Halliburton Introduces CoreVault™ System
First-of-its Kind Technology Delivers Early, Accurate Volume Measurements in Unconventional Resource Plays
HOUSTON – Aug. 25, 2014 – Halliburton's Wireline & Perforating business line (NYSE: HAL) today introduced the CoreVault™ system, a unique solution that provides a more accurate volumetric picture of the amount of oil and gas trapped in unconventional reservoir rocks. The system for the first time allows operators to contain and bring the reservoir fluids within rock samples to the surface, allowing for measurement of the volume of hydrocarbons-in-place.
David Topping, vice president of Wireline & Perforating, explained that "prior to the development of the CoreVault system, when traditional coring tools were used to bring samples to the surface, they allowed 50 to 70 percent of the hydrocarbons to escape from the rock as the samples depressurized. Building a model of the volume of oil and gas in a reservoir thus required operators to estimate this fluid loss rather than measure the fluids in place, and estimates were often inaccurate. By preserving 100 percent of the fluids within the core sample, the CoreVault system allows for an improved understanding of potential production within the reservoir."
The CoreVault system builds on the capabilities and reliability of the Halliburton Hostile Rotary Sidewall Coring (HRSCT-B™) Tool that recovers 1.5-inch-OD cores at temperatures up to 400°F (204°C) and pressures up to 25,000 psi. The CoreVault system, when combined with the HRSCT-B tool, allows up to 10 cores to be sealed at reservoir conditions in a single wireline run, saving time over full-hole coring and allowing more targeted samples to be taken.
Don Westacott, chief advisor, Global Unconventional Reservoirs, said, "The samples taken with the CoreVault system often reveal dramatically more oil and gas in place than previous estimates would indicate. The information obtained can significantly enhance economic value and reduce exploration and development risk for our customers." An operator in Ohio and West Virginia used the system to retrieve 150 samples in five wells, with measurements of the samples showing 2.5 times more oil and gas in place than had been previously estimated.
For more information and a video explaining how this new technology works, please visit our CoreVault system website.
CoreVault™ System
The CoreVault™ system keeps rock samples in a sealed container, so 100% of the fluid in the core sample will be preserved for analysis.
Built into the next generation of the proven Hostile Rotary Sidewall Coring (HRSCT™) Tool, the CoreVault™ system can capture up to ten samples in a sealed container – in one run.
The container prevents reservoir fluids from escaping during core retrieval and transport.
Challenge:
Returning samples to surface without losing fluids.
As traditional samples move from a high-pressure reservoir to the surface, hydrocarbons escape from the sample cores.
This can lead to uncertainty during analysis and inaccurate estimates of the type and volume of hydrocarbons in the reservoir, leading to uncertainty in economic evaluation.
Solution:
The new CoreVault system seals samples in pressure-tight containers before bringing them to surface. This keeps the fluids in place and enables accurate measurements instead of estimates, resulting in better information for making critical decisions about the reservoir.
