Sample Treatment
Core Slabbing
Core Slabbing allows clients to retain an intact cross-section of their core sample for further analysis. The process of Core Slabbing occurs after the Q2 desorption stage: Using a rail saw, a core is slabbed (cut) horizontally along its axis in accordance with documented GeoGAS procedures. One-half is retained for the customer, while the other half is dedicated to gas content testing. Core trays are usually required to facilitate the return of the core. If core slabbing is required, the additional cost for this service will be identified separately in our charges.
Dedicated Treatment
Dedicated treatment provides the client with test results from a representative sample of the entire core. The process involves breaking the core into small sections and selecting sub-samples in such a way as to gather a fair representation of the entire core. Enough sub-samples are selected to allow for a minimum of two Q3 crushes plus any other analysis requirements, e.g. isotherm, petrography, etc.
Quality Treatment
Quality Treatment is preferred by clients who want to keep the core intact as much as possible, e.g. because they wish to carry out other testing on the core. With this treatment, the core is laid out, and two small sub-samples (approximately 150g each unless further analysis is required, such as isotherms) are sliced from the core for Q3 testing. Two small stoppers are placed in the gaps left behind from the removed sub-samples, and the largely intact core is returned to the client. Core trays are usually required to facilitate the return of the core.
Inert Flushing
Inert Flushing aims to remove air from the Q3 process. It is commonly chosen for CSG and GHG testing but also finds application in underground mining. Inert Flushing occurs before the Q3 crush and involves flushing the Q3 equipment with an inert gas such as Argon. By doing this, the gas sample analysed in later gas composition testing will be more representative of the in situ seam gas composition.