Introduction To Wireline Logging
Introduction To Wireline Logging
WELL LOGGING
2018
Course Outlines
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Introduction to Wireline Logging
1 Introduction
Well logs or wireline logs are continuous recordings of well depth versus
different petrophysical characteristics of the rocks through which the well
is drilled. There are many types of well logs, depending upon the
characteristics of the rock being measured.
To calculate the oil reserve in an oil pool we need to know the following.
Logging surveys taken before the hole is cased are called open hole logs.
The logs included in this group are:
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Caliper Logs.
Dipmeter Logs.
Radioactive surveys (density, neutron and gamma ray logs).
Gamma ray & neutron logs measure radioactive and neutron absorption
properties. Density logs measure electron density of the formation which
is related to formation density.
Logging surveys taken after the casing is lowered are usually categorized
as cased hole logs. The surveys included in this group are:
Gamma Ray
Neutron
Temperature
Chlorine
Pulsed Neutron
Cement Bond Log
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Tracer Logs
Some of these surveys like the gamma ray, neutron and temperature logs
can be run in both open and cased hole wells.
The surface logging panels which power and control the downhole
tools, process the incoming information and transmit the information to
recording equipment.
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Fig. 1: A Logging Truck
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3.2 Computerized Logging Units
Logs can be played back from the data tapes on many different formats.
Basic wellsite, processing/analysis of data is available.
4. Logging Cables
Running in and pulling out the tool and control of tool speed.
Electrical interface between the downhole logging tool and the surface
processing and recording equipment.
Depth measurement.
Monoconductor cables.
Multiconductor cables.
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production logging services such as flowmeters, temperature, pressure
and density logs in producing wells.
4.4 Memorization
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Fig. 3: Logging Tools in Combination Fig. 4: Memorization
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The sonde is generally attached below an electronic cartridge, which
carries in a protective housing the electronic modules or hardware for the
downhole instrument.
Where several tools are being run in combination each of the sondes
and cartridges in the tool string has a pass through facility for the signals
to or from tools lower in the string.
Most tools are built to withstand 20,000 psi pressure and 350oF to 400oF
temp.
The need for pressure control equipment will limit the total length of
the tool string that can be safely assembled and run in the hole.
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Fig. 6: Logging Tools
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6. Modern Logging Tools
Spontaneous Potential
Caliper
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BOREHOLE ENVIRONMENT
The borehole environment in which logging measurements are
made, is of some interest from the standpoint of logging tool
designs and the operating limitations placed upon them.
Furthermore, it is important in terms of the disturbance it causes in
the surrounding formation in which properties are being measured.
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Invaded Zone
Zone around the bore hole where the original fluid content
has completely or partly been replaced by drilling mud.
Invaded Zone = Flushed Zone + Transition Zone (”Annulus”)
Depth of invasion depends on mud cake.
Mud cake formation more efficient in porous rocks, causing
less deep penetration of mud filtrate in porous rocks
Flushed Zone Resistivity; Rxo
Residual oil in flushed zone. Usually70-95% is flushed out.
Sro= 1 –Sxo
Uninvaded Zone
Pores uncontaminated by the mud filtrate.
Pores contain formation waters, oil and/or gas
HC bearing reservoir always have some formation water on
grain contacts.
Uninvaded zone resistivity; Rt
Ratio of Sw to Sxo is an index of HC moveability
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Figure 1: Schematic model of the borehole and formation used to
describe electric-logging measurements and corrections.
Dh = Hole Diameter
R = Resistivity
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Figure 2. Distribution of pore fluids in zones around a well which initially
contained hydrocarbons.
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USES OF LOGS
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The Geophysicist:
Are the tops where you predicted?
Are the potential zones porous as you have assumed from
seismic data?
What does a synthetic seismic section show?
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READING A LOG
Reading a log with ease requires familiarity with some of the
standard log formats. The formats for traditional logs and most
field logs are shown in Fig. 3 and can be seen to contain three
tracks. A narrow column containing the depth is found between
track 1 and tracks 2 and 3. The latter are contiguous.
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Depth of investigation (Radius of investigation) :
The distance away from the bore hole that a logging tool can
measure.
