Removing fluid from rock formations in oil and gas applications

A sampling tool, comprising:

• a first probe positioned along a common flow line of the sampling tool;
• a second probe positioned along the common flow line and downhole of the first probe;
• a pump positioned on the common flow line uphole of the first probe and in fluid communication with the first and second probes;
• an analyzer positioned along the common flow line uphole of the pump and in fluid communication with the first and second probes;
• and
• a control unit programmed to control the first and second probes and the pump to carry out a method of removing fluid from a rock formation, the method comprising:
• deploying the first probe to a first axial position along a wellbore within the rock formation for sampling a first region of the rock formation and deploying the second probe to a second axial position along the wellbore that is downhole of the first position for sampling a second region of the rock formation that is located downhole of the first region;
• operating the pump to simultaneously withdraw fluid from the rock formation through the first and second probes during a first period of time into the common flow line to produce a fluid mixture;
• determining, at the analyzer, that the fluid mixture is substantially clean based on a volume of drilling fluid accounting for no more than about 10% of a total volume of the fluid mixture and without determining a level of contamination in the fluid withdrawn through each of the first and second probes individually;
• after the first period of time during which the fluid mixture is analyzed, disabling the second probe to prevent fluid from being withdrawn from the rock formation through the second probe and into the common flow line;
• while the second probe is disabled, operating the pump to withdraw fluid from the rock formation through the first probe during a second period of time to sample the first region of the rock formation, wherein the second period of time ends upon the analyzer determining that the fluid withdrawn through the first probe is substantially clean while the second probe remains disabled;
• after the second period of time, disabling the first probe to prevent fluid from being withdrawn from the rock formation through the first probe and into the common flow line;
• and
• while the first probe is disabled, operating the pump to withdraw fluid from the rock formation through the second probe during a third period of time to sample the second region of the rock formation that is located downhole of the first region, wherein the third period of time ends upon the analyzer determining that the fluid withdrawn through the second probe is substantially clean while the first probe remains disabled,
• wherein each of the second and third periods of time is shorter than the first period of time.