Deep borehole drilling

The fourth borehole drilling survey was launched by means of a contract signed in November 2004 in the framework of an open invitation for international tenders.

The most important activity undertaken during the reference period is the fourth borehole drilling survey in the Strait of Gibraltar, aimed at clarifying the geological uncertainties encountered in the central third of the layout.

Special attention will be given to the fourth borehole drilling survey, in progress at the time this report was prepared, and to updating the basic engineering and user traffic forecasting studies, in order to formulate the technical and financial feasibility appraisal.

However, for reasons linked, on the one hand, to the geological complexity of the site study of which calls for drilling of deep boreholes in the seabed and, on the other hand, to the difficulties of such deep borehole drilling owing to the exceptional pattern of currents in the Strait, the geological investigations in question are highly difficult and burdensome.