Determination of Rock Mechanics While Slabbing

A computer implemented method of characterizing a mechanical property of formation rock from a subsurface reservoir from a core sample of the rock while the core sample is being cut by a slabbing machine, comprising the steps of

• obtaining data concerning forces applied in directions normal and tangential to a transverse core sample surface parallel to a longitudinal axis of the core sample as the sample is being cut;
• forming a ratio measure of the tangential forces to the normal forces applied to the transverse core sample surface;
• obtaining from the formed ratio measure an indication of the angle of internal friction of the formation rock in the core sample.

A data storage device having stored in a computer readable medium therein computer operable instructions causing a data processor to characterize a mechanical property of formation rock from a subsurface reservoir from a core sample of the rock while the core sample is being cut by a slabbing machine, the stored instructions in the data storage device causing the processor to perform the following steps:

• obtaining data concerning forces applied to the core sample as the sample is being cut;
• forming a ratio measure of the applied forces to an area measure of the cut sample;
• obtaining from the formed ratio measure of the applied forces to area measure an indication of the strength of the formation rock in the core sample.

A data storage device having computer program stored in a computer readable medium therein computer operable instructions causing a data processor to characterize a mechanical property of formation rock from a subsurface reservoir from a core sample of the rock while the core sample is being cut by a slabbing machine, the stored instructions in the data storage device computer program product causing the processor to perform the following steps:

• obtaining data concerning forces applied in directions normal and tangential to a transverse core sample surface parallel to a longitudinal axis of the core sample as the sample is being cut;
• forming a ratio measure of the tangential forces to the normal forces applied to the transverse core sample surface;
• obtaining from the formed ratio measure of the tangential forces to the normal forces an indication of the angle of internal friction of the formation rock in the core sample.