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Progressive Interpretive Applications

Shale Volume

Overview
Shale Volume accounts for shale so that you can more accurately
determine effective porosity and water saturation. Often, any single
indicator tends to overestimate the volume of shale present, and shale
affects each indicator differently; therefore the minimum of all the
available indicators provides a more realistic answer. Usually
(depending upon lithology) the best indicator is the gamma ray (GR)
curve, followed by the SP curve.
Shale Volume computes a minimum shale volume from single curve
shale indicators, from arithmetic and geometric mean, and from
crossplot shale indicators. You may use up to 12 shale indicators plus
one previously computed pass through shale indicator to calculate
minimum shale volume.
The shale indicators are

GR Linear
GR Power Law (Curved)
GR Larionov Tertiary rocks
GR Larionov old rocks
GR Steiber
GR Clavier
SP
Resistivity
Neutron Porosity
Neutron-Density Crossplot
Neutron-Sonic Crossplot
Density-Sonic Crossplot

You have the option of selecting the shale indicators for each zone. The
final shale volume (Vsh min) is the minimum shale volume from the
user-selected shale indicators. The Shale Flag indicates which shale
indicator was used for the final value. You have the option of placing
clean lines on the crossplots (two-point method) or using selected
matrix porosities for crossplots (slope method).

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Usually, the option of placing the clean lines on crossplots is used in

complex lithology and the option of using selected matrix porosities is
used in shaly zones where the lithology is known and consistent.
The output curves Vsh min and Shale Flag are often input curves to other
interpretation applications. If the shale volume is changed in the
program due to the detection of coal or salt, then the output corrected
curves Vsh min and Shale Flag are modified.
Shale Volume equations produce clipped curves.
All Shale Volume calculations produce curves that are clipped so that values are
greater than zero and less than 1.

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Shale Volume input curves and output curves along with alternative
notation are listed below.
Input Curves (aka)

Output Curves (aka)

Discriminator 1

Minimum Shale Volume (Vsh min)

Discriminator 1 Minimum Curve

Discriminator 1 Maximum Curve
Discriminator 2
Discriminator 2 Minimum Curve
Discriminator 2 Maximum Curve
Shale Volume Pass-through
Gamma Ray (GR)
Spontaneous Potential (SP)
True Resistivity (Rt)
Neutron Porosity (PHIN, N)

Minimum Shale Volume Unbounded

Shale Volume Arithmetic Mean
Shale Volume Arithmetic Mean Unbounded
Shale Volume Geometric Mean
Shale Volume Geometric Mean Unbounded
Shale Volume Linear (VCLGRL, Vsh GR Linear)
Unbounded Shale Volume Linear
Shale Volume Power Law (VCLGRP, Vsh GR Power Law)
Unbounded Shale Volume Power Law
Shale Volume Larionov - Tertiary Rocks (Larionov1) (VCLGRL1,
Vsh GR Larionov Tertiary rocks)
Unbounded Shale Volume Larionov - Tertiary Rocks (Larionov1)
Shale Volume Larionov - Old Rocks (Larionov2) (VCLGRL2, Vsh
GR Larionov old rocks)
Unbounded Shale Volume Larionov - Old Rocks (Larionov2)
Shale Volume Clavier (VCLGRCL, Vsh GR Clavier)
Unbounded Shale Volume Clavier
Shale Volume Steiber (VCLGRST, Vsh GR Steiber)
Unbounded Shale Volume Steiber
Shale Volume SP (VCLSP, Vsh SP)
Unbounded Shale Volume SP
Shale Volume Resistivity (VCLR, Vsh R)
Unbounded Shale Volume Resistivity
Shale Volume Neutron (VCLN, Vsh N)
Unbounded Shale Volume Neutron
Shale Volume Neutron-Density (VCLND, Vsh N-D)
Unbounded Shale Volume Neutron/Density
Shale Volume Neutron-Sonic (VCLNS, Vsh N-S)
Unbounded Shale Volume Neutron-Sonic
Shale Volume Density-Sonic (VCLDS, Vsh D-S)
Unbounded Shale Volume Density/Sonic
Shale Flag (CFL)
Discriminator 1 Flag
Discriminator 2 Flag

