Sept. 15, 2014

arrived on site 1230 hrs.  Discussed problems with core recovery related to excess material.  Decided to change bit (was an aggressive drag bit) back to a flat bottom, ridged bit.  Rods were already pulled back into surface casing so recovered drag bit and changed out to flat bottomed, ridged bit.  Went back in hole.  Encountered some difficulties in plugging the bit before getting on bottom.  Pulled rods and cleaned bit at surface.  Went back in hole and began coring.  Fluid pressure bounced between 200 and 350 psi suggesting that some material was bridging up the hole.  Returns were muddy at this time.  After ~1/2 hour fluid pressure settled down to a steady 150 psi and returns cleared up.  Coring very slow.  Timed one half hour and made a rate of 9 inches/hr.  After this test, recovered available core and found 5.5 inches of good core and several feet of loose debris.  Saved sample as P-PW-1 (pore water sample).  The plan for tomorrow is to change back to drag bit and attempt to keep a lower down pressure on the bit to see if this will help.  The down pressure has been 200 psi and will lower this to see if it will maintain a sufficient rate of coring with reduced elongation of core.

Personnel on site: