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ConventionalcoringAAPGWiki

Conventionalcoring
FromAAPGWiki

Thischapterpresentsan
overviewofcoringtools,
includingguidelinesfor
selectingcoringtoolsfor
specificapplications.
Coringprovidestheonly
meansofobtaininghigh
qualitysamplesforthe
directmeasurementof
rockandreservoir
properties.Coresprovide
bothgeologicaland
engineeringinformation,
andtheiranalysis
ultimatelyleadstoa
profitablefield
development.

DevelopmentGeologyReference
Manual

Series

MethodsinExploration

Part

Wellsitemethods

Chapter Conventionalcoring
Manycoringsystems
exist.Thesystemused
Author LeeWhitebay
dependsontheobjectives
Link
Webpage
forthecoringprogram
(http://archives.datapages.com/data/alt
andonthephysical
constraintsofboththe
browse/aapgspecialvolumes/me10.htm)
formationandthedrilling
Store
AAPGStore
location.Aremote
(http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?id=612)
locationmightrequirea
readymadecorehandling
andpreservationsystemsuchasadisposableinnerbarrel.Anexploration
programmightprofitbyemployingawirelinecorebarreltocoreanddrill
alternatelywithouttheexpenseoftrippingpipe.Amaturefieldmightneeda
spongeorpressurecoretohelppindownremainingreserves.Thesethree
situationsdescribethreecoringprograms,eachwithdifferentobjectivesand
constraintsandeachwithadifferentbestwaytogetthejobdone.

Contents
1Conventionalcoringsystems
2Specialcoring
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2.1Heavydutyconventionalcorebarrels
2.2Disposableinnercorebarrels
2.3Corebarrelliners
2.4Spongelinedcoringsystem
2.5Fullclosurecoringsystems
2.6Rubbersleevecorebarrel
2.7Pressurecoring
2.8Wirelinecorebarrel
3Seealso
4References
5Externallinks

Conventionalcoringsystems
Designedtorecovercorefromconsolidatedformations,conventionalcoring
systemsconsistofaninnercorebarrelwithacorecatcher,suspendedbya
swivelassemblyinsideofanoutercorebarrelthatisattachedtothedrill
string,andacorebit(Figure1).Asmentionedpreviously,thefinalselection
ofaparticularsystemdependsupontheformation,location,andobjectives
ofthecoringprogram.
TypesofinnerbarrelsaresummarizedinTable1.Corediametercanvary
from1.75to5.25in.Corelengthcanrangefrom1.5ftforshortradius
horizontalwellstogreaterthan400ftforverticalholes.

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Figure1Conventionalcore
barrel.Eastman
Christensen,TechnicalData
SheetC105.

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Inner
Barrel

Table1Conventionalcoringsystems
Core
Length
SpecialFeatures
(ft)

Mildsteel

30120

Readymadecorepreservationsystemhigh
temperatureapplications

Mildsteel

1.5

Designedforshortradiuscoring

High
strength
steel

120
>400

Strongerbarrel,includesadditionalinnerand
outercorebarrelstabilization

Fiberglass

3090

Readymadecorepreservationsystemusedfor
consolidatedandunconsolidatedformations

Aluminum

3090

Readymadecorepreservationsystemhigh
temperatureapplications

Steelwitha
30
plasticliner

Readymadecorepreservationsystemmaximum
temperature180Freducescorediameterby0.5
in.

Steelwitha
fiberglass
30
liner

Readymadecorepreservationsystemmaximum
temperature250Freducescorediameterby0.5
in.

Steelwitha
30
steelliner

Readymadecorepreservationsystemmaximum
temperature350Freducescorediameterby0.5
in.

Thecorecatcher,thedevicethatholdsthecoreinthebarrel,istailoredto
thetypeofinnerbarrelandlithologyexpected.Table2listscorecatchersby
theircommonnamesandusages.Insomecases,multiplecatchersareused.
Friablesandstoneinterbedddedwithshalemightrequirebothslipand
flappertypecatchers.Fullclosurecatchers,runprimarilytoensuresuccess
whencoringunconsolidatedsand,alsoincorporatesplitringorsliptype
catcherstoimprovecorerecoveryintheeventthatcoringendsinhardrock.

