Electrical Petrophysics Lecture
Electrical Petrophysics Lecture
PETE 3036
Well Logging
Fall 2015
Objectives
1. To understand and quantify the phenomenon of electrical
conduction in porous and permeable rocks,
2. To understand the influence of (a) porosity, (b) connate water
salinity and temperature, (c) grain sorting and cementation, (d)
partial hydrocarbon saturation, (e) wettability, and (f) clay
concentration, on the effective electrical resistivity of rocks,
3. To introduce the concepts of formation factor and electrical
resistivity index,
4. To understand the petrophysical limitations of Archies
equations,
5. To introduce methods to calculate the electrical resistivity of
connate water, and
6. To perform basic exercises on the calculation of hydrocarbon
saturation.
Reading Material
Chapter 6 and Chapter 11, Openhole log
Analysis and formation evaluation, by
Bateman
Chapter 1, Electrical Resistivity of Rocks, pp 124 of the book Theory, Measurement, and
Interpretation of Well Logs by Z. Bassiouni,
Z.,1994, SPE Textbook Series Vol. 4,
Richardson, Texas.
Hydrocarbon
Density
Estimation
Comparison of Rw and Ro
Lets consider a cylinder of water with the same
volume as the water volume in the core.
Vp = A L = Ae Le
Ae = A L / Le
rw = Rw Le / Ae = Rw Le2 / ( A L )
ro = Ro L / A
RO L / A RW Le /( A L )
2
Le 1
RO RW
L
Lets define:
Le 1
F
L
Ro = F Rw
Le 1
F
L
Let: Le / L =
2
F
(Known as tortuosity)
Carbonates
Caruthers (1968): F = -2
Shell: F = -1.87+0.019/
m and n
m = cementation exponent
varies with pore geometry
sandstones -1.1 to 2.5
carbonates -2.9 or higher
n = saturation exponent
reflects path of electric current through pore
network that is partially full of brine
affected by wettability, clays, residual
hydrocarbons
Archies equation assumes n = 2, ranges from
1 to 2.5
Homework
Problems 1.14, 1.15 and 1.16 from textbook
Please find resistivity of a fracing water-based
fluid with the following information at 270F
Sulfates, ppm
200
Chlorides, ppm
100
Calcium, ppm
0.01
Bicarbs, ppm
97.60
Magnesium, ppm
14.39
Review Questions
1. Using simple physics arguments, explain why the electrical resistivity of a
rock is related to porosity.
2. Is the electrical resistivity of a rock controlled by its solid or fluid component,
or by both?
3. List four independent petrophysical/measurement conditions that will cause
Archies first law to
breakdown?
4. The porosity variable used in Archies equations, is it total or effective
porosity?
5. Why is it often said that Archies second law is not scientifically sound?
6. Why is the electrical conductivity of clays in contact with water relatively
high?
7. When does presence of clay/shale in a rock will cause Archies first law to
breakdown?
8. Explain why the wettability of a rock could have a sizable influence on the
rocks electrical conductivity.