SideTrack II Reveals Stellar Results in its Maiden Voyage!
"We were prepared for any number of issues to to occur on the initial test for SideTrack II" admitted Rob Zeer, Chief Technology Officer of Foothills Diamond Coring, discussing the first test on Encana Beiseker Twp 28-25W4 at 215 meters on May 27th 2005. "There were so many new variables being tested any one of which could be problematic. The complete assembly and operation had never been tested at once. We pulled the Sidetrack unit from the well bore and had a complete and perfectly cut core. We were ecstatic!"
Zeer has long pursued innovation to advance the field of coring. During the 90's, Foothills invested over $1million in developing prior SideTrack Coring concepts. These came to fruition but presented technical challenges. Over the past two years the project has been completely readdressed using the new SideTrack II concept.
"The process must be completely safe for operators to accept using it" Rob Zeer claims in discussing the new project. "The new SideTrack II coring process is absolutely reliable in terms of core sample quality, maintaining well bore integrity and safe tool retrieval from the hole".
The SideTrack II technology allows you to complete your drilling and logging before deciding important intervals to sample. It gives you the power of hindsight to select core points after all well information is gathered and analyzed. It is also more cost effective using a single round trip for each core.
"This test immediately validates our concept of coring from the sidewall." Zeer stated. The SideTrack II tool enters the hole and is positioned above the point of interest. The unit back reams a pocket parallel and above the zone of interest for tool offset along the axis of the bore hole. The core process proceeds, retrieving a continuous crescent shaped core. (see movie in sidebar story)
A sizeable continuous core sample has significant advantages over wireline core plugs. Foothills already has many customers who have confirmed the market potential for the SideTrack II process. Clients with expensive, prolific and exploratory wells have expressed the greatest interest.
Further testing and refinements will be made.