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Spontaneous Potential, Gamma Ray, & Caliper Log: Well Log Analysis Class Chapter 2, 3, & 4 Summary

This document summarizes chapters 2, 3, and 4 of a well log analysis class focusing on spontaneous potential (SP), gamma ray, and caliper logs. The summary discusses: 1) How SP logs work and what they measure, including how they can be used to detect permeable zones and determine formation water resistivity. 2) Procedures for determining formation water resistivity from SP logs, including correcting for bed thickness and temperature. 3) How other factors like shale content, borehole conditions, and hydrocarbon content can impact SP readings. 4) That gamma ray logs measure natural gamma radiation from formations and are used to identify lithology, and caliper logs measure borehole size.

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Dhandi Maulana Yudhistira
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34 views

Spontaneous Potential, Gamma Ray, & Caliper Log: Well Log Analysis Class Chapter 2, 3, & 4 Summary

This document summarizes chapters 2, 3, and 4 of a well log analysis class focusing on spontaneous potential (SP), gamma ray, and caliper logs. The summary discusses: 1) How SP logs work and what they measure, including how they can be used to detect permeable zones and determine formation water resistivity. 2) Procedures for determining formation water resistivity from SP logs, including correcting for bed thickness and temperature. 3) How other factors like shale content, borehole conditions, and hydrocarbon content can impact SP readings. 4) That gamma ray logs measure natural gamma radiation from formations and are used to identify lithology, and caliper logs measure borehole size.

Uploaded by

Dhandi Maulana Yudhistira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Well Log Analysis Class

Chapter 2, 3, & 4 Summary


Spontaneous Potential, Gamma Ray, & Caliper Log

Asquith, G., and D. Krygowski. (2004). Basic Relationships of Well Log Interpretation, in G.
Asquith and D. Krygowski, Basic Well Log Analysis: AAPG Methods in Exploration 16,
p. 1–20.
Rider, M. (1996). The Geological Interpretation of Well Logs. Malta: Whittles Publishing

SPONTANEOUS POTENTIAL
1. General
 It was one of the earliest measurements used in petroleum industry
 It’s used to determined gross lithology (reservoir or non-reservoir) through its ability
to distinguish permeable zones (e.g. sandstones) from impermeable zones (shales).In
addition, it’s also used to correlate zones between wells and several other uses
 SP log is a record of direct current (DC) voltage (potential) that develops naturally
(spontaneously) between a moveable electrode in the well bore and a fixed electrode
located at the surface
 It is measured in millivolts (mV)
 SP log responses the borehole and the adjacent rock because of their electrochemical
factors which arise the electric voltage
 The electrochemical factors are brought about by differences in salinities between
mud filtrate and formation water within permeable beds.
 Salinity of a fluid is inversely proportional to its resistivity
 Practice salinity is indicated by mud filtrate resistivity (Rmf) and formation water
resistivity (Rw)
 SP log can’t be used in nonconductive drilling muds or in a air-filled holes
 On the left track, SP log is usually recorded on the log
 Hence, SP log is used to
o detect permeable beds
o detect boundaries of permeable beds
o determine formation-water resistivity (Rw)
o determine the volume of shale (Vshale) in permeable beds
 The suppression of SP response can be used as an auxiliary of the SP curve in the
detection of hydrocarbons
 Static Spontaneous Potential (SSP) represents the maximum SP that a thick, shale-
free, porous, and permeable formations can have for a given ratio between Rmf and
Rw
 SSP is determined by formula or chart. It is a necessary element for determining
accurate values of Rw and volume of shale
 SP value is influenced by
o Bed thickness
o Bad resistivity
o Borehole diameter
o Invasion
o Shale content
o Hydrocarbon content
o The ratio of Rmf and Rw

A. Bed Thickness
 In less than 10 ft or 3 m of a thin formation, the measured SP is less than SSP.
SP curve can be corrected by chart for the effects of bed thickness
 Whenever SP curve is narrow and pointed, the SP should be corrected for bed
thickness before being used in Rw calculation

B. Bad Resistivity
Higher resistivities reduce the deflection of the SP curves

C. Borehole and Invasion


The effects of borehole diameter and invasion on SP log are very small. Thus, it can be
ignored

D. Shale Content
The presence of shale in permeable formation reduces the SP deflection. In water-
bearing zones, the amount of SP reduction is related to the amount of shale in the
formation

E. Hydrocarbon Content
 Hydrocarbon suppression is an effect that the SP deflection is reduced. It is
qualitative phenomenon and cannot be used to determine the hydrocarbon
saturation of the formation
 Shale baseline is a SP response of shales which relatively constant and follows
a straight line. It is assumed to be zero and SP curve deflections are measured
from this baseline
 Permeable zones are indicated where there’s SP deflection from the shale
baseline. E.g. if the SP curve moves to the left (negative deflection  Rmf>Rw)
or right (positive deflection  Rmf<Rw) of the shale baseline, permeable
zones are present
 Permeable bed boundaries are placed at the points of inflection from the shale
baseline
 Recording through impermeable zones or permeable zones where Rmf = Rw,
the SP curve doesn’t deflect from the shale baseline. It’s due to the difference
in salinity between mud filtrate and formation water and not to the amount of
permeability
 The baseline drift can be removed (either positive or negative) because it
makes a little consequence. Thus, the SP baseline retains a constant value
(usually set to zero)
2. FORMATION WATER RESISTIVITY (Rw) DETERMINATION

To find the value of Rw, here’re the following procedure:


1. After determining the formation temperature, correct the resistivities of the mud
filtrate (Rmf) and drilling mud (Rm) (obtained from the log heading) to formation
temperature
2. To minimize the effect of bed thickness, the SP is corrected to static SP (SSP). SSP
represents the maximum SP a formation can have if unaffected by bed thickness.
Figure 2.3 is a chart used to correct SP to SSP. The data necessary to use this chart
are:
a. bed thickness,
b. resistivity from the shallow-reading resistivity tool (Ri)
c. the resistivity of the drilling mud (Rm) at formation temperature
3. Once the value of SSP is determined, it is used on the chart illustrated in Figure 2.4
to obtain a value for the Rmf /Rwe ratio. Equivalent resistivity (Rwe) is ob- tained
by dividing Rmf by the Rmf /Rwe value from the chart (Figure 2.4).
4. The value of Rwe is then corrected to Rw, using the chart illustrated in Figure 2.5,
for average devia- tion from sodium chloride solutions, and for the influ- ence of
formation temperature..

Shale Volume Calculation


 The volume of shale in a sand can be used in the evaluation of shaly sand
reservoirs
 a mapping parameter for both sandstone and carbonate facies analysis

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