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TEMPERATURE LOG
Theory
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Uses of Temperature Logs
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FIGURE 1 Sketch showing how geothermal gradient may be determined from
two or more BHTs taken at different log runs.
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FIGURE 2 Depth temperature plot showing the effect of rocks of differing
thermal conductivity (K) on geothermal gradient (G) and the vertical spacing
of isotherms.
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CALIPER LOG
Theory
It uses a tool which has 2, 4, or
more extendable arms. The arms
can move in and out as the tool is
withdrawn from the borehole, and
the movement is converted into
an electrical signal by a
potentiometer.
Variations in hole diameter cause
the arms to close or open and the
movement is reflected in
resistance changes in the
potentiometer.
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Geological Factors Influencing the Hole Diameter
The diameter of the hole depends mainly on:
(a) The lithology, since certain rocks may:
(1) be soluble in the drilling mud for example salt;
(2) disintegrate and cave in (for example sands, gravel,
shales), in which case hole caves will appear;
(3) flow, as in the case of swelling shales or low compaction
shales, when the hole will close in;
(4) be consolidated, in which case the hole will be in gauge.
(b) The texture and structure of the rock.
These influence the porosity and permeability of the rock and
hence determine whether a mud cake will develop and its
thickness, leading of course to a reduced hole diameter.
The texture and structure of the formation will also determine the
bedding, the shale distribution, and also the possibility of
microfractures brought about by drilling and radial cracking away
from the borehole. Fracturing linked with tectonic changes may
also be mentioned here.
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APPLICATIONS
hmc, = (dbit- d h ) / 2
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SP: SPONTANEOUS POTENTIAL LOG
The spontaneous potential (SP) log was one of the earliest measurements
used in the petroleum industry, and it has continued to play a significant
role in well log interpretation. The SP device measures naturally
occurring (spontaneous) potential in the wellbore. This tool utilizes a
single moving electrode in the borehole and a reference electrode at the
surface, usually located in the mud pit. The SP curve therefore is a record
of the potential difference which exists between the surface electrode and
the moving electrode in the borehole.
PRINCIPLE
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Factors Affecting SP Measurement
• Drilling Mud: The drilling mud salinity will affect the strength of the
electromotive forces (EMF) which give the SP deflections.
o If the salinity of the mud is similar to the formation water then the
SP curve may give little or no response opposite a permeable
formation;
o If the mud is more saline, then the curve has a positive voltage with
respect to the baseline opposite permeable formations;
o If it is less, the voltage deflection is negative.
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The current flow and hence the SP deflection depends on the difference
between the resistivity of the uninvaded formation water, Rw, and that of
the mud filtrate Rmf.
The SP log is usually recorded on the left track of the log (track 1) and is
used to:
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Figure 5: Idealized SP log for various combination of rock types and fluids.
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GR: GAMMA RAY LOG
The gamma ray log measures the natural gamma ray emissions from
radioactive formations. Since many gamma rays can pass through steel
casing, the log can be run in both open and cased holes.
Gamma ray logging was introduced in the late 1930s as the first
nonelectrical logging measurement. It was immediately useful for
distinguishing shaly from clean formations.
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Gamma Ray Tools:
1 The GR Tool:
The gamma ray log measures the total natural gamma radiation
emanating from a formation (Fig 6). This gamma radiation originates
from potassium-40 and the isotopes of the Uranium-Radium and Thorium
series. The gamma ray log is commonly given the symbol GR.
The two types of devices have similar depths of investigation and suffer
from minor environmental effects.
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Figure 8: General GR Response.
