Moon rise on the Delta, December 24, 2002 (Photo by Hideaki Takahashi, Japex Canada Ltd.)

Drilling the first observation hole began at 0830 Christmas Day and reached 900 m by January 2, 2002. The Mallik Science Program site supervisors, Mark Nixon and Al Taylor (NRCan) report that the weather has been cooperative with temperatures -12°C to -24°C but a couple of storms. Contact at the rig to the outside world is via the 181 km ice road along the Mackenzie River to Inuvik (3 hours), by a dedicated satellite telephone link and email. Japex Canada Limited, the well operator, and Akita Drilling, an Inuvialuit-owned northern company, precede each drilling sequence by a safety meeting - standard industry practice to ensure activities flow smoothly and without injury. A unique aspect of arctic drilling is the 600 m+ permafrost; to reduce thermal and mechanical erosion and to ensure stability of the well, the drilling mud is cooled to 2°C and the surface casing is insulated. The first scientists arrive shortly.

The first gas hydrate layers have been penetrated in the well. The photo shows Cal Piche's delight as he sees the first indications of gas hydrate on the computer screens in the doghouse. Cal is the Drilling Superintendent for Canadian Petroleum Engineering (CPE), the firm responsible for logistics, drilling, permitting and sub-contracting for the project. When the drill bit hits a gas hydrate layer the rate of penetration immediately decreases. This is followed by an increase in the volume of gas contained in the returning drill mud.