A subterranean formation is drilled using a drill bit of a bottomhole assembly to form a wellbore in the subterranean formation. The bottomhole assembly includes a storage chamber and sidewall coring bits. While the bottomhole assembly is disposed within the wellbore, a sidewall of the wellbore is cut into using the sidewall coring bits to obtain sidewall core samples. While cutting into the sidewall of the wellbore using the sidewall coring bits, fluid is circulated through the wellbore. The sidewall core samples are received within the storage chamber.

A method of determining the depth of a sidewall core sample taken from a borehole relative to a reference log of the borehole. The method includes obtaining a reference log recorded on a reference log depth scale and a borehole image log recorded on a borehole image log depth scale of a portion of the borehole from which the sidewall core sample has been taken. The method further includes generating a calibrated borehole image log from the borehole image log and the reference log and identifying a candidate sidewall core image artifact in the calibrated borehole image log. The method also includes assigning a confidence value for the candidate sidewall core image artifact based on a characteristic of the candidate sidewall core image artifact, and determining, using the confidence value, a probability that the sidewall core sample was collected at a certain depth on the reference log depth scale.

The present invention discloses a system for measuring the mechanical properties of sea floor sediments at full ocean depth. The system includes an overwater monitoring unit and an underwater measurement device, where the underwater measurement device includes an observation platform and a measuring mechanism; the observation platform includes a frame-type body and a floating body, a wing panel, a floating ball cabin, a leveling mechanism, a counterweight, and a release mechanism mounted on the frame-type body; the floating ball cabin seals a circuit system; the leveling mechanism adjusts the underwater measurement device horizontally on the sea floor when the frame-type body reaches the sea floor; the release mechanism discards the counterweight for recovery of the unit after the underwater measurement device completes the underwater operation; the measuring mechanism includes at least one of a cone penetration measuring mechanism, a spherical penetration measuring mechanism, and a vane shear measuring mechanism, or a sampling mechanism.

The present invention discloses a system for measuring the mechanical properties of sea floor sediments at full ocean depth. The system includes an overwater monitoring unit and an underwater measurement device, where the underwater measurement device includes an observation platform and a measuring mechanism; the observation platform includes a frame-type body and a floating body, a wing panel, a floating ball cabin, a leveling mechanism, a counterweight, and a release mechanism mounted on the frame-type body; the floating ball cabin seals a circuit system; the leveling mechanism adjusts the underwater measurement device horizontally on the sea floor when the frame-type body reaches the sea floor; the release mechanism discards the counterweight for recovery of the unit after the underwater measurement device completes the underwater operation; the measuring mechanism includes at least one of a cone penetration measuring mechanism, a spherical penetration measuring mechanism, and a vane shear measuring mechanism, or a sampling mechanism.

A method (60) of determining core orientation of a core sample (12) cut from the ground by a drill rig (10) having a drill string and a drill bit (20) coupled to a downhole end of the drill string. Drilling data (Cn, Rn) is continuously acquired while the drill rig (10) is operating to cut and retrieve the core sample (12). The drilling data is a combination of core orientation data Cn and rig operational data Rn, where the rig operational data is constituted by either one or both of: (a) near bit rig data Nn; and, (b) at surface rig data Sn. The drilling data is analysed for a specific pattern of rig operational data Rn indicative of the core sample being broken from ground by operation of the drill rig (10). On detection of the specific pattern, the orientation of the core sample prior to being broken from the ground is the acquired core orientation data Cn coinciding with that specific pattern of rig operational data Rn.

A method (60) of determining core orientation of a core sample (12) cut from the ground by a drill rig (10) having a drill string and a drill bit (20) coupled to a downhole end of the drill string. Drilling data (Cn, Rn) is continuously acquired while the drill rig (10) is operating to cut and retrieve the core sample (12). The drilling data is a combination of core orientation data Cn and rig operational data Rn, where the rig operational data is constituted by either one or both of: (a) near bit rig data Nn; and, (b) at surface rig data Sn. The drilling data is analysed for a specific pattern of rig operational data Rn indicative of the core sample being broken from ground by operation of the drill rig (10). On detection of the specific pattern, the orientation of the core sample prior to being broken from the ground is the acquired core orientation data Cn coinciding with that specific pattern of rig operational data Rn.

A method and system of validating orientation of a core obtained by drilling the core from a subsurface body of material, the method including: a) determining that vibration from drilling is below a nominated level, b) recording data relating to orientation of the core to be retrieved, the data recorded using a downhole core orientation data recording device, c) separating the core from the subsurface body, and d) obtaining from the core orientation data recording device an indication of the orientation of the core based on the recorded data obtained when the vibration from drilling was below the nominated level and before the core was separated from the subsurface body. A method of determining orientation of a core sample obtained by drilling from aboveground into a subsurface body includes recording data relating to a core sample being obtained by the drilling when vibration from drilling is below a threshold; providing an input to a user operated communication device; the communication device identifying a time of the user input to the communication device; retrieving the data gathering device and core sample; communicating between the communication device and the retrieved data gathering device; determining from indications provided by the retrieved data gathering device an orientation of the core sample.

A method and system of validating orientation of a core obtained by drilling the core from a subsurface body of material, the method including: a) determining that vibration from drilling is below a nominated level, b) recording data relating to orientation of the core to be retrieved, the data recorded using a downhole core orientation data recording device, c) separating the core from the subsurface body, and d) obtaining from the core orientation data recording device an indication of the orientation of the core based on the recorded data obtained when the vibration from drilling was below the nominated level and before the core was separated from the subsurface body. A method of determining orientation of a core sample obtained by drilling from aboveground into a subsurface body includes recording data relating to a core sample being obtained by the drilling when vibration from drilling is below a threshold; providing an input to a user operated communication device; the communication device identifying a time of the user input to the communication device; retrieving the data gathering device and core sample; communicating between the communication device and the retrieved data gathering device; determining from indications provided by the retrieved data gathering device an orientation of the core sample.

A system method and apparatus for determining the disposition or orientation of a structural feature or structural feature present in a borehole core, such as a core sample. The apparatus is provided to capture data on structural features present in the core sample. The apparatus includes an orientation arrangement configured to determine the orientation, or change in orientation, of the apparatus, and a data-capturing arrangement configured to capture orientation data generated by the orientation arrangement. The orientation arrangement may include a gyroscope. The apparatus also includes an alignment arrangement operable to align the apparatus with a structural feature relating to the core sample. The alignment arrangement may include an alignment indicator operable to provide visual indication on the surface of the core sample. The method may include real-time delivery of data from the point of acquisition to cloud-based storage.

A method and system for obtaining orientation of a core sample core drilled from underlying rock. A core orientation recording device (116) records its orientation at random and/or non-predetermined time intervals from a reference time during a drilling operation. The time intervals are generated to be within a range of minimum and maximum time intervals. After a time interval elapsed from the reference time plus a wait time of at least the minimum random or non-predetermined time interval, the core sample is separated from the underlying rock and brought to the surface and its original orientation is determined from orientation data recorded closest in time to the elapsed time plus the minimum time interval. A remote communicator (160) having the elapsed time interrogates the core orientation recordal device (116) to identify the required orientation data and requires the core orientation recordal device to identify a correct orientation of the core sample.