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GR Log Uses
Since radioactive isotopes are often associated with the clay minerals in
shales, it is a commonly accepted practice to use the relative gamma ray
deflection as a shale volume indicator. The simplest procedure is to scale
the gamma ray between its minimum and maximum values from 0 to
100% shale. The Gamma Ray Index is defined as a linear scaling of the
GR between Gmin, and Gmax, such that:
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Identification of Reservoir and Non-Reservoir Rocks From SP & GR
logs
- Reservoir Rocks
Low Gamma Ray
Good SP development
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Resistivity Logs
Introduction
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Resistivities:
Rt - Resistivity of the formation in the virgin zone, ohm-m
Rxo - Resistivity of the flushed zone, ohm-m
Rm - Resistivity of the mud, ohm-m
Rmc - Resistivity of the mudcake, ohm-m
Rw - Resistivity of 100% formation water, ohm-m
Rmf - Resistivity of 100% mud filtrate , ohm-m
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By far the most important use of resistivity logs is the determination of
hydrocarbon-bearing versus water-bearing zones. Because the rock’s
matrix or grains are nonconductive and any hydrocarbons in the pores are
also nonconductive, the ability of the rock to transmit a current is almost
entirely a function of water in the pores. As the hydrocarbon saturation of
the pores increases (as the water saturation decreases), the formation’s
resistivity increases. As the salinity of the water in the pores decreases (as
Rw increases), the rock’s resistivity also increases. A geologist, by
knowing (or determining) several parameters (a, m, n, and Rw), and by
determining from logs the porosity (φ) and formation bulk, or true,
resistivity (Rt), can determine the formation’s water saturation (Sw) from
the Archie equation:
where:
Sw = water saturation
a = tortuosity factor
m = cementation exponent
n = saturation exponent
Rw = resistivity of formation water
φ= porosity
Rt = true formation resistivity
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Families of Resistivity Tools
There are two basic types of resistivity logs used in the oilfield,
induction logs and electrode logs.
These two types of tools have many variations, which are summarized
in Table 1.
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Depth of Resistivity Log Investigation
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Resistivity of Rocks
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1-Electrode tools:
Laterologs: (LL)
NOTE: Separation of the LLs and LLd from each other and from the
MSFL is indicating the presence of a permeable formation with
hydrocarbons.
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Spherically Focused Log: (SFL)
Micro-Resistivity Logs
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Proximity Log: (PL)
2- Induction Tools:
These logs were originally designed for use in boreholes where the
drilling fluid was very resistive (oil-based muds or even gas). It can,
however, be used reasonably also in water-based muds of high salinity,
but has found its greatest use in wells drilled with fresh water-based
muds.
The sonde consists of 2 wire coils, a transmitter (Tx) and a receiver (Rx).
High frequency alternating current (20 kHz) of constant amplitude is
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applied to the transmitter coil. This gives rise to an alternating magnetic
field around the sonde that induces secondary currents in the formation.
These currents flow in coaxial loops around the sonde, and in turn create
their own alternating magnetic field, which induces currents in the
receiver coil of the sonde. The received signal is measured, and its size is
proportional to the conductivity of the formation.
Calibration:
Induction logs are calibrated at the wellsite in air (zero conductivity) and
using a 400ms test loop that is placed around the sonde. The calibration is
subsequently checked in the well opposite zero conductivity formations
(e.g., anhydrite), if available.
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POROSITY LOGS
Type of porosity logs:
1. Sonic log
2. Density log
3. Neutron log
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THE SONIC OR ACOUSTIC LOG
Introduction
The sonic log is often grouped with the neutron and density logs, as
porosity logs. The tool response of all porosity logs is affected by the
formation matrix, fluid and porosity. The porosity logs all have very
shallow depth of investigation, usually a few inches into the formation,
generally within the flushed zone.
The sonic or acoustic log measures the travel time of an elastic wave
through the formation. The sonic log is a porosity log that measures
interval transit time (Δt) of a compressional sound wave traveling
through one foot of formation. The sonic log device consists of one or
more sound transmitters, and two or more receivers. Interval transit time
time (Δt) in microseconds per foot is the reciprocal of the velocity of a
compressional sound wave in feet per second. Interval transit time is
recorded in tracks #2 and #3. The interval transit time is dependent upon
both lithology and porosity.
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Sonic affected by:
Lithology
Porosity
Fluids
Compaction/consolidation
Borehole conditions
Gas in drilling mud
Calibration:
The tool is calibrated inside the borehole opposite beds of pure and
known lithology, such as anhydrite (50.0 μs/ft.), salt (66.7 μs/ft.), or
inside the casing (57.1 μs/ft.).
Log Presentation
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Depth of Investigation
Logging Speed
The typical logging speed for the tool is 5000 ft/hr (1500 m/hr), although
it is occasionally run at lower speeds to increase the vertical resolution.