Bulk Density (RHOB, b)

Acoustic Wave Travel Time (Dt)
Density Porosity (PHID, D)
Sonic Porosity (S)

For a list of all Shale Volume parameters, defaults, descriptions, and

values, see the online-only PetroWorks Parameters manual. The
same information for individual parameters can be accessed by double
clicking (MB1) on any cell in that parameters column.
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Determining Shale
In order to more accurately determine effective porosity and water
saturation, shale volume must be accounted for. Shale Volume provides
different ways to estimate shale volume. Often any single indicator
tends to overestimate the volume of shale present, and shale affects
each indicator differently; therefore the minimum of all the indicators
provides a more realistic answer. Usually (depending upon lithology)
the best indicator is the Gamma Ray curve, followed by the SP curve.
Shale Volume formulas produce clipped curves.
All the Shale Volume formulas produce curves that are clipped so that values are
greater than zero and less than 1.

Gamma Ray
10 API

100
70 API

100% Shale Line

100% Clean Line (0% Shale)

How to Pick Clean and Shale Values
The GR and SP shale equations require a clean
value and a shale value. The density, neutron,
sonic, and resistivity curve require only a shale
response. Note: Remember to baseline the SP
curve before using it as a shale indicator.
To determine the clean value, scan the interval
for the lowest reading of the GR curve. In the
example, the average clean value is 10 API.
Next, look at the nearby shale areas and
determine the 100% shale value it is 70 API
in the example. As a rule of thumb, the curve
should not vary more than 10% above the
100% shale line or 10% below the 100% clean
line.
While determining the shale value for the
selected indicator, obtain the average shale
values for the Porosity and Resistivity curves.
These values may be placed in the appropriate
interpretation default boxes or entered in the
edit unit parameter window.

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Before You Start

Before you begin working in Shale Volume, you need to set up some
program preferences and prepare your data for processing. See Before
You Start on page 15 in the PetroWorks Progressive Interpretive
Applications manual to review how to set your project preferences and
prepare your data.
Once you have completed your preparatory work, you can access Shale
Volume from the PetroWorks Command Menu by selecting PreInterp
> Shale Volume.
The Shale Volume window appears. See Processing on page 16 in
the PetroWorks Progressive Interpretive Applications manual for
general instructions on using this window.

Workflow
Shale Volume works in tandem with Wellbore Parameter Editor. The
general workflow is
1. Select wells, depth units, depth range, sample interval, and
processing direction in the Shale Volume window.
2. Invoke Wellbore Parameter Editor from the Shale Volume window.
3. Select parameters and curves.
4. Save your WPE session.
5. Return to Shale Volume to process the data.
6. Check the results using Tabular List or graphically view the output
curves with Single Well Viewer or LogEdit.

General
Interpretive
Application
Workflow

Interp App
WPE

logs

tab list

xplot

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Interacting with Wellbore Parameter Editor

Once you have chosen your wells, units, depths, and processing
direction, invoke the WPE from within the Shale Volume window.
Why are some Wellbore Parameter Editor cells greyed out?
To assist you in efficiently using WPE, parameters that you cannot change or that
are not neededon the basis of the logic parameters you selectare greyed out.

Setting Petrophysical Parameters

WPE is set up so that when you select the logic switches needed to
obtain the output curves you desire, many unnecessary parameters are
greyed out. These visual clues help guide you in efficiently entering
other required values. For this reason it is imperative that you make
your shale indicator choices first. Be sure to switch off any indicators
you do not require for the output curves you need.
The parameter groups for Shale Volume are

Shale Indicators
Rock Properties
Crossplot Parameters
Crossplot Discriminators
Final VShale
Input Curves
Output Curves

Shale Indicators
You can select multiple shale determination methods. A curve will be
output for each method selected. In addition, a curve will be generated
that reflects the minimum of all methods selected. All shale indicators
are initially set to yes. Set to no any indicators you do not want to
use in calculating minimum shale volume. On the basis of your shale
indicator selections, the application automatically desensitizes any
input curves and other parameters that are not needed for the
calculations. See the table below for a list of available methods,
required input curves, and the curves each method generates.

