Services

It has been widely acknowledged that core handling is critical to the maintenance of core integrity. Unfortunately, cores often don’t undergo adequate handling procedures

The rig site handling of unconsolidated core is a risky process that might hamper core integrity if appropriate procedures are utilized.

The main purpose of core preservation is to retain the pore fluids in the undisturbed core samples thus preventing saturation and wettability alteration.

Cases of invasion of core-stabilization products into fractures are often seen. This represents a common and often serious problem in the subsequent geological description of slabbed cores.

The fundamental objective of coring is to obtain core that is representative of the reservoir rock properties.

StoreCore primarily serves the Oil Industry but also provides services to numerous Universities and Research Institutions.

Kirk Petrophysics provides expert on-site core handling services.

Xtrem-UV

Kirk Petrophysics recognizes that core analysis begins at the well site. Next to core stabilization applying Lithotarge® also core preservation, core sampling, gamma profiling including expert supervision and quality control of core handling are offered. Kirk Petrophysics has extended its services by offering Xtrem UV.

After core surfacing the inner-barrel is often cut into manageable 3 feet sections prior to stabilization. Xtrem UV is applied by taking white light and UV photography of the exposed ends of core sections. For this purpose, a special designed portable unit and a high-resolution camera are used that allow taking photos under visible and ultraviolet lighting conditions (see Fig. 1). The portable unit does not require the core section to be moved or handled which is extremely important for maintaining core integrity.

Xtrem UV allows capturing of core features such as lithology, sedimentary structures, the extent of mud invasion and fluorescence coloring and its intensity. The latter feature allows detection of hydrocarbons on a 3ft-by-3ft basis (see Fig. 2). Information from the photos precedes well- log data and can be made available to the Operations Engineers instantaneously via the internet. This is especially of importance when core analysis cannot be done soon after core surfacing e.g. because of remoteness of the laboratory. In a later stage the photos can be presented alongside wire-line logs and borehole images.

Xtrem UV holds also great potential for core analysis services in the laboratory. It can be applied on exposed ends of core sections that have been Lithotarge stabilized and core handling and analysis are delayed. Moreover it may help to determine plug sampling strategy from hydrocarbon containing zones.