1) Noise:
Caused by tool movement along the borehole, generating a high
frequency noise component that is superimposed onto the normal acoustic
signal
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2) Mud Arrivals:
Clearly the first arrival should be from a P-wave that has traveled through
the formation. In some circumstances the P-wave that has traveled
directly through the mud arrives first. This occurs if the Tx-Rx is smaller
than a critical distance that depends upon the velocities of the P-wave
through the formation and the mud, the diameter of the borehole and the
diameter of the tool. Tools are designed to avoid this by making the Tx-
Rx distance large enough for most applications.
3) Δt Stretch:
In heavily attenuating formations the value of Δt can be slightly too large
due to the thresholding method employed by the detection circuitry.
However, this problem is rarely significant, and is impossible to detect
from the log.
4) Cycle Skipping:
This is the occurrence of a failure in the thresholding to detect the first
cycle of the wave’s first arrival. Triggering may then occur at the second
or even third cycle. This causes a marked and sudden shift to higher Δt
values, followed by a shift back again to the correct value.
5) Altered Zone Arrivals:
The formation next to the borehole may not be typical of the rock, For
example, it may be filled with solid mud and have a higher velocity than
the virgin formation, or it may be fractured or altered and have a lower
velocity.
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Sonic log types
1. Early Tools
2. Dual Receiver Tools
3. Borehole Compensated Sonic (BHC) Tool.
4. Long Spacing Sonic (LSS) Tool.
5. Common Industry Tools.
1 Early Tools
Early tools had one Tx (transmitter) and one Rx (receiver) (Fig. 2). The
body of the tool was made from rubber (low velocity and high attenuation
material) to stop waves travelling preferentially down the tool to the Rx.
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Fig. 3 Dual receiver sonic tools in correct configuration.
Used for:
Correlation
Porosity
Lithology
Seismic tie in / time-to-depth
conversion
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Uses of the Sonic Log
3) Identification of lithologies
The velocity or interval travel time is rarely diagnostic of a particular
rock type. However, high velocities usually indicate carbonates, middle
velocities indicate sands and low velocities, shales. It is best to use the
sonic log with other logs if lithological identification is important.
4) Compaction
As a sediment becomes compacted, the velocity of elastic waves through
it increases. If one plots the interval transit time on a logarithmic scale
against depth on a linear scale, a straight line relationship emerges. This
is a compaction trend.
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5) Overpressure
6) Stratigraphic Correlation
The sonic log is sensitive to small changes in grain size, texture,
mineralogy, carbonate content, quartz content as well as porosity. This
makes it a very useful log for using for correlation and facies analysis..
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7) Porosity Determination
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where Δt is the travel time (µsec/ft) and Δtma is the matrix travel time and
Δtf is the fluids travel time. The velocities and corresponding travel times
of the rock and matrix are:
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The time-averaged equation, due to its simplistic model, is most suitable
for clean , consolidated and compacted sandstones. The alternative, the
Raymer-Hunt equation (or “field observations”) results in slightly lower
values of porosity for clean quartz sandstones up to about 30% porosity.
Fig. 9 Chart for estimating porosity from compressional interval transit time.
Hydrocarbon Effects
The interval transit time (Δt) of a formation is increased due to the
presence of hydrocarbons. If the effect of hydrocarbons is not corrected,
the sonic-derived porosity is too high. Hilchie (1978) suggests the
following empirical corrections for hydrocarbon effect:
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DENSITY LOG
Introduction
The density log belongs to the group of active nuclear tools, which
contains a radioactive source and two detectors. Density Tools Can Run
in open and cased Hole. Density logging tools rely on gamma-gamma
scattering or on photoelectric (PE) absorption.
The formation density log is a porosity log that measures electron density
of formation. The density logging device is a contact tool which consists
of a medium-energy gamma ray source that emits gamma rays into a
formation. The gamma ray source is either Cobalt-60 or Cesium-137.
Absorbed by atoms
More electrons => more absorption
Indicates the atomic number –lithology
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HISTORY:
1950s
•single detector tool developed initially to measure bulk density, rb, insitu
as an aid to geophysicists in gravity meter interpretation
Early 1960s
Late 1960s
Early 1980s
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The density log; some typical responses.
Equipment:
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These pass through the mudcake and enter the formation, where they
progressively lose energy until they are either completely absorbed by the
rock matrix or they return to one the two gamma ray detectors in the tool.
