Chapter 3

Garca-Carballido, C. , J. Boon, and N. Tso,

2010, Data management and quality
control of dipmeter and borehole image
log data, in M. Poppelreiter, C. GarcaCarballido, and M. Kraaijveld, eds., Dipmeter and borehole image log technology:
AAPG Memoir 92, p. 39 49.

Data Management and Quality Control of

Dipmeter and Borehole Image Log Data
Carmen Garca-Carballido1

Maersk Oil North Sea UK Ltd., Aberdeen,

Scotland, United Kingdom
Jeannette Boon

NAM, Shell EP Europe,

Assen, Netherlands
Nancy Tso

Shell International Exploration and Production,

Houston, Texas, U.S.A.
^

ABSTRACT
Numerous dipmeter and borehole image log data sets have been acquired over
the years and are being used to build subsurface models. Dealing with dipmeter and
image log data remains a niche skill within the petroleum industry, and because
these are not conventional log data sets, they tend to be neglected in the way data
are stored and quality controlled. A variety of wireline and logging-while-drilling
tools exist, and each logging run contains a variety of curves with tool-specific
mnemonics. For a particular data set, there may be several tens of curves from the
raw data set and hundreds from the processed and interpreted data sets. Data quality
control (QC) is an essential procedure that has to be conducted to assure dipmeter
and image log data integrity in the subsurface models. Data QC should be performed iteratively during data acquisition, data management, processing, and
interpretation. This chapter presents standard and globally applicable corporate
guidelines for data management and data QC of dipmeter and image log data sets.

INTRODUCTION

types of reservoirs over several decades. These data

sets provide directional sedimentological and structural information and are used to build reservoir and
geomechanical models.

Throughout the world, operators have acquired

thousands of dipmeter and image log data from all
1

Present address: CEPSA E&P, Madrid, Spain.

Copyright n2010 by The American Association of Petroleum Geologists.

DOI:10.1306/13181276M923404

39

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Garca-Carballido et al.

Dealing with dipmeter and image log data, however, remains a niche skill. Even major operating
companies might have very few if any borehole
image (BHI) experts. Once dipmeter and image
log data have been acquired, it is commonly the
project geoscientist and/or petrophysicist who
decides what level of interpretation might be required either immediately after data acquisition or
several years later, i.e., during a field re-evaluation.
A large percentage of dipmeter and image log processing and interpretation is conducted by specialized service companies instead of petroleum company specialists.
As dipmeter and image log data are not conventional log data sets, and commonly require specialist
software, they tend to be neglected with respect to data
management. This is because of lack of specialists,
sizable number of curves, and the variety of curve
mnemonics, both tool type dependent, that are included in a given tool run. In addition, when each tool
run is taken through data processing, which includes
multiple steps and data interpretation, a multitude of
new curves are generated. For all of these reasons,
dipmeter and image log data require a suitable database that can handle a variety of multisampled curves,
store data in a range of formats, e.g., Log Information
Standard, Digital Log Interchange Standard, and an
actual image, as well as having a structure capable
of organizing all the curve versions that correspond
to raw, quality-controlled, spliced, processed, and
interpreted curves. Furthermore, the database dictionary of the database should be updated regularly, as new tools and/or new curve mnemonics
are developed.
Data quality control (QC) is an essential procedure
that has to be conducted to assure dipmeter and image log data integrity in the subsurface models. Quality control should be performed at all stages, including data acquisition, data management, processing,
and interpretation.
It is in the interest of each organization storing
such data to have suitable data management and data
QC procedures to enable the prompt availability of
quality-controlled dipmeter and image log data sets
when these are required by the project geoscientist
or petrophysicist. A set of such data management
and data QC procedures (Garca-Carballido, 2002;
Poppelreiter et al., 2002; Poppelreiter and GarcaCarballido, 2003; Tso, 2004), which are implemented
across many regions of Shell, is discussed in detail
in this chapter.

DATA MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES

Data management procedures are required to guarantee the immediate availability of suitable BHI and
dipmeter data sets to the geoscientist and/or petrophysicist working in a particular area. The BHI and
dipmeter data sets have commonly been acquired by
operating companies, but too often, data are not stored
systematically and different media (such as tapes,
CDs, etc.) are used. In addition, it is common that
there is uncertainty as to whether the available data
are raw or processed. To establish some data management procedures, the following steps are recommended to arrive at a quality-controlled corporate
database (CDB):





Make an inventory: Establish how many data

sets there are, where they are physically located,
and on which media. The aim is to have all data
sets digitally available.
Verify the status of the data sets in the inventory:
Establish whether data can be read and whether
the data sets have all the required curves. If curves
are missing, repair is recommended.
Quality control: Apply a set of standardized QC
procedures to ensure that data of poor quality
are not used for interpretation.
Structure the database: Organize the database
into master, corporate, and project areas.
Establish data workflows: Define and implement
how the database will be organized considering
data acquisition, QC procedures, and availability to the end user.
Make the data available: Provide a Web-based
data search tool and set up data transfer protocols to transfer the results of the data search into
the relevant subsurface applications.

