The main purpose of core preservation is to retain the pore fluids in the undisturbed core samples thus preventing saturation and wettability alteration. Kirk Petrophysics™ offers Lithoseal™ which has excellent sealing and preservation properties for short and long term storage of core material.

Lithoseal™ has been continuously tested in the laboratory for more than two years together with various industry accepted and unknown low melting point preservation waxes. The tests proved that Lithoseal is superior to all of the tested products*.

Advantages of the Lithoseal™ preservation method

Depending on the formation evaluation program, up to a meter length of core can be preserved providing a large thermostatic wax bath is available on site. Kirk Petrophysics preservation techniques strictly follow API recommended practices for core-analysis procedures.

Core samples/sections are wrapped into Saran™ Wrap and thick aluminium foil. The Saran™ Wrap prevents pore fluid from escaping and reacting with the aluminium that acts as the vapour barrier. To further prevent any oxygen ingress and pore-water egress the sample is then dipped in LithoSeal™ using a special designed thermostatic bath. The LithoSeal™ acts as the final vapour barrier and also provides a cushion against external damage. The long duration tests on core samples that have been wrapped in Saran™ Wrap and aluminium foil followed by dipping showed that LithoSeal™ has superior preservation capacity compared to commercial available waxes.

In combination with the Lithotarge®, as an alternative method the extremity of each tube can be wax dipped with the Lithoseal providing a perfect sealing and minimising the manipulation of the core samples during their preparation. This method is particularly recommended for unconsolidated or fragile rocks.