The Ocean Drilling Program: A Case Study in International Science

The Ocean Drilling Program, by almost any measure, is the largest international ocean sciences program in the world today. It has been in operation for four years, but can trace its roots back through its predecessor program, the Deep Sea Drilling Project, for nearly twenty-five years of successful operations and over a decade of formal, international participation. This program now involves the cooperation and contribution of 18 countries with an annual program cost in excess of $35 million dollars. This paper discusses the formal and informal mechanisms which form the basis for managing this highly successful international program. The paper discusses the rational for internationalization, government-to-government relations, contractual arrangements and scientific decision-making processes.