A Christiansen model pressure-retaining core barrel (the Pressure Core Barrel) was used in the drilling of an EGSP research well in Erie County, Pennsylvania, the well being a joint Mound Facility-METC effort. Off-gassing of cores begins as soon as air-drilled cores are cut, and large quantities of gas are lost while such a core is being brought to the surface. Drilling mud was used to minimize gas loss during core cutting, and the pressure core barrel allowed as complete as possible recovery of the total in-place hydrocarbons in the dark shale.

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