6
Box 5, Folder 2-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1963 November 30 - 1964 January 31
Box 6, Folder 1-5
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 January 31 - 1964 March 31
Box 7, Folder 1-5
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 March 31 - 1964 April 30
Box 8, Folder 1-7
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 April 30 - 1964 June 30
Box 9, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 June 30 - 1964 August 31
Box 10, Folder 1-5
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 August 31 - 1964 September 30
Box 11, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 September 30 - 1964 October 31
Box 12, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 October 31 - 1964 November 30
Box 13, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 November 30 - 1964 December 31
Box 14, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1964 December 31 - 1965 February 28
Box 15, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1965 February 28 - 1965 April 30
Box 16, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1965 April 30 - 1965 May 31
Box 17, Folder 1-8
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1965 May 31 - 1965 August 31
Box 18, Folder 1-7
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1965 September 30 - 1965 December 31
Box 19, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1966 January 31 - 1966 February 28
Box 20, Folder 1-6
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1966 March 31 - 1966 September 30
Box 21, Folder 1-3
Brown & Root Scientific and Technical Progress (STP) Report
1966 September 30
Box 21, Folder 4
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Sidewall Coring Tool
1965 January 4
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 21, Folder 5-7
Brown & Root, "Stage A Report, Equipment Evaluation Test Well at Uvalde Texas"
1965 May 1
Box 22, Folder 1-2
Brown & Root, "Design Dossier for Riser System," Re-issue
1966 February 21
Box 22, Folder 3
Brown & Root Phase II Stage "A" Report: Magnetic Susceptibility & Magnetic Intensity Logging Tools
1967 May 10
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 22, Folder 4
Brown & Root Phase II Stage "A" Report: Re-Entry Sonar Supplement No.1
1967 May 29
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 22, Folder 5
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Turbocorer Instrumentation
1967 July 5
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 22, Folder 6
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Bumper-Sub Instrumentation
1967 July 19
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 22, Folder 7
Brown & Root Phase II Stage "A" Report: Vessel Heave Compensator
1967 August 4
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 22, Folder 8
Brown & Root, "Supplement to Stage "A" Design Report, Power Plant and Electrical Distribution Equipment System"
1967 September 29
Box 22, Folder 9
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Downhole Drilling Tools
ca. 1967
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 23, Folder 1
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Drilling Fluid and Cementing System
ca. 1967
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 23, Folder 2
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Hoisting System
ca. 1967
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 23, Folder 3
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Pipe Handling System
ca. 1967
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 23, Folder 4
Brown & Root Phase II Final Report: Rotating System
ca. 1967
General note
Contract NSF C-260
Box 23, Folder 5
Brown & Root, Presentation to Bureau of Yards and Docks Navy Department
1964 July 31
Box 23, Folder 6
Brown & Root, Presentation to United States Coast Guard Service, Merchant Marine Technical division
1966 February 16
Box 23, Folder 7
Shell Oil Company, "Floating Drilling and Underwater Well Completions, A Course for Industry"
1962 November 9
Box 23, Folder 8
American Science & Engineering Company, "Results of Oceanographic Studies-II"
1963 May 24
Box 23, Folder 9
American Science & Engineering Company, "Platform Motion Design Criteria"
1963 December 9
Box 23, Folder 10