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See the table below for required input curves and the output curves
each method generates.
Shale Determination Methods
Methods

Input Curves

Output Curves

GR Linear Response

Gamma Ray

Shale Volume Linear

GR Power Law (Curved) Response

Gamma Ray

Shale Volume Power Law

GR Larionov Tertiary Rocks

Gamma Ray

Shale Volume Larionov - Tertiary

Rocks

GR Larionov old rocks

Gamma Ray

Shale Volume Larionov - Old Rocks

GR Steiber

Gamma Ray

Shale Volume Steiber

GR Clavier

Gamma Ray

Shale Volume Clavier

SP

Spontaneous Potential

Shale Volume SP

Resistivity

True Resistivity

Shale Volume Resistivity

Neutron Porosity

Neutron Porosity

Shale Volume Neutron

Neutron-Density Crossplot

Neutron Porosity <in decimals>

Density Porosity

Neutron-Density Crossplot

Neutron-Sonic Crossplot

Neutron Porosity <in decimals>

Sonic Porosity

Neutron-Sonic Crossplot

Density-Sonic Crossplot

Density Porosity
Sonic Porosity

Density-Sonic Crossplot

Minimum curve value calculated from all methods

selected.This curve is always output.

Minimum Shale Volume

Rock Properties
Review the default values provided for rock properties and change any
as necessary.

Crossplot Parameters
If you selected any crossplot shale indicators (Neutron-Density,
Neutron-Sonic, Density-Sonic), you must select a method for
determining shale volume.
You may select either

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Two-Point
Slope

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In the Two-Point Method (also known as the clean line method), the
density is in grams per cubic centimeter and the sonic is in nanoseconds
per foot. The clean line is specified by the two points, which are user
input. Lines of equal shale volume fall parallel to the clean line, and the
line where Vsh = 1.0 passes through the shale point, which is user input.
In the Slope Method (also known as the matrix method), the neutron,
density, and sonic must already be converted to porosity. The clean line
is specified by the point (0,0) and a slope, which is user input. Lines of
equal shale volume fall parallel to the clean line, and the line where Vsh
= 1.0 passes through the shale point, which is user input.

Crossplot Discriminators
When using crossplot techniques, you have the option of including one
or two discriminators, which can be either values or curves. If you use
discriminators, set the minimum and maximum values or curves. Go to
Input Curves to determine the curves you want as minimum or
maximum boundaries, as well as the discriminator curve.

Final VShale
The appropriate parameters are automatically set to yes on the basis
of your Shale Indicator selections. If you do not want to use particular
shale volume output curves in the calculation of the final shale volume,
set those cells to no.

Selecting Input Curves

The required input curves are automatically sensitized and set to default
curve names. You many use these curves or select other curves.
Select Curve...
Remember you can use Select Curve... (click MB3 after selecting a cell or column
in WPE) to help you input existing curve names. You can display just those logs
that are common to all wells, or you can display all curves in all wells.

Specifying Output Curves

Output curves are automatically sensitized on the basis of Shale
Indicator and other parameter selections and are set to default names.
You may use these defaults or select other names. Some output curves
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are generated as inputs to other calculations; you may not wish to save
these to the database. In these cases, be sure that the Write Flag is set to
no.
Shale Flag output curve numbers are automatically generated and
record which shale volume algorithm was used to calculate the
minimum shale volume.
Shale Flag

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Shale Indicator

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GR Linear

22

GR Power Law (curved)

23

GR Larionov Tertiary rocks

24

GR Larionov old rocks

25

GR Steiber

26

GR Clavier

SP

Resistivity

Neutron Porosity

Pass-through

Neutron-Density (N-D) crossplot

Neutron-Sonic (N-S) crossplot

Density-Sonic (D-S) crossplot

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Processing the Model

When you are satisfied with your curve and parameter selections, you
are ready to run the model.
To run the model,
1. Save the current WPE session.
2. Return to the interpretive application window.
3. Click on the Process button to begin the calculations.
The Status window will alert you when the process is complete.

