Core sample handling device

A method for drilling and recovering core samples from a formation, the method comprising:

• i) providing a drill rig with a drill string for drilling into a formation to extract a core sample;
• ii) advancing an inner tube into the drill string to be received therein with an upper end of the inner tube exposed above a top end of the drill string;
• iii) coupling a next inner tube to the upper end of the inner tube received in the drill string to form a string of inner tubes comprising at least an uppermost inner tube and an adjacent second-uppermost inner tube;
• iv) lowering the string of inner tubes to the bottom of the drill string;
• v) drilling into the formation to a depth greater than the length of a single inner tube of the string of inner tubes and less than or equal to a length of the string of inner tubes to receive the core sample within the string of inner tubes;
• vi) recovering the string of inner tubes with core sample received therein to expose a lower end of the uppermost inner tube and an upper end of the adjacent second uppermost inner tube coupled thereto above the top end of the drill string with the second upper most inner tube received in the drill string;
• vii) uncoupling and separating the uppermost inner tube from the adjacent second uppermost inner tube to expose a portion of the core sample therebetween;
• viii) cutting or breaking the core sample through the exposed portion of the core sample;
• ix) removing the uppermost inner tube with a corresponding portion of the core sample therein from the drill rig;
• x) recovering the second uppermost inner tube with a corresponding portion of the core sample therein from the drill string and removing from the drill rig.