Robert Taggart, Inc., "Preliminary design of retraction system for steering propulsion units"
1963 June
Box 23, Folder 11
Western Gear Corporation, "Design of drilling vessel positioning units"
1964 August
Box 23, Folder 12
Gibbs & Cox, Inc., "Specification for construction of the positioning units for the Project Mohole drilling platform"
1965 February
Box 24, Folder 1
The University of Michigan, "Model tests of project Mohole drilling platform final report"
1964 August
Box 24, Folder 2
Robert Taggart, Inc., "Propeller design studies and analysis of model tests"
1964 November
Box 24, Folder 3
Robert Taggart, Inc., "Propeller and nozzle design for positioning units"
1965 March
Box 24, Folder 4
National Engineering Science Company, "On the Dynamic Analysis of the Mohole Riser"
1964 November
Box 24, Folder 5
Armco Steel Corporation, "Drawworks Design Layout Data"
1964 November 16
Box 24, Folder 6-7
Armco Steel Corporation, "Drawworks Design Layout Drawings"
1964
Box 24, Folder 8
National Engineering Science Company, "Dynamic Stress Analysis of the Mohole Riser System"
1965 January
Box 25, Folder 1
National Engineering Science Company, "Dynamic Stress Analysis of the Mohole Riser System, Addendum"
1965 March
Box 25, Folder 2
National Engineering Science Company, "Structural Dynamic Analysis of the Riser and Drill String for Project Mohole, Final
Report Addendum, Compendium of Supporting Data"
1965 December
Box 25, Folder 3
General Motors Corporation, "Manual for Operation and Maintenance of the SBS Position-Measurement System"
1966 January
Box 25, Folder 4
Chu Associates, "Drilling Platform Antenna Design and Arrangement Study," Phase II final report
1966 March 12
Box 25, Folder 5-6
Halliburton Company, "Pump Expendable Parts Test"
1966 October 5
Box 26, Folder 1
Stevens Institute of Technology, Davidson Laboratory, "1/100-Scale Model Tests of Mohole Drilling Platform in Waves"
1967 January
Box 26, Folder 2
Honeywell, "A Technical Manual for Long Baseline SONAR Subsystem Operation and Maintenance"
1967 February 10
Box 26, Folder 3
Honeywell, "A Technical Manual for the Phase Comparison Reference Positioning System Operation and Maintenance"
1967 February 17
Box 26, Folder 4
Honeywell, "A Technical Manual for Vessel Positioning System Operation and Maintenance"
1967 February 28
Box 26, Folder 5
Honeywell, "A Technical Manual for Positioning Computer Subsystem Operation and Maintenance"
1967 February 28
Box 26, Folder 6
Honeywell, Design diagrams
1966-1967
Box 27, Folder 1-2
Messinger Consultants Company, "Progress Report Project Mohole, Communications"
ca. 1967
Box 27, Folder 3
Saturn Electronics Corporation, Automatic Pipe Racking System. Volume I.
ca. 1967
Box 27, Folder 4
Saturn Electronics Corporation, Automatic Pipe Racking System. Volume II.
ca. 1967
Box 27, Folder 5
Saturn Electronics Corporation, Automatic Pipe Racking System. Volume III.
ca. 1967
RESEARCH FILES
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 4) RESEARCH FILES: Contains research files generated by SIO scientists or sent to SIO scientists from other Mohole
participants. Types of material include site survey reports, maps, seismic charts, instrumentation and vessel design blueprints.
A large file contains reports of contemporary Soviet drilling projects.
Box 28, Folder 1
Experimental drilling
1959-1962
Box 28, Folder 2
Experimental drilling in deep water
1960
Box 28, Folder 3
Intermediate drilling program
1963
Box 28, Folder 4
Hawaiian arch site survey reports
1964
Box 28, Folder 5
Hawaiian arch site survey seismic refraction charts
1964
Box 28, Folder 6
Hawaiian arch site survey maps
1964
Box 28, Folder 7
Report of visit to St. Peter and St. Paul's rocks
1963
Box 28, Folder 8
A study of serpentinite: the AMSOC core hole near Mayaguez, Puerto Rico
1964
Box 28, Folder 9
Vector cable company floating cable design
1964
Box 28, Folder 10
A seismic investigation of the Barracuda Fault area
1966
Box 28, Folder 11
Barracuda fault charts
1966
Box 29, Folder 1-3
Soviet drilling
1960-1965
PRESS COVERAGE
Scope and Content of Series
SERIES 5) PRESS COVERAGE: Contains selected press releases, popular news, and trade journal coverage of Mohole activities.
Box 29, Folder 5
Newspaper articles and clippings
1958-1967
Box 29, Folder 6
Trade journal articles and clippings
1958-1966
