Air hammer coring apparatus and method

A coring apparatus for extracting a core sample from a subterranean formation, comprising:

• a pneumatic reciprocating hammer having a first end for operatively connecting to a drill string, a second end having a hammer bit and a reciprocating piston for reciprocating the hammer bit;
• a coring member operatively connected to the pneumatic reciprocating hammer, the coring member comprising an impact anvil and a hollow coring barrel forming an internal longitudinal chamber for accommodating the core sample, the coring barrel positioned below the impact anvil and lined with a core liner having a closed top and an open bottom for receiving and enveloping the core sample;
• a core catcher secured to the lower end of the coring barrel, said core catcher comprising a plurality of blades for either cutting off the core sample when coring is completed, retaining the core sample in the coring barrel, or both;
• a coring bit secured to the lower end of the core catcher for cutting through the formation to obtain the core sample;
• and
• a first chemical container located at or near the bottom of the coring barrel for holding a sealant for sealing the bottom of the core sample once the core sample has been cut.

A method for obtaining a core sample from a subterranean formation and/or drilling a hydrocarbon well, comprising:

• operatively connecting a rotating sub to a drill string;
• operatively connecting an upper end of a pneumatic reciprocating hammer to the rotating sub, the pneumatic reciprocating hammer having a hammer bit at its lower end;
• operatively connecting a coring member to the pneumatic reciprocating hammer, the coring member comprising an impact anvil and a hollow coring barrel forming an internal longitudinal chamber for accommodating the core sample, the coring barrel positioned below the impact anvil;
• and
• supplying a gas through the drill string to the pneumatic reciprocating hammer for operating the pneumatic reciprocating hammer so that the hammer bit repeatedly strikes the impact anvil to force the coring barrel into the formation and cut out the core sample;
• whereby the rotating sub rotates the pneumatic reciprocating hammer and the coring member to aid in the cutting of the core sample.

A coring apparatus for extracting a core sample from a subterranean formation, comprising:

• a rotating sub having a first end for operatively connecting the rotating sub to a drill string, and a second end;
• a pneumatic reciprocating hammer having a first end for operatively connecting the pneumatic reciprocating hammer to the second end of the rotating sub, a second end having a hammer bit and a reciprocating piston for reciprocating the hammer bit;
• and
• an impact anvil operatively connected to the pneumatic reciprocation hammer having a first end for receiving strikes from the reciprocating hammer bit, said impact anvil having a second end operable for removably receiving a hollow coring barrel having a singular wall forming an internal longitudinal chamber for accommodating the core sample;
• whereby when the hammer bit strikes the impact anvil, the coring barrel is driven into the formation, the core sample is extracted into the internal longitudinal chamber of the coring barrel, and the coring barrel can be removed from the impact hammer for analysis of the core sample.

A coring apparatus for extracting a core sample from a subterranean formation, comprising:

• a pneumatic reciprocating hammer having a first end for operatively connecting to a drill string, a second end having a hammer bit and a reciprocating piston for reciprocating the hammer bit;
• a coring member operatively connected to the pneumatic reciprocating hammer, the coring member comprising an impact anvil and a hollow coring barrel forming an internal longitudinal chamber for accommodating the core sample, the coring barrel positioned below the impact anvil and lined with a core liner for enveloping the core sample;
• a core catcher secured to the lower end of the coring barrel, said core catcher comprising a plurality of blades for either cutting off the core sample when coring is completed, retaining the core sample in the coring barrel, or both;
• a coring bit secured to the lower end of the core catcher for cutting through the formation to obtain the core sample;
• a first chemical container located at or near the bottom of the coring barrel for holding a sealant for sealing the bottom of the core sample once the core sample has been cut;
• and
• a second chemical container located at or near the top of the coring barrel for holding a sealant for sealing the top of the core sample when coring is completed.