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Table2Corecatchers
RecommendedUsage

Type

Splitringor
Consolidatedformations
spring
Collet

Whereformationcharacteristicsareunknown

Slip

Consolidatedformations,normallyrunwithflapper
catcherorwithorientationknives

Dogor
flapper

Consolidated,fractured,andunconsolidatedformations
wheregeologyisunknown

Basket

Unconsolidatedformations,normallyrunwithanother
corecatchertype

Fullclosure

Friabletounconsolidatedformationstoprovidefull
closure

Specialcoring
Heavydutyconventionalcorebarrels
Aheavydutycorebarrelshouldbeconsideredwhencuttinglonglengthsof
relativelyhomogeneousformationsorwhenanticipatinghigherthannormal
torqueloads.Thissystemcanalsobeespeciallyattractivewhenrigtimeis
thelargestcomponentofthecoringexpense.
Theprecursoroftoday'sheavydutycorebarrelsisthemarinecorebarrel.
Thistoolwasdevelopedtobestrongerthanconventionalsystemsforusein
offshoresettings.Themarinebarrelincreasesthemarginofsafetyagainst
toolfailure,butisrestrictedtocuttinga3in.diametercore.
Today'sspecialheavydutycorebarrelshavebeendevelopedtocoreharder
thannormalformationsandtocutextendedlengthcores.Thesetoolsare
designedtocutcoresupto5.25in.indiameter.Heavydutythreadsallow
moretorquetobeappliedtothebitandimprovethemarginofsafetyagainst
toolfailure.

Disposableinnercorebarrels
Disposableinnercorebarrelshaveimprovedbothcorerecoveryandcore
quality.Aluminumorfiberglassinnercorebarrelscanbesubstitutedfor
conventionalsteelinnerbarrels.Themostcommontypeofdisposableinner
corebarrelisthefiberglassbarrel.Thelowcoefficientoffrictionofthe
fiberglassisthoughttoimprovecorerecoverybyreducingtheresistanceto
coreenteringthebarrel.Amorequantifiablebenefitcomesintheformofa
readymadecorehandlingandcorepreservationsystemthatcanbeusedin
remotelocationsorwithdelicatecores.(Forexample,fracturedor

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unconsolidatedcorematerialtendstobekeptintactastheinnerbarrelislaid
downandcutintosectionsforshipping.)Aluminuminnerbarrelsare
recommendedwhenhightemperatures(>150F)areexpected.

Corebarrelliners
PVCplastic,ABSplastic,andaluminum
haveallbeenusedasinnercorebarrel
liners.Thelinerslipsinsideasteelinner
corebarrel,reducingtheeffectiveinner
diameterofthecorebarrelby
approximately0.5in.Thelinersimplifies
corehandling,especiallyforfriableor
unconsolidatedcore,andservesasacore
preservationsystem.Linersareless
expensivethandisposableinnercore
barrels.However,besidesreducingthe
diameterofthecore,theyrestrictthelength
ofthecoreto30ft.
Attemptshavebeenmadetousecorebarrel
linerstocutnaturallyfracturedrock.
Unfortunately,shardsofcoreoftencutinto
therelativelysoftlinermaterial,causing
thecorebarreltojam.

Figure2Spongelinedcoring
system.DBS,aBaroid
Company.

Spongelinedcoringsystem
Thespongelinedcoringsystemwasdevelopedtoimprovetheaccuracyof
corebasedoilsaturationdata.Thisisveryimportantinformationtohave
whenevaluatingthemeritsofasecondaryortertiaryoilrecoveryprogram.
Thespongecoringsystemconsistsofaconventionalcorebarrelfittedwitha
seriesofspongelinedaluminuminserts(Figure2).Thesystemcutsa
relativelysmallcore,2.5or3.25in.wideand30ftlong.Thespongeliner
catchesoilthatbleedsoutoftherockasthecoreispulled(tripped)from
thehole.Theoilwetspongeholdsoiltightly,whileallowingwaterandgas
tomovethroughthespongeandoutventholesdrilledinthealuminumliner.
Spongeandconventionalcoresmaybecutoneafteranotherwithoutmaking
specialtripstoopenthehole,soitispossibletospotaspongecoreand
stillacquirelargerdiametercoresforotheranalyses.

