Core Handling
BP Exploration
INTRODUCTION
Core handling is a critical phase in the core acquisition
process. There are common techniques to handling both
"hard" rock and "soft" sediment cores. All handling
procedures are aimed at ensuring proper labeling,
minimmng damage, and carefully transporting for analysis.
In all cases, one should have all equipment prepared before
the core is pulled. Every effort should be made to prevent the
core from weathering or changing if s fluid contents. Speed
is important when handling hard rock to prevent alteration of
reservoir and character fluids. In contrast, patience is
paramount when handling soft cores to prevent mechanical
damage.
Labeling is probably the most important and visible feature
in wellsite core handling. Mud should be wiped off the core
or inner barrel to get a good marking surface. Do not wash
the core. Washing changes the fluid content or wettability
and impacts the subsequent analysis.
All cores should have orientation marks. The general
convention is to use two different color markers and draw
parallel lines on the core or inner barrel. Each operator has
preferences for colors and arrangements, such as red and
black with red on the right. Up arrows are marked on every
segment of the core to ensure proper orientation.
HARD ROCK CORE HANDLING
Hard rock cores represent a major workload for the
wellsite geologist. The core must be unloaded from the core
barrel on the rig floor and taken elsewhere for processing.
Safety in the extraction process is paramount. Heed the
following rules:
• Hold a safety meeting with all floor personnel and
make sure everyone will work at your direction and
speed.
• Everyone on the floor should wear eye protection.
• Make sure the driller has a good view of the operation.
• Only one person gives directions to the driller.
• Never put anything (such as hands or feet) under the
core.
• Always run the core barrel back to the floor before
releasing the core. Stand the barrel on the floor and
raise the barrel. This prevents the core from dropping
and shattering on the floor. An alternative is to extrude
the core on the catwalk.
• Never raise the core barrel more than 18 in. before
breaking off.
• Bag all core rubble.
• Support core to keep it from breaking while moving to
core boxes.
• Thank all the floor hands for a job well done.
125
Byram Reed
Bogota, Colombia
Move core in core boxes marked with a box number and
"top" and "bottom" on each box. Guarantee that core is
placed in proper orientation in the boxes. Scribes should be
used on hard rock cores to both orient the core and help with
reassembly (see the chapter on "Core Orientation" in Part 3).
If the catwalk or pipe rack is the location of choice for
reassembly, two joints of pipe tied together make an ideal
brace for handling.
After the core is laid out, the following should be done:
• Wipe the core clean; do not wash it.
• Use the scribe lines to reassemble the core; put the
primary groove up.
• Draw the twin orienting lines on the core; put the
primary line in the scribe groove.
• Mark each segment of the core with up arrows.
• Determine where missing footage is located and space
it out appropriately. Bag rubble and place it with the
core. If the depth interval of missing core is unknown,
place it at the bottom of the core.
• Mark the core with depths. Proper marking is critical
to tying core footage to wireline measurements. Mark
the depth on each segment of the core.
Note that not all core is lost from the catcher at the bottom.
Compare the rate of penetration and lithology of the core.
Shale sections will often break up when entering the catcher
and be lost. Spin marks are generally seen in the shale
sections and may represent lost segments. When taking
multiple cores, examine the top segment for additional
catcher marks that represent recovery of a post from the last
core. Be sure to include this when depth marking the core.
SOFT SEDIMENT HANDLING
Soft sediment core represents an especially difficult
handling problem. Soft implies that the sediment is not
cemented and therefore has little internal strength.
Disturbing the grain orientations will negate the ability to
measure porosity, permeability, and other reservoir
properties accurately. The sediment can be disturbed in
several ways:
• Gas expansion while tripping out of the hole
• Slumping caused by rotating or jarring the core barrel
while tripping
• Slumping caused by rough handling of the core barrel
at the surface
• Slumping caused by vibration in transport
• Shearing caused by flexing the inner barrel
Soft sediment cannot be removed from a steel barrel
without disrupting it. Therefore, a disposable inner barrel
126 PART 3—WELLSITE METHODS
made of fiberglass, PVC, or aluminium can be used. The
inner barrel is generally mated to a specific core catcher
design (see chapter on "Conventional Coring" in Part 3).
Well-designed equipment cannot alleviate the problems
caused by poor handling. Since the core is hidden in the inner
barrel, these problems are not noticed unless the core is CAT
scanned. Scanning will determine the extent of damage and
is an excellent aid to picking analysis plug points. Based on
experience, the following steps are recommended to prevent
damage:
• Use a perforated inner barrel to allow for gas
expansion.
• Do not rotate the drill string while tripping out.
• Set the slips softly to prevent jarring of the core.
• Stop 100 ft below the rotary table to let the core degas.
• Use a brace for the inner barrel to prevent it from
flexing while laying it down.
• Do not rotate, bump, or jar the inner barrel while laying
down the core or cutting it into sections.
• Freeze the core to prevent disruption during transport.