CORING AND

SAMPLING OF ROCK
Well
Well

Faul
t

Surface
Surface
seepage
seepage

Anticline dome
(Dome)
(
)
Cap Rock

RESERVOIR ROCK

Seen under
Seenunder
microscope

Gas
Oil
Salt
water

Oil

Salt
water

Dr. Ir. Dedy Kristanto, M.Sc

Coring and Sampling of Rock

Objectives :
List rock exploration methods
Be familiar with sampling methods
Recognize various coring techniques
Familiarity with core bits and barrels
Observations to be made during
coring, including Rock Quality
Designation (RQD)

Rock Core Drilling

Rock Exploration
Rock Sampling
Rock Coring Techniques
Transports of Core to Laboratory
Storage of Core

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Sampling for Geostratification

Rock Coring Methods

Conventional equipment or wireline

Drill bits for cutting rock

Different core barrels for sampling rock

Drilling fluids and casings

Observations noted during drilling

Logging of recovery and rock quality

Rock Coring Methods

Layne Rock Drilling

Rotary Wash Borings

Rotary wash techniques

are the best for borings
extending below
groundwater table.
Rotary wash can achieve
great depths > 100+ m
(300+ feet).
Drilling bits:
Drag bits for clays
Roller bits for sands

Drag, Roller, and

Diamond Bit Types

Rotary
Wash
Borings

Schematic
(Hvorslev 1948)

Rotary Wash Borings

In rotary wash method,

borehole is stabilized
using either temporary
steel casing or drilling
fluid.
Fluids include water,
bentonite or polymer
slurry, foam, or Revert
that are re-circulated in
tub or reservoir at
surface.

Rig conducting
rotary wash boring

Types of Rotary Wash Bits

Tricone, Roller, Plug Bit

Roller Bits

Drilling and Coring Bits

Diamond bits are the best and hardest,

producing high quality core. Fastest
cutting rates. Expensive.
Synthetic bits. Less expensive. Generally
good quality cores.
Tungsten carbide. Least expensive.
Slower coring rates.

Types of Coring Bits

Tungsten Carbide Bits Type

Sidewall Core Bits Type

Types of Coring Bits

Diamond, Carbide
Tungsten, Sawtooth

Carbide Type Bits

Diamond Core Bits

Core Size: Larger better but more expensive

Diamond setting: hardest vector set against
the work
Bit Profiles: Full-round, semi-round, flat
crown, semi-flat
Diamond size: relates to hardness and fineness
of rock minerals
Waterways: flushing cuttings and rock flour;
Number of ports, slots, discharge direction
Matrix: secure diamonds and dissipate heat

Diamond Coring Bits

Core Barrels

Core barrel retains rock core samples

from drilling operations
Single tube core barrel: most rugged,
least expensive
Consists of head section, core recovery
tube, reamer shell, and cutting bit
Often used as starter when beginning
core operations

Core Barrels

Core Barrels

Double tube core barrel is the standard

Outer barrel rotates with cutting bit

Inner barrel is either fixed or swivel type

(with bearings) that retains core sample
Core diameters generally range from 21 to
85 mm (0.85 to 3.35 inch)
NX core: standard diameter = 54 mm
(2.15 inches)

Core Barrels

Double Tube Core Barrel (Swivel Type)

Outer Barrel Assembly

Inner Barrel Assembly

Triple Core Barrel

Good for obtaining core

samples in fractured rock
and highly weathered rocks.
Outer core barrel for initial
cut and second barrel to
cut finer size. Third
barrel to retain cored
samples.
Reduces frictional heat that
may damage samples.

Coring Assembly and Core Bit

Drill collar
connection
PDC Cutters
Thrust bearing
Outer barrel
Inner barrel
Core retaining
ring
Core bit

Fluid
vent

Sidewall Sampling Gun

Core bullets

Formation rock
Core sample

Sidewall Coring Tool

Coring bit

Samples

Drilling Fluids

Rotary wash with water, foam, or drilling

mud (bentonite or polymeric slurries),
Revert
Fluids reduce wear on drilling and coring
bits by cooling
Fluids remove cuttings and rock flour
Re-circulate to filter fluids and to
minimize impact on environment

Casing

Temporary casing to
stabilize borehole
and maintain drilling
operations

Driven casing

Drilled-in casing

Dual-Wall Casing
Dual wall reverse
circulation method
Use in areas with
expected large losses in
drilling fluid
Inner section for
sampling
Outer casing maintains
fluids for drilling

Core Recovery

Core Runs taken in either 5- or 10-foot

sections (1.5- or 3-m sections).

Core Recovery is percentage retained.