Fullclosurecoringsystems
Fullclosurecoringsystemsweredevelopedforcoringunconsolidated
formations.Theyusedisposableinnerbarrelsorinnerbarrellinersanda
specialcorecatchingsystemtoretrievesoftcoressuccessfully.Currently,
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fullclosurecoringsystemscut30ftof3
to5in.diametercore.Systemsarebeing
developedtocutlargerdiameterandlonger
cores.
Thedifferencebetweenfullclosureand
othercoringsystemsisthatthecorecatcher
isnotexposedduringcoring.Thisallows
theinnercorebarreltoslipoverthesoft
corewithaminimumofdisturbance.After
coring,aballispumpeddownhole
activatingthecorecatcherandsealingoff
thebottomofthebarrel(Figure3).
Thehiddencorecatcherisboththemajor
assetandmajorliabilityofthiscoring
system.Sincethecorecatcherisnot
exposedduringcoring,comingoffbottom
Figure3Fullclosurecore
islikelytoresultinlostcore.Ifthecatcher
catcher.FromWhitebay. [1]
isnotactivatedaftercoring,thecorewill
belostduringtripping.Againsttheserisks,
thebenefitsarealongerlengthandlargerdiametercorethanispossiblewith
arubbersleevecorebarrelandalessdisturbedcorethanonecutwitha
conventionalcoringsystem.

Rubbersleevecorebarrel
Usingarubbersleevecorebarrelisareliablewaytorecovercorefrom
unconsolidated,conglomeritic,and/orhardfracturedformations.Therubber
sleevebarrelisuniqueinthatthetopoftheinnerbarreldoesnotmove
relativetothecoreduringcoring.Theouterbarrelisdrilleddownarounda
columnofrockthatisprogressivelyencasedintherubbersleeve.The
systemworksbestfromfixeddrillingplatforms,butitcanbeoperatedfrom
floatingrigsifrigmovementisminimal.Therubbersleevebarrelcutsa20
ftlengthof3in.diametercore.

Pressurecoring
Pressurecorebarrelsaredesignedtoretrievecoresmaintainedatreservoir
pressure.Acceptedasthebestmethodforobtainingcorebasedoilsaturation
information,pressurecoresalsoretainreservoirgases.Currenttoolsare
designedtocutuptoa20ftlengthof2.5in.diametercoreandcontain
10,000psi.
Pressurecorebarrelsaresophisticatedtoolsrequiringanonsitefacilityto
servicethebarrelandhandlethepressurizedcores.Corehandlingincludes
displacingthedrillingfluidfromtheinnercorebarrelwithanonfreezinggel
andthenfreezingtheentireinnerbarrelassemblyindryice.
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Whenplanningapressurecoringoperation,itisimportanttoacknowledge
thatflushingaheadofthecoringbitmaytakeplace.Thus,oneshould
minimizeoverbalance,usealowfluidlossdrillingfluid,andwhenpossible,
employthenewlowinvasioncoringbittechnologytoreducecoreflushing.

Wirelinecorebarrel
Thewirelinecorebarrelallowsdrillingorcoringwithoutpullingthedrill
string.Thisreducesdrillingcostsbyeliminatingtheneedtotrippipe.The
maximumsizeofawirelinecoreis30ftlongand2.75in.wide.Themost
commonlyusedtoolsproducea2.36in.diametercore.Forapplicationsin
whichsmalldiametersamplesareadequate,thisisacosteffectivemethod.
Thewirelinecorebarrelisdesignedsothattheinnercorebarrelandbearing
assemblycanbedroppedthroughthedrillstring,lockedinplaceforcoring,
andretrievedbywireline.Sequentialcoresmaybecutoradiamonddrilling
plugcanbedroppedintoplacetodrillahead.Thedrillingplugmayalsobe
retrievedbywirelineforinspectionortoresumecoring.Duringplanning,it
isimportanttocheckthattheinnerdiameterofthedrillpipeislargeenough
toallowthetooltopassthrough.

Seealso
Introductiontowellsitemethods
Corehandling
Corealterationandpreservation
Sidewallcoring
Coreorientation

References
1.Whitebay,L.E.,1986,Improvedcoringandcorehandling
proceduresfortheunconsolidatedsandsoftheGreenCanyonarea,
GulfofMexico:SPEPaper15385,61stAnnualTechnicalConference
andExhibition,NewOrleans,LA,Oct.58.

Externallinks
Original
findliteratureabout
contentin
Conventionalcoring
Datapages
(http://archives.datapages.com/data/altbrowse/aapgspecial
volumes/me10.htm)
FindthebookintheAAPGStore(http://store.aapg.org/detail.aspx?
id=612)
Retrievedfrom"http://wiki.aapg.org/index.php?
title=Conventional_coring&oldid=16028"
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Category: Wellsitemethods

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