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Processing the Model: Shale Volume

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How the Application Processes Data

The application computes shale volume from up to 12 shale indicators
plus one pass-through shale indicator curve (previously computed in
a module such as Mathpack II). Individual shale volumes from each
selected shale indicator are saved in the data base as curves.
The final shale volume is the minimum value of the available shale
indicators. The shale indicator used as the minimum shale volume is
recorded in the Shale Flag output curve.
Each shale indicator is calibrated (parameters selected) separately from
data on the histograms or crossplots to give a good lower limit of shale
volume.
Shale Volume uses the following algorithms to calculate output curves.
Bold descriptions indicate Wellbore Parameter input and output curves.
Parameter Groups are in square brackets.

(1)

Shale Volume from GR

The basic equation is

GR log GR clean
V sh GR = --------------------------------------GR sh GR clean

where
V sh GR = temporary holder
GR log = Gamma Ray
GR clean = Gamma Ray Clean
GR sh = Gamma Ray Shale

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Linear Response to Shale

V sh GR Linear = V sh GR

This equation compares Vsh to the radioactive index and is the most
commonly used

Curved (Power Law) Response to Shale

0.06078 ( 100V sh GR Linear ) 1.58527

V sh GR Power Law = -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------100
2.1212 ( 100V sh GR Linear ) 81.667
V sh GR Power Law = ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------100
V sh GR Power Law = V sh GR Linear

V sh GR Linear 0.55
0.55 < V sh GR Linear 0.73
V sh GR Linear > 0.73

These nonlinear equations always calculate a Vsh value less than or

equal to the linear formula.
See the figure below for a graphical representation of the curved
gamma ray response.

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1.00
.90
.80

Vsh GR Power Law

.70
.60
.50
.40
.30
.20
.10
0
0

.10

.20

.30

.40

.50

.60

.70

.80

.90

1.00

Vsh GR Linear
Power Law (Curved) GR Response

GR Larionov Tertiary Rocks

3.7V sh GR Linear

1.0 )

2.0V sh GR Linear

1.0 )

V sh GR Larionov Tertiary = 0.083 ( 2.0

GR Larionov Old Rocks

V sh GR Larionov old rocks = 0.33 ( 2.0

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GR Steiber

V sh GR Linear
V sh GR Steiber = --------------------------------------------------3.0 2.0V sh GR Linear

GR Clavier

V sh GR Clavier = 1.7 3.38 ( V sh GR Linear + 0.7 ) 2

The Larionov, Steiber, and Clavier formulae are from Bassiouni, Zaki,
1994, Theory, Measurement, and Interpretation of Well Logs, SPE
Textbook Series vol. 4, Society of Petroleum Engineers, Richardson,
TX.

(2)

Shale Volume from SP

The basic equation is

SP log SP clean
V sh SP = -----------------------------------SP sh SP clean

where
V sh SP = Shale Volume SP
SP log = Spontaneous Potential
SP clean = Spontaneous Potential Clean
SP sh = Spontaneous Potential Shale

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(3)

Progressive Interpretive Applications

Shale Volume from Resistivity Log

The basic equation is

R sh R limit R t
X = -------- --------------------------R t R limit R sh
V sh R = X

R t 2R sh

V sh R = 0.5 ( 2 X ) 0.67 ( X + 1 )

R t > 2R sh

where
X = temporary holder
R sh = Shale Volume Resistivity
R t = True Resistivity
R limit = True Resistivity Shale limit
V sh R = Shale Volume Resistivity

Note that Rlimit is the maximum resistivity where the shale volume is
zero. The following plot demonstrates the basic relationship between Rt
and Vsh R.