Core Recovery

Cores should be stored in either wooden

boxes or corrugated cardboard box.
Box marked with boring number, depth
of core run, type core, bit type, core
recovery (CR), rock type, RQD, and
other notes.
Core operations should be documented:
Loss of fluid, rates, sudden drop in
rods, poor recovery, loss of core

Core Recovery

Care and Preservation of Core Samples

Samples must be marked and logged

upon retrieval (identification, type,
number, depth, recovery, moisture)
Jar samples in wood or cardboard box
Should be protected from extreme
conditions (heat, freezing, drying)
Sealed to minimize moisture loss
Packed and protected against excessive
vibrations and shock

Care and Preservation of Rock Cores

Routine: rock samples in core boxes

Special: enclose core in plastic sleeves

General: avoid exposure to shock and

vibration during handling and transport
Non-natural fractures may result from
excessive movements, temperatures, and
exposure to air
Storage for future reference

Storage and Transport of Core Samples

Storage and Transport of Core Samples

Storage of Rock Core Boxes

Storage of Rock Core Boxes

Storage of Rock Core to Evaluation

Storage of Rock Core to Evaluation

Rock Quality Designation (RQD)

The RQD is a modified core recovery

Measure of the degree of fractures,
joints, and discontinuities of rock mass
RQD = sum of pieces > 100 mm (4
inches) divided by total core run
Generally performed on NX-size core

Rock
Quality
Designation

Cores Usages

Allow direct measurement of reservoir

properties
Used to correlate indirect measurements,
such as wireline/LWD logs

Used to test compatibility of injection fluids

Used to predict borehole stability

Used to estimate probability of formation

failure and sand production

Information from Cores

Standard Analysis /
Routine Core Analysis

Porosity
Horizontal
permeability to air

Special Core Analysis

Vertical permeability
to air

Relative permeability
Capillary pressure

Grain density

Saturation

Cementation exponent
(m) and saturation
exponent (n)

Integrated Core Measurements

and Analysis

- Core Heterogeneity
- Rock Typing
- Core Plug Selection
- Core Analysis
- Data Integration

Integrated Workflow
1.

Core Recovery

2.

Core Preparation & Cleaning

3.

AutoScan Heterogeneity
Characterization

4.

DataMiner Analysis

5.

Plug Selection

6.

Routine Core Analysis

7. Special Core Analysis

8. Pore Structure Analysis PSI
9. Slabbed Core Cap-Pressure Maps
10. Up-scaled Physical Properties
11. Data Integration for Reservoir
Optimization & Management

3. AutoScan Heterogeneity Characterization

AutoScan II: Spatially Correlated Property
Measurements
- Ultrasonic Velocities Vp, Vs1, Vs2

Log k Vp

Vs core/feet

- Complex Electrical Conductivity

- Gas Permeametry k

2
4
6
8
10
12
14

4. DataMiner Analysis
Cluster Analysis:
- Rock Typing/Heterogeneity
- Property Correlations
- Plug Selection

Log

k Vp

Vs

lithos core/feet
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14

Cross Plot

14 foot Line Scan

4. DataMiner Analysis
Cluster Analysis:
- Rock Typing/ Heterogeneity

Log k Vp

Cross Plots

- Plug Selection

P velocity (m/s)

- Property Correlations

all data

P velocity (m/s)

Log Permeability (mD)

individual core
Log Permeability (mD)

1 foot
slabbed core

14 foot line scan

4. DataMiner Analysis
Cluster Analysis:
- Rock Typing/ Heterogeneity
- Property Correlations
- Plug Selection
Log k Vp

Vs lithos

14 foot line scan

lithos Vs

Vp Log k

1 ft core line scan

k map scan 1 ft core

1.0

Log k (mD
(mD)) 3.0

8.

Pore Structure Analysis PSI

1. Core Plug Measurements

& Data Mining

Inverse Modeling

Permeability
Velocity

Image Analysis
Formation
Factor

Pore Structure Inversion

Model

T2 NMR

3. Physical Model
Catalog
Forward Modeling

2. PSI Analysis

9. Slabbed Core Capillary Pressure Maps

1. Integrated Data

2. Capillary Pressure - Saturation

Models

PSI Catalog

AutoScan II

Grid Scale Rel-Perm

Model

Permeability
Permeability
Permeability(mD)
(mD)(mD)

Berea: R
Relative
elative P
Permeability
ermeability
Berea:
Corey
orey D
Drain
rainage
age M
Moodel
del
C

400
400

Kwater vertic al
Kwater vertic al
Kwater horizontal
Kwater horizontal

300
300

Core Scale
Cap-Pressure Map

Knapl vertical
Knapl vertical

200
200

Knapl horizontal
Knapl horizontal
Kwater (s tandard
Kwater (s tandard
m odel)
m odel)

100
100

Knapl (standard
Knapl (standard
m odel)
m odel)

00
00

0.2
0.2

0.4
0.4

0.6
0.6

Water
ater Saturation
Saturation
W

0.8
0.8

11

Water Saturation

3. Relative Permeability Models

10. Up-scaled Physical Properties

1. Core Scale Cap-Pressure Map

2. Grid Scale Parameter Properties

Relative Permeability
Fluid Substitution for 3D Seismic
Formation Factor Anisotropy
Saturation Exponent
Sanding Potential

2
4

3
1

3. Reservoir Scale
Optimized Model