Suction-activated core catcher and related methods
AssigneeBenthic USA LLC
InventorMatthew Tydelski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for recovering a core from an undersea formation. A coring tool adapted for being connected to a drill string includes a coring bit for recovering the core from the undersea formation. A catcher has a closed state for sealing the core in the coring tool. A retainer retains the collapsible catcher in an open state, and an actuator applies suction to the coring tool. The applied suction serves to move the retainer to allow the catcher to collapse for capturing the core, such as by releasing flexible fingers of the core catcher from a telescoping liner associated with the retainer. Related methods are also disclosed.
Claims23
An apparatus for recovering a core from an undersea formation, comprising:
- a coring tool for recovering the core from the undersea formation and a collapsible catcher having a closed state for capturing the core within the coring tool;
- and
- an actuator for applying suction to the coring tool for directly causing the collapsible catcher to assume the closed state for capturing the core in the coring tool.
An apparatus for recovering a core from an undersea formation, comprising:
- a coring tool for recovering the core from the undersea formation and a collapsible catcher comprising a plurality of flexible fingers adapted for moving between an open state and a closed state for capturing the core;
- and
- an actuator comprising an external cylinder for applying suction to the coring tool for directly causing the collapsible catcher to assume the closed state for capturing the core in the coring tool.
An apparatus for recovering a core from an undersea formation, comprising:
- a coring tool for recovering the core from the undersea formation and a collapsible catcher for capturing the core;
- and
- an external cylinder for applying suction to the coring tool to directly cause the collapsible catcher to collapse for capturing the core within the coring tool.
A method for recovering a core from an undersea formation, comprising:
- recovering the core within a coring tool;
- and
- applying suction to the coring tool to directly cause a catcher to collapse and retain the core within the coring tool.
A method for recovering a core from an undersea formation, comprising:
- recovering the core within a coring tool;
- and
- collapsing a plurality of flexible fingers inwardly to a closed state to seal the core within the coring tool;
- wherein the collapsing step comprises applying suction to the coring tool to move a liner normally holding the plurality of flexible fingers in an open state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.