Editing Alpine Fault (section)

=== Deep Fault Drilling Project ===

The Deep Fault Drilling Project (DFDP) was an attempt in 2014 to retrieve rock and fluid samples and make geophysical measurements inside the Alpine Fault zone at depth.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Townend|first=John|date=2009|title=Deep Fault Drilling Project—Alpine Fault, New Zealand|url=https://www.sci-dril.net/8/75/2009/sd-8-75-2009.pdf|journal=Scientific Drilling|volume=8|pages=75–82|doi=10.5194/sd-8-75-2009|bibcode=2009SciDr...8...75T |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="phys.org">{{Cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2014-09-drilling-earthquake-fault-zealand.html|title=Drilling into an active earthquake fault in New Zealand|website=phys.org|access-date=2019-02-16}}</ref> It was a $2.5 million international research project designed to drill 1.3&nbsp;km to the fault plan in two months.<ref name="phys.org" /> The DFDP was the second project to try to drill an active fault zone and return samples after the [[San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth]].<ref name="phys.org" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2005/dec/10/thisweekssciencequestions.geology|title=Why are scientists drilling into the San Andreas fault?|last=Ravilious|first=Kate|date=2005-12-10|work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=2018-12-31|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> One of the goals of the project was to use the deformed rocks from the fault zone to determine its resistance to stress.<ref name="phys.org" /> Researchers also planned to install long term equipment for measuring pressure, temperature and seismic activity near the fault zone.<ref name="phys.org" /> It was led by New Zealand geologists [[Rupert Sutherland]], John Townsend and [[Virginia Toy]] and involves an international team from New Zealand, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/News-and-Events/Media-Releases/drill-probe-in-Alpine-Fault/DEEP-FAULT-DRILLING-PROJECT-2-FAQs|title=DEEP FAULT DRILLING PROJECT-2 FAQs / drill probe in Alpine Fault / Media Releases / News and Events / Home – GNS Science|website=gns.cri.nz|access-date=2018-12-31}}</ref>

In 2017, they reported they had discovered beneath [[Whataroa]], a small township on the Alpine Fault, "extreme" hydrothermal activity which "could be commercially very significant".<ref name="Sutherland2017"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/regions/west-coast/geothermal-discovery-west-coast|title=Geothermal discovery on West Coast|date=18 May 2017|website=[[Otago Daily Times]] }}</ref> One of the lead researchers said that it is likely to be globally unique.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/the-country/news/article.cfm?c_id=16&objectid=11858291|title=Geothermal discovery on West Coast|last=Elder|first=Vaughan|work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |access-date=2018-12-30|issn=1170-0777}}</ref>