The Schlumberger XL-Rock sidewall coring tool is an advanced wireline-deployed tool designed to retrieve high-quality core samples from the reservoir rock in openhole wells. It allows geologists and petrophysicists to analyze the actual rock matrix and pore structure, helping to better characterize the reservoir. This tool is especially useful when conventional coring is not feasible or cost-effective.
Key Features of the XL-Rock Sidewall Coring Tool
- Mechanically Drilled Sidewall Cores
-Uses a rotary drill mechanism to cut and extract core plugs directly from the borehole wall.
-Produces cylindrical core samples (~1 inch in diameter and 2 inches long), preserving rock texture and integrity better than percussion tools. - Wireline Deployable
-Operates in openhole wells via wireline logging units.
-Minimizes rig time and avoids the need for expensive coring runs with drill pipe. - Multiple Core Recovery in One Run
-Can recover up to 75 core samples in a single trip.
-Ideal for vertical and deviated wells. - High-Quality Core Samples
-Provides minimal core damage, unlike explosive/percussion-based systems.
-Core orientation and depth precision enable accurate geological and petrophysical analysis. - Integrated with Logging Data
-Can be run in combination with other Schlumberger wireline logging tools for correlation with petrophysical logs (e.g., gamma ray, resistivity, porosity).
-Helps target zones of interest with high precision.
Applications
-Reservoir rock characterization
-Porosity, permeability, and mineralogy assessment
-Sedimentology and petrography
-Geomechanical analysis
-Source rock evaluation
Operational Considerations
-Requires a clean and stable openhole environment (typically in non-caving formations).
-Optimal in formations with compressive strength <20,000 psi.
-May not be suitable in highly unconsolidated or fractured zones.