Core Recovery & Management
Diligent caprock core handling and management is crucial to ensure quality results that accurately reflect caprock properties in its undisturbed condition.
Reliable data begins with capturing the caprock core in a manner that preserves original rock properties. Caprock core management is key to any successful geotechnical lab tests. Proper management procedures maintain original core properties and prevent any fractures from being created during transportation and storage.
At Wellsite
BGES is equipped to provide a mobile facility at the wellsite. A Professional Geologist or Geotechnical Engineer will be on location to assist with recommended drilling parameters.
Careful cutting and preservation of caprock starts at the rig floor. Caprock core is different from oil sands core due to its high sensitivity to aggressive handling. Our specially-trained core technicians are skilled at these delicate tasks.
Collected core can freeze during winter transportation and may dry out in conventional storage; both cases can alter its physical properties completely. As a result, caprock core must be handled by specialized core handlers. After the successful retrieval, the caprock core is transported using our specially-designed environmentally-controlled transport unit to BGES’ dedicated lab in Calgary 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 collected 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. Trained handlers will be on the location to assist with recommended drilling parameters, cut, and preserve collected cores. Using our special environment controlled unit, caprock core is transported to Calgary geotechnical for processing.
Integration of Services
From wellsite core collection, 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.