Geological core laboratory systems and methods

A method of geological core inspection, the method comprising:

• positioning, on a geological core inspection table in a geological core inspection laboratory, a core sample for inspection, the geological core inspection laboratory comprising:
• a robotic geological core inspection system comprising:
• a core sample sensing system, the core sample sensing system comprising:
• a core sample imaging sensor configured to acquire one or more images of the core sample;
• and
• a core sample position sensor configured to sense a position relative to the core sample;
• a core sample interaction system comprising:
• a dispensing system configured to apply substances to a surface of the core sample;
• and
• a scoring system configured to contact the surface of the core sample to score the surface of the core sample;
• a robotic positioning system disposed above the geological core inspection table and configured to position the core sample interaction system relative to the core sample based on the position sensed by the core sample position sensor;
• and
• a control and communications system connected to an electronic communications network;
• receiving, by the control and communications system of the robotic geological core inspection system and from a remote geological core inspection system connected to the electronic communications network and located physically remote from the geological core inspection laboratory, a command to conduct a core inspection operation on the core sample;
• controlling, by the control and communications system of the robotic geological core inspection system in response to receiving the command, the robotic geological core inspection system to conduct the core inspection operation on the core sample, and controlling the core sample imaging sensor to acquire the one or more images of the core sample during conducting of the core inspection operation on the core sample, the one or more images comprising a first image of scoring of the surface of the core sample and a second image of application of substances to the surface of the core sample;
• and
• sending, by the control and communications system of the robotic geological core inspection system to the remote geological core inspection system, core data indicative of performance of the requested operation, wherein the remote geological core inspection system is configured to present the core data, the core data comprising the one or more images of the core sample.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon that are executable by a computer processor to perform a geological core inspection comprising the following operations:

• positioning, on a geological core inspection table in a geological core inspection laboratory, a core sample for inspection, the geological core inspection laboratory comprising:
• a robotic geological core inspection system comprising:
• a core sample sensing system, the core sample sensing system comprising:
• a core sample imaging sensor configured to acquire one or more images of the core sample;
• and
• a core sample position sensor configured to sense a position relative to the core sample;
• a core sample interaction system comprising:
• a dispensing system configured to apply substances to a surface of the core sample;
• and
• a scoring system configured to contact the surface of the core sample to score the surface of the core sample;
• a robotic positioning system disposed above the geological core inspection table and configured to position the core sample interaction system relative to the core sample based on the position sensed by the core sample position sensor;
• and
• a control and communications system connected to an electronic communications network;
• receiving, by the control and communications system of the robotic geological core inspection system and from a remote geological core inspection system connected to the electronic communications network and located physically remote from the geological core inspection laboratory, a command to conduct a core inspection operation on the core sample;
• controlling, by the control and communications system of the robotic geological core inspection system in response to receiving the command, the robotic geological core inspection system to conduct the core inspection operation on the core sample, and controlling the core sample imaging sensor to acquire the one or more images of the core sample during conducting of the core inspection operation on the core sample, the one or more images comprising a first image of scoring of the surface of the core sample and a second image of application of substances to the surface of the core sample;
• and
• sending, by the control and communications system of the robotic geological core inspection system to the remote geological core inspection system, core data indicative of performance of the requested operation, wherein the remote geological core inspection system is configured to present the core data, the core data comprising the one or more images of the core sample.