Improving the Chance of Success with Core Samples

Ensuring the success of a well is always important. Although a well may exhibit some presence of hydrocarbons, the simple fact of the matter is that not all wells will produce enough hydrocarbons to make the well commercially productive. The goal of oil and gas research is to assist drillers in reducing the risks while taking greater advantage of the opportunity to hit a productive well. Core samples can provide drillers with the information they need.

Core samples are often removed during the drilling process; however, it is also possible to retrieve core samples after drilling has been concluded. When this is the case, a drill stem is usually removed from the well and a special coring device known as a core head can be inserted on the end. The drill stem can then be inserted back into the well in order to remove a cylindrical section of rock from the well. The retrieved core sample can then be sent to a qualified lab to analyze the presence of hydrocarbons in the sample, along with reservoir qualities and fluid composition.