Core Photography

In 2004, the Geological Survey embarked on a project to take digital photographs of all the oil well cores in the Wilson M. Laird Core and Sample Library. The core facility contains more than 93 miles of core (493,404 feet). As of July 7, 2026, we have photographed 359,007 feet of core and 19,960 thin sections, generating 599,508 photographs for the ND Oil and Gas Division subscription website.​

View Instructions to Access NDIC Core, Drill Cutting & Thin Section Inventory Records

Photographs

A few examples of the more than 599,508 core photographs found on the Oil and Gas Subscription site. Visit the subscription site.

Wilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library core photograph sampleWilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library core photograph sampleWilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library core photograph sample

Wilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library core photograph sampleWilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library core photograph sampleWilson M. Laird Core & Sample Library core photograph sample

Photomicrographs

A photomicrograph of one of the nearly 20,000 thin sections in the core library. Photomicrographs are available on the Oil and Gas Subscription site. Visit the subscription site.

thin section lab computer and equipment

photomicrograph of a thin section