Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) piston corers are the preferred piston coring system on board major research vessels across the globe. OSIL produce a range of Giant, Standard, and Mini Piston Corer systems, which are now in use worldwide on research vessels that are equipped for the study of global sedimentology.

The success of the Giant Piston Corer has also been highlighted by international news agencies following a record-breaking International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expedition in Japan.

Piston corers operate in a very similar manner to traditional gravity coring systems, with the exception of the piston itself, which acts as a plug on the coring barrel array once the corer has been fully deployed into the sediment. Together with the core catcher, the piston holds the sample more securely inside the core liner than in a regular gravity corer system and prevents sediment slump.

The piston designed by OSIL also reduces internal friction within the core liner and prevents clumping of the sample, ensuring that the OSIL systems deliver a more well-defined sediment sample.

Piston corers are one of the most important basic tools used in the study of marine sediments, and OSIL offers customizable systems (including launch and recovery systems and winches) from 6.5 feet to 197 feet in length. These systems are in use on board research vessels in the USA, Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, Turkey, Norway, China, Brazil, Spain, the Philippines, Nigeria, Singapore, Italy, France, and the U.K., amongst other countries. They can be included in new vessel build specifications or retrospectively fitted on board.

OSIL are experts in the manufacture, global supply, and operation of sediment corers up to full ocean depth, with particular experience in oil, gas & renewables, marine mining, scientific research and coastal engineering, and a worldwide customer base.