Core Preservation & Management
Diligent caprock core handling and management is crucial to ensure quality results that accurately reflect caprock properties in its undisturbed condition.
Preserving the core in its original condition and avoiding any damage that could alter its in-situ properties is crucial for accurate geotechnical lab testing. Reliable data starts with handling the caprock core in a way that safeguards its original rock characteristics. Effective core management is essential to the success of geotechnical tests, as proper procedures ensure that the core retains its original properties and prevent the creation of fractures during transportation and storage.
At Wellsite
BGES offers a mobile facility designed to safely preserve and transport caprock core from job sites. Unlike oil sands core, caprock core is highly sensitive to rough handling, requiring specialized care. Our trained core technicians are experts in handling these delicate materials.
Caprock core faces significant risks during transport, such as freezing in winter or drying out in conventional storage, both of which can drastically alter its physical properties. Once retrieved, it is transported in our specially-designed, environmentally-controlled transport unit to BGES’ dedicated laboratory in Calgary, ensuring optimal conditions for processing and storage.
At the Lab
Upon arrival at our Calgary geotechnical laboratory, cores are CT scanned, inspected, photographed, geologically logged, and carefully stored in an environmentally-controlled room when not in use. Our geotechnical experts will work with clients to select samples for physical property testing. BGES has the equipment to complete the physical testing at low and high temperatures for thermal recovery schemes.
Applications
For oil sands or other thermal recovery projects, capturing caprock for Triaxial Analysis early in a delineation program can reduce time needed to respond to Supplementary Information Requests (SIR’s) from the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER), thereby reducing thermal application approval time.
Features & Benefits
BGES is the proud provider of end-to-end caprock solutions. Core is preserved at the wellsite and all of the handling and analysis can be coordinated through a single-source supplier. A final integrated report prepared by a technical professional will be ready for insertion directly into a Thermal Application or submission to the AER.
Operations
BGES is equipped to provide a mobile facility at the wellsite. Using our special environment controlled unit, caprock core is transported to Calgary geotechnical for processing.
Integration of Services
From core preservation, geotechnical lab testing, cased-hole logging, reservoir and caprock injection testing, data analyses, project management, regulatory reporting, to computer simulation and numerical modelling, our comprehensive and customizable service model offers maximum flexibility for our clients.