Dense formations absorb many gamma rays, while low-density
formations absorb fewer.
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Weak
Vertical resolution
The vertical resolution at the typical logging speed (1300 ft/hr) is good
(about 26 cm, 10 inches),which is defined by the distance between the
two detectors.
Depth of Investigation
Hydrocarbon Effects
Oil does not significantly affect density porosity, but gas does (gas
effect). Hilchie suggests using a gas density of 0.7 g/cm3 for fluid density
(ρfl) in the density-porosity formula if gas density is unknown. Because
the presence of oil has little effect on the density log, this tool usually
provides the best indication of porosity in liquid-filled holes.
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The effect of gas on the
density log. In this example
the gas zone reads about 35%
porosity: it should read 27%
porosity.
where:
φD = density derived porosity
ρma = matrix density
ρb = formation bulk density (the log reading)
ρfl = fluid density
Pe Log Measurement
Where:
Z is the atomic number and
A is the atomic weight.
Material Pe
Sand 1.81
Shale 3-4
Limestone 5.08
Dolomite 3.14
Salt 4.65
Anhydrite 5.05
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Uses of the Litho-Density Log
Determination of Lithology
The litho-density log is one of the two most useful approaches to
lithological determination downhole. This is because the tool is simply
sensitive only to the mean atomic number of the formation, and at the
same time is insensitive to changes in porosity and fluid saturation in the
rock. Hence, the absolute Pe value may often be used to indicate directly
the presence of a given lithology. This lithology may then be checked
against the other tool readings for consistency.
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Matrix identification in a multi-mineral system using the PEF and density log data for
a formation saturated with a fluid of density equal to 1.0 g/cm3.
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THE NEUTRON LOG
1 Introduction
The neutron log measures energy loss when neutrons emitted from the
tool collide with other particles in the formation. The maximum energy
loss during a neutron collision occurs when A neutron collides with a
particle of equal mass, that is a hydrogen atom.
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2 Theory
In neutron logging there are three processes of interest: neutron emission,
neutron scattering and neutron absorption.
3 Hydrogen Index
Table 1 Hydrogen index calculations for some reservoir minerals and fluids.
If the tool is in 100% water (a large tank of the stuff, say), the HI =
1.000. This is equivalent to a rock of 100% porosity saturated with
water. So we have a fixed point that HI = 1 represents ɸ = 1.
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If the tool is in a pure limestone rock with zero porosity, the HI = 0,
because there are no hydrogen atoms in the solid matrix of calcite.
So we have a second fixed point where HI = 0 represents ɸ = 0.
If the tool is in a pure limestone with a given porosity f, the
hydrogen index will be directly proportional to the amount of water
in the formation. Hence HI = f for completely water saturated
limestones.
4 Tool Operation
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Units: porosity units(p.u.), v/v decimal, fraction or %.
Determination of Porosity
The main use of the neutron log is to provide porosity information. In
clean formations that have pores filled with water or oil, the neutron
measurement can be used to derive liquid-filled porosity. This is done
using the hydrogen index (HI) concept.
Determination of Lithology
The direct use of the neutron log to identify lithologies depends upon the
recognition of which lithologies may contain hydrogen atoms (Table 2).
By combining the density/neutron tool information, it is possible to get a
good estimate of likely formation lithololgy.
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Figure 2 Typical neutron log responses in common lithologies.
Gas detection
Gas zones (not liquid-filled) can often be identified by comparing the
neutron porosity log with another porosity log, such as a density log.
(Neutron porosity reads much lower than Density porosity in gas zones.)
GAS ---- Bulk density too low, density porosity too high
GAS ---- Neutron --- More hydrogen – lower neutron count -
- porosity too low
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BOREHOLE IMAGING
Definition
High resolution graphical image of borehole wall. The walls are scanned
with optical, acoustic, and resistivity instruments.
Applications
Structural Applications
- Dip determination
- Fracture Identification
- Fault Identification
Stratigraphic Applications
- Net pay count
- Deposit identification
- Transport direction
Borehole condition
Stress (rock mechanics) analysis around borehole
Borehole breakout
- Drilling parameter
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Principles of measurement and calculation
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