Which term is another name for the bottom-hole sample?

• A. Subsurface Sample
• B. Surface Sample
• C. Separator Sample
• D. Core Sample

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that bottom-hole material comes from below the surface, inside the well. In drilling terminology, anything collected from down in the hole is called a subsurface sample. It’s a general label for samples obtained beneath the surface, whether they’re cores or cuttings, and it helps distinguish them from samples taken at the surface.

A surface sample is, as the name implies, taken from the surface, not from downhole. A core sample is a specific type of subsurface sample that preserves a cylinder of rock, but not every bottom-hole sample is necessarily a core. A separator sample isn’t a standard term used for downhole material. So subsurface sample best covers the idea of a bottom-hole sample.