A tool having an energy source and a surface roughness measurement device is provided. A baseline measurement of surface roughness of a sample is made. The sample is then exposed to energy from the energy source, causing the temperature of the sample to increase. A second measurement of surface roughness of the sample is made. The change in surface roughness of the sample is determined. Formation properties such as the total organic carbon in the sample is inferred based on the determined change in surface roughness of the sample. The tool may be disposed in a wellbore and may use packers to isolate a portion of the wellbore, or it may use a hydraulic seal on an extendible member to isolate a sample portion of the wellbore wall. The energy source may be a laser that produces radiation that selectively heats a particular component of the sample constituent material.

An inner core barrel assembly incorporates an inner core tube. A body is connected to the inner core tube with a coupling mechanism. The coupling mechanism is configured to maintain a fixed rotational orientation with the inner core tube. The body includes a flow path for liquid within the inner core tube to flow as the inner core barrel assembly descends through a drill string. a core orientation system is contained within the body and positioned within the inner core tube.

The long-reach drilling machine is for exploration drilling and core sample collecting and comprises a drill string comprising a variable number of hollow drill rods, a drill bit installed at a first end of the drill string, a ground-resting drill base for installation outside a borehole, a mast attached to the drill base, a drill head installed on and movable along the mast and to which a second end of the drill string is connected, the drill head rotating the drill string, a core tube movable within the drill string between a first position at the drill string first end for receiving a core sample and a second position at the drill string second end, an borehole core tube displacer capable of displacing the core tube between its first and second positions, and an external core tube displacer, distinct from the borehole core tube displacer, comprising a frame that is fixed relative to the drill string, a tube prehension device mounted to the frame and capable of traction on the core tube, and an actuator mounted to the frame and selectively actionable to activate the tube prehension device for allowing the core tube to be displaced relative to the frame beyond its second position.

A core lifter and method for making same for use in a drilling system. The core lifter can include a tubular body having an exterior surface and an interior surface and can have a plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses formed in the exterior surface of the tubular body of the core lifter and extending radially inwardly relative to the central axis of the core lifter. The plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses formed in the exterior surface of the tubular body of the core lifter can extend along at least 50 percent of the length of the core lifter.

A core lifter and method for making same for use in a drilling system. The core lifter can include a tubular body having an exterior surface and an interior surface and can have a plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses formed in the exterior surface of the tubular body of the core lifter and extending radially inwardly relative to the central axis of the core lifter. The plurality of longitudinally-oriented recesses formed in the exterior surface of the tubular body of the core lifter can extend along at least 50 percent of the length of the core lifter.

A hydraulic propulsion horizontal directional coring device includes a casing pipe, a coring tube assembly and a conversion adapter. Both the casing pipe and the coring tube assembly coaxially set within the casing pipe are tubular. The conversion adapter, having a cylindrical structure fitted with the casing pipe, is coaxially set at a back side of the coring tube assembly and is slidably connected with an inner wall of the casing pipe. Under an action of an external force, the conversion adapter pushes the coring tube assembly to move along an axial direction of the casing pipe till a front end of the coring tube assembly extends out of or retracts into the casing pipe. The conversion adapter and the coring tube assembly have a first channel and a second channel axially provided therein, respectively. The first channel is connected with the second channel.

A hydraulic propulsion horizontal directional coring device includes a casing pipe, a coring tube assembly and a conversion adapter. Both the casing pipe and the coring tube assembly coaxially set within the casing pipe are tubular. The conversion adapter, having a cylindrical structure fitted with the casing pipe, is coaxially set at a back side of the coring tube assembly and is slidably connected with an inner wall of the casing pipe. Under an action of an external force, the conversion adapter pushes the coring tube assembly to move along an axial direction of the casing pipe till a front end of the coring tube assembly extends out of or retracts into the casing pipe. The conversion adapter and the coring tube assembly have a first channel and a second channel axially provided therein, respectively. The first channel is connected with the second channel.

Activation modules for selectively sealing entrances to inner barrels of coring tools may include an activator body sized and configured to obstruct the entrance to the inner barrel when the activation module is in a first state and to release the entrance to the inner barrel when the activation module is in a second state. A sealing element may be located at a periphery of the activator body, and may be configured to form a seal between at least a portion of an interior of the inner barrel and at least a portion of an exterior of the inner barrel when the activation module is in the first state and to disengage the seal when the activation module is in the second state.

Activation modules for selectively sealing entrances to inner barrels of coring tools may include an activator body sized and configured to obstruct the entrance to the inner barrel when the activation module is in a first state and to release the entrance to the inner barrel when the activation module is in a second state. A sealing element may be located at a periphery of the activator body, and may be configured to form a seal between at least a portion of an interior of the inner barrel and at least a portion of an exterior of the inner barrel when the activation module is in the first state and to disengage the seal when the activation module is in the second state.

A subterranean coring assembly can include a body having at least one wall that forms a cavity, wherein the cavity has a top end and a bottom end. The subterranean coring assembly can also include a first flow regulating device movably disposed within the cavity, where the first flow regulating device is configured to move from a first default position to a first position within the cavity based on first flow characteristics of fluid that flows into the top end of the cavity toward the bottom end of the cavity.