Well Logging

By
Eng. Muhammad Abdelraouf
[email protected]
 Agenda

 Importance of well logging

 Types of well logs and interpretation
o Open hole logs
o Cased hole logs
 Production Logging Tool (PLT)
 Logging While Drilling (LDW)
 Mud logging
 Importance of well
logging

Formation evaluation Monitoring tool: whether

Production evaluation
tool: fluid type and cement jobs are good or
tool: flow condition
content, rock properties bad, the hole is caved or
measurement
(porosity, saturation) not

 Logging instruments (called sondes) are lowered

down the borehole on armored electrical cable
(called a wireline).
 Readings are taken while the tool is being raised up
the hole.
 The information is transmitted up hole via the cable
where it is processed by an on-board computer and
recorded on magnetic tape and photographic film.
 In deviated wells, logs are taken while drilling using
LWD tool.
 Types of well logs and
interpretation

Resistivity log Sonic log

Open hole logs
Density
Porosity logs log
Well logs Spontaneous potential Neutron
(SP) log log
Caliper log

Cased hole logs Gamma ray log

Cement bond log (CBL)
and variable density log
(VDL)
Thermal decay time log
(TDT)
Temperature log
 Cont.

Open hole logs

1- Resistivity log:
 Used to locate hydrocarbon zones, identify formation and water type and determine
hydrocarbon saturation.
 Since most formation waters contain dissolved salts, they generally have low resistivity,
hydrocarbons do not conduct electricity, therefore rocks that contain oil and/or gas show high
resistivity.

Where:
F: is the formation factor
Ro: is resistivity of rock filled with water
Rw: is resistivity of formation water
a: lithology constant
m: cementation exponent
Sw: water saturation
n: saturation constant
Rt: virgin formation resistivity
 Cont.
 Cont.

2- porosity logs:
 Sonic log:
 The sonic (acoustic or velocity) tool measures the time it takes for a compressional wave to
travel through one vertical foot of formation. It can be used to determine porosity (if the
lithology is known).
 A 20 khz sound wave is produced by the tool and travels through the mud into the formation.
The wave travels vertically through the formation.
 The wave continues through the formation and is picked up by the far receiver (normally 2-ft
below the near receiver).
 Fractures, pores, unconsolidated formations, gas-cut mud, lost circulation materials, and rough
boreholes can cause sharp increases in Δt, called cycle skips.
Where:
Δtlog = Δt value read from log, micro sec/ft
Δtm = matrix velocity at 0% porosity, micro sec/ft
Δtf = 189-190 micro sec/ft (or by experiment)
 Cont.
 Cont.

 Density log:
 The Density log measures the electron density of the formation by using a pad mounted
chemical source of gamma radiation and two shielded gamma detectors.
 The density tool emits medium energy gamma rays from a radioactive chemical source (usually
Cs-137).
 The gamma rays penetrate the formation and collide with electron clouds in the minerals in the
rock.
 With each collision the gamma ray loses some energy until it reaches a lower energy state.
 The main result is that a porous formation will have many returning gamma rays while a
nonporous formation will have few returning gamma rays.
Where:
Pma = bulk density of matrix at 0% porosity, g/cc
Pb = bulk density from log, g/cc
Pf = bulk density of fluid, g/cc
 Cont.
 Cont.

 Neutron log:
 The Neutron log measures induced formation radiation produced by bombarding the formation
with fast moving neutrons.
 High energy neutrons are emitted from a chemical source (usually AmBe or PuBe).
 Neutrons will lose the most energy when they hit something with equal mass, such as
a hydrogen atom.
 Thus, in clean formations, whose pores are filled with water or oil, the neutron log
reflects the amount of liquid-filled porosity.

Where:
N: is the slow neutrons counted
a and b: are imperial constants
 Cont.
 Cont.
 Combination of porosity logs:
 In many areas, it is common practice to record more than one
porosity log on a well.
 Sometimes, all three logs are run in the same well.
 Combination porosity logs are used to differentiate oil or water
from gas zones, calculate quantitative values for lithology, and
determine volume of shale in the rock matrix.
 Cont.

