John Briggs, Ph.D. Dec. 15, 1989
23 Barnard Rd.
Granville Mass.
01034 USA
Prof. Vladilen A. Krayushkin
Institute of Geological Sciences
55-B Chkalov Ulitsa
Kiev, 252045 USSR
Dear Prof. Krayushkin:
A colleague and I are currently writing an article for New Age Journal on the deep gas drilling project in the Siljan Ring, Sweden and on Thomas Gold. We have been in contact with Dr. Donofrio and understand that Soviet petroleum geologists are upset over the failure of this project and that you believe Prof. Gold has misrepresented the theory. We would like to se the story straight in our article. Would you be so kind as to answer a few questions for us.
1. As you review the index from Prof. Gold's book on deep gas (Power from the Earth) and the other papers Dr. Donofrio has sent you, are there key Soviet papers and Soviet ideas Prof. Gold fails to cite?
2. Gold claims that he arrived at his theory of deep gas independently, not from the Soviet literature. In your opinion, is this true or do you think he could he have derive "his" theory from the papers he does not cite. For example, Gold in his private notes indicates that he is aware of "The Role of Methane in the Formation of Mineral Fuels" by A.D. Bondar (1967) but he never has cited this paper in any of his work on the origin of oil.
We note that Gold first published on the theory in 1979 in a paper which Dr. Donofrio sent you. He then published an article in Scientific American which makes no mention of Soviet contributions. Power from the Earth - selections from which I am enclosing--was published in 1987, well after he had established a claim to the theory so that it came to be referred to as "Gold's theory." Dr. Donofrio tells us that when he visited Gold in the spring of 1981, his office was filled with Soviet papers on the deep gas theory, though he made reference to only a few Soviet articles in his own writing on the theory.
Are the Soviet papers Gold does quote, in your opinion, peripheral to the subject so that it makes it appear that the key ideas are Gold's? Do you think this is what he has done?
3. So far as we can determine. Gold has made four claims of ideas that he says are uniquely his: a) Earthquakes are caused by outgassing of deep earth methane, b) carbonates are produced through outgassing of deep methane, c) oil originates from methane, d) the astrophysical explanation for the origin of deep methane. Did Soviet Scientists publish these ideas. If so, when?
4. If you know enough about the geology at Siljan to comment, what do you think of Gold's choice to drill there in quest of deep earth gas and oil? Was it a good choice? Would you sink a second hole there?
5. Will Gold's failure to find methane in the well in Sweden make it more difficult for Soviet scientists to carry out researches on the deep gas theory? Will it be more difficult to obtain funds for deep gas projects? Explain.
6. What is the strongest evidence that you have in your own drilling in the USSR to support the deep gas theory?
7. You say in one of your letters to Dr. Donofrio that you think Prof. Gold is a "wretched plagiarist." Could you explain why you think this is so?
8. Do you think Prof. Gold in any way took advantage of the political situation that existed between the west and your country in the 1970s and early 1980s?
Please feel free to answer any of these questions at length.
I am also enclosing our rough notes for a chronology of events and documents surrounding the Siljan project. We thought you might find these of interest.
Unfortunately, we have very little time in which to write this article. We would appreciate it very much if you could respond as soon as possible, preferably before January 4, 1990.
Thank you very much for your help. We hope what we write will be able to highlight Soviet scientific contributions and clear up any misperceptions about the Soviet role in the deep gas theory.
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Sincerely yours,
(signed)
John Briggs, prof. of journalism,
Western Conn. State University