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. To discriminate between the stabilization product (e.g Lithotarge®) and minerals or trapped mud in fractures Kirk Petrophysics have deloped and patented the Lithopink™ stabilization technique, a colored version of Lithotarge®.Lithopink™ has been tested for a year to ensure the same high quality stabilization of cores as for the “standard” Lithotarge™. Moreover, an experimental study of the effect of possible fracture propagation due to expanding Lithopink demonstrated that there is no impact on the fracture width and length when Lithopink™ has invaded a fracture.

The Lithopink presents the following advantages:

• The Lithopink™ can be distinguished from minerals and mud with the unaided eye
• It is not visible on CT-scans
• Lithopink™ provides an excellent cushion against external damage
• It can be injected into core barrels as long as 30 feet
• There is no need to drain the mud since the expanding Lithopink™ expels remaining mud from the annulus between core and barrel
• Expanding Lithopink™ does not cause fracture propagation when injected

Because of its unparalleled properties Lithopink can be used for:

• Injection and stabilization of vertical positioned core barrels
• Injection and stabilization of small core sections up to one meter
• Injection and stabilization of full length cores up to 30 ft