Virtual Special Issue on Advances in In-Situ Condition-preserved Coring and Testing of Deep Rocks

Introduction:

Deep oil and gas resources hosted in extreme geological environments possess properties, distribution, and flow behavior that are highly dependent on the in-situ physical, chemical, and mechanical characteristics of reservoir rocks. Deep scientific drilling and the acquisition of in-situ condition-preserved core samples are fundamental to uncovering deep formation parameters and supporting efficient resource development.

Since the completion of the Soviet Union's Kola Superdeep Borehole (SG-3) at 12,226 meters in 1989, several countries have launched 10,000-meter-class ultra-deep drilling projects. Notable examples include Germany's Continental Deep Drilling Program (KTB), which reached a final depth of 9,101 meters, and China's Shendi Take-1 and Shendi Chuanke-1 wells, which have also surpassed the 10,000-meter, marking a new phase in global deep-earth exploration. However, deep drilling confronts extreme in-situ environments and operational conditions. This presents notable challenges for drilling technology and, even more so, for the acquisition of rock core samples that truly represent deep in-situ conditions.

Conventional coring techniques struggle to preserve the in-situ pressure, temperature, and pore fluid conditions of the core, leading to pore pressure dissipation, thermal equilibration, and pore fluid escape. These alterations cause deviations in laboratory test parameters, directly impacting the accuracy of resource reserve estimates and the reliability of rock mechanics data.

Against that backdrop, there is a need to develop principles, technologies, and equipment for the in-situ condition-preserved coring and testing of deep rocks. This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest research advancements and field practices in the field of in-situ condition-preserved coring and testing for deep rocks. We invite researchers, engineers, and industry practitioners to submit original research papers, review articles, and case studies that foster scientific understanding and technological innovation in this area.

Topics covered:

• Principles, technologies and equipment for in-situ condition preserved coring of deep rocks
• Principles, methods and equipment for in-situ condition preserved testing of deep rocks
• Mechanical behavior and models of rocks under deep in-situ conditions
• Influence of deep in-situ conditions on theories and technologies for resource exploitation
• On-site in-situ condition preserved processing, transportation and implementation standards of deep rock cores

Important Deadlines:

Submission deadline: 31 December 2027

Submission Instructions:

Please read the Guide for Authors before submitting. All articles should be submitted online, please select VSI: In-Situ Coring on submission. All submissions will undergo a normal peer-review process.

Guest Editors:

• Yachen Xie, Sichuan University, China. Email: xieyachen@scu.edu.cn
• Ranjith Pathegama Gamage, Monash University, Australia. Email: ranjith.pg@monash.edu
• Ru Zhang, Sichuan University, China. Email: zhangru@scu.edu.cn
• Cong Li, Sichuan University, China. Email: licong@scu.edu.cn