3- Spontaneous potential log (SP):

 used to identify shale formations and recognition of permeable zones.
 It measures the electrical current from the formation.
 If SP curve is concave to shale line, then it is a permeable formation.
 If SP curve is convex to shale line, then it is an impermeable formation.
 Constant slope means high resistivity formation.

Where:
Ec: is the maximum SP deflection on the log
aw and amf: are the chemical activities of the two solutions at formation temperature
K: is a coefficient proportional to temperature, and for NaCl formation water and mud filtrate
is 71 at 25 ºC (77 ºF)
 Cont.
 Cont.

4- Caliper log:
 used to measure the borehole diameter in order to identify crocked holes and mud
cake effect.
 There are many types of caliper log tools; single arm and two-arm or multi-arm tool.
 The tool is lowered and open its arms to respond to borehole sizes.
 Cont.
 Cased hole logs

1- Gamma ray log:

 The GR log is a measurement of the natural radioactivity of the formation.
 In sedimentary formations, the log normally reflects the shale content of the formation because
the radioactive elements tend to concentrate in clays and shales.
 Gamma rays are bursts of high-energy electromagnetic waves that are emitted spontaneously by
some radioactive elements (K40).
 The gamma ray reflects the proportion of shale and, in many regions, can be used to
quantitatively as a shale indicator.
 The GR log is particularly useful for defining shale beds when the SP is distorted (in very
resistive formations), when the SP is featureless (in fresh water-bearing formations or in
salty muds, when Rmf = Rw), or when the SP cannot be recorded (in nonconductive mud,
empty or air drilled hole, cased holes).
 Cont.
 Cont.

2- cement bond log (CBL) and variable density log (VDL):

 They are used to evaluate the cement job quality.
 CBL measures the bond between casing and cement using the principle of acoustic sound waves.
 Reading minimum means a good cement job.
 VDL measures the bond between cement and formation (use the same principle as CBL) and
helps to detect the presence of channels and gas intrusion. A good cement bond is noted by a
dull grey featureless when the casing signal is excepted.
 Cont.
 Cont.

3- Thermal decay time log (TDT):

 Measure water saturation in formation Sw in cased hole.
 Monitor the water-oil contact (WOC) level.
 Evaluate the reservoir through casing or tubing.
 Cont.
 Cont.

4- Temperature log:
 Measure the formation temperature in cased hole.
 Evaluate the effects of temperature change.
 Cont.
 Production Logging
Tool (PLT)

 The term “production logging” covers wide array of

sensors, measurements and interpretation techniques.
 Operators use production logging to evaluate the
movement of fluid in and out the wellbore (the WOC,
cross flow and water cut), quantify the fluid volumes and
properties at downhole conditions.
 The completion engineers use it to evaluate the
perforation and completion efficiencies and plan for
remedial jobs.
 Production logging tool consists of full-bore spinner, fluid
holdup, bubble counter probes, caliper, pressure and
temperature sensors, centralizer, a gamma ray tool and a
casing caller locator.
 The tool has a relatively small diameter because it can be
run into the tubing.
 Logging While
Drilling (LWD)

 First gamma ray logs were recorded downhole and transmitted to the
surface by mud pulses.
 Then came the resistivity logs of various types that were also
recorded downhole and/or transmitted to the surface, Now, neutron-
density is also available.
 Soon, sonic logs will be offered commercially.
 Mud logging

 includes a routine geological examination of the drill cuttings as they are flushed from the hole, plus
a comprehensive record of the variations in drilling rates, the variations in mud pumping pressure, the
depths of formation changes and an analysis of the mud properties, including hydrocarbon content
measured by a gas detector.
 Any oil in the cuttings causes them to fluoresce under ultraviolet light.
 General Purposes of mud logging unit (located very close to rig floor):
- Optimized drilling efficiency.
- Comprehensive formation evaluation.
- Improved well site safety.