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1.00
.90

Rsh = 2
Rlimit = 1000

.80
.70

Vsh R

.60
.50
.40
.30
.20
.10
0
.2

10

100

1000

2000

Rt
Plot of Rt vs. Vsh R

(4)

Shale Volume from Neutron Porosity

The equation is

V sh N

N N min 0.5
N
----------------------------------------------

=
N sh N sh N min

where
V sh N = Shale Volume Neutron
N = Neutron Porosity
N min = Neutron Porosity Clean
N sh = Neutron Porosity Shale

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Note: N min is the neutron value where shale volume is zero. This can
be helpful in gas zones or very low porosity carbonates. When N min
is set to zero, the response becomes linear. The following plot
demonstrates the relationship between N and Vsh N.

1.00
.90
.80
.70

N sh = 0.30

Vsh N

.60
.50
.40

N min = 0

N min = 0.03

.30
.20
.10
0
0

.05

.10

.15

.20

.25

.30

.35

.40

N
Plot of N vs. Vsh N

(5)

Shale Volume from Neutron-Density Crossplot

Two discriminators are available to prevent the computation of shale
volume on the N-D crossplot when bad hole or bad data is encountered.
When the discriminators detect bad hole, the computed Vsh N-D value is
set to null as a flag to the user.

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Two-Point Method
This option is used primarily in mixed or unknown lithologies. The
user defines where the clean line is placed on the crossplot and what the
shale values are for the neutron and density. The following plot
demonstrates this technique.
0
.20
B

.40
.60

Density

.80
1.00
clean line
Shale Volume
Shale Point

(N sh, Densitysh)
A

Neutron

0.20

A = Density value where Neutron = 0

B = Density value where Neutron = 0.20
Shale Volume from Neutron-Density Crossplot: Two-Point Option

Slope Method
This method is used primarily in known and consistent lithologies. The
D/N input is normally 1.0 (see figure below, top) but can be adjusted
in the presence of gas (see figure below, bottom). The following plots
demonstrate the technique:

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.
1.00

D/N
No Gas
0

.20
.40
.60
.80
1.00
clean line

Shale Volume

Shale Point

(N sh, D sh)
0
0

1.00

1.00

0
.20

D/N
Set in
Gas Zone

.40
.60
.80
1.00

Gas Zone
D

Shale Volume

clean line

Shale Point

(N sh, D sh)
0

1.00

Shale Volume from Neutron-Density Crossplot: Slope Method

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(6)

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Shale Volume from Neutron-Sonic Crossplots

Two-Point Method
The user defines the clean line with the sonic values at N = 0 and
N = 0.20. The technique is the same as shown in Shale Volume from
the Neutron-Density Crossplot: Two-Point Method above.

Slope Method
The technique is the same as demonstrated in Shale Volume from the
Neutron-Density Crossplot: Slope Method above except the value
S/N is entered by the user in gas zones.
The discriminators work as in Shale Volume from the Neutron-Density
Crossplot above.

(7)

Shale Volume from Density-Sonic Crossplots

Two-Point Method
The clean line is defined by the sonic values at Density = 2.20 and
Density = 2.70. The technique works as demonstrated in Shale Volume
from the Neutron-Density Crossplot: Two-Point Option above.

Slope Method
The technique is the same as in Shale Volume from the NeutronDensity Crossplot: Slope Method above except there is no user input to
account for gas because of the very small effect of gas on the density
and sonic.
The discriminators work as in Shale Method from the Neutron-Density
Crossplot above.

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Notes on Shale Volume Application

1. The final Shale Volume is limited between 0 and 1.00 by the
program.
2. Individual shale volumes are not limited; therefore, before using
any individual shale values in another program, first limit the values
between 0 and 1.00 in MathPack.
3. If any other curved Vsh GR algorithm is desired, it can be computed
in MathPack and used as a pass-through in the Shale Volume
interpretive application.

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