Database Inventory
The first step toward a corporate image log database is to make an inventory of the different legacy
data sets. An example of this is given below (Figure 1).
This example shows a snapshot in a point in time of
the data set from a Shell operating unit, revealing that
more than 700 wells had some kind of BHI and/or
dipmeter log data. Less than half of these data sets are
digitally stored in the company database, whereas
others are available as hard copies (field prints) or in
the tape archive.

Data Management and Quality Control of Dipmeter and Borehole Image-Log Data

41

Figure 1. The borehole image (BHI) and dipmeter database snapshot from a Shell operating unit (data up to 2001).
AST = Acoustic Scanning Tool; CBILSM = Circumferential Borehole Imaging Log (Baker Hughes/Baker Atlas);
TM
TM
HDIPSM = Hexagonal Diplog (Baker Hughes/Baker Atlas); EMI = Electrical Micro Imaging (Halliburton); FMI =
Fullbore Formation MicroImager (Schlumberger); FMS = Formation MicroScanner (Schlumberger); HALS = HighResolution Azimuthal Laterolog Sonde (Schlumberger); HDT = High Resolution Dipmeter Tool (Schlumberger);
TM
MBD = Multibutton Dipmeter; OBDT = Oil-Base Dipmeter Tool (Schlumberger); PSD = Precision Strata Dipmeter;
TM
SHDT = Stratigraphic High Resolution Dipmeter Tool (Schlumberger); UBI = Ultrasonic Borehole Imager
(Schlumberger).

The data set inventory needs to include the following for each BHI and dipmeter data set:















well name
latitude and longitude
logged interval
logging run
tool setup
reference distances
inclinometry type
offsets
comments on logging run
repeat or main log
acquisition tape name
processing applied
list of curves and interval spacing
list of associated logs with curve names

Verify the Status of Data Sets in the Inventory

Once the inventory has been made, the second step
is to establish whether data can be read and whether

the data sets have all the required curves; if this is not
the case, data should be sent for repair to a specialist
BHI contractor if required. To get an overview of the
status of the database, a subset of the digitally stored
data should be selected to perform a few QC checks.
This subset could be selected from areas and reservoirs where current subsurface studies are planned,
which require BHI, to maximize business impact.
Following the example shown in Figure 1, a subset
of 30 dipmeter and BHI logs from various vintages,
fields, and reservoirs was chosen. Out of the digitally
stored logs, 70% were of very good to medium quality (i.e., they met the quality requirements discussed
in this chapter); however, some data sets were incomplete or data were partially damaged. We found
that many data could easily be repaired and upgraded
in a cost-efficient manner using data from original
tapes, digitizing data from field prints, or splicing in
data from repeat sections. The remaining 30% of the
subset was found to be unusable, mainly because some
essential curves such as orientation curves were missing
from the database and from the tape, and it was impossible to retrieve them from another data source. Less

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Garca-Carballido et al.

often, severe acquisition artifacts (Lofts and Bourke,

1999) made interpretation impossible.

Quality Control
During the data management routine, QC is first
applied to all newly acquired data sets as soon as they
arrive from the logging contractor and to all legacy
data before they are used in subsurface studies. The
QC procedure includes checking the presence of all
required curves, which will have tool-specific mnemonics, as well as conducting a QC plot and creating
a QC report. The procedures are described in more
detail below.

Structure the Database

To manage the dipmeter and BHI data sets efficiently, three types of data areas within the corporate
database are proposed as follows:


Master database (MDB) contains acquired and

purchased dipmeter and BHI data from external
sources. The original formats of the data are
stored here.
Corporate database contains official and qualityproven processed and interpreted dipmeter and
BHI results. This database will be used to feed the
data for project studies in a project database (PDB).
Project database contains dipmeter and BHI data,
along with all other relevant data, in the area of
interest for a specific study. This is the temporary
working data store for a project.

This is probably the most crucial data management step where data managers and end users, i.e.,
geoscientists and petrophysicists, need to find a technical and viable solution to organize the database
structure in the context of data acquisition, data management, and QC and data accessibility.
A data workflow applicable to dipmeter and BHI
data is illustrated in Figure 2. This workflow encompasses all stages, starting from designing the logging
program followed by data acquisition, data management and data QC, database structure, and data
processing and interpretation until data are exported
to the relevant subsurface applications to build geological and geomechanical models. This particular
workflow contains some assumptions regarding
whether data are processed in-house or externally, a
practice that may vary in different companies.

BHI-Dipmeter Workflow Management

For a particular data set, the steps of the BHIdipmeter workflow presented in Figure 2 would be
as follows:
A logging program is defined to include the acquisition of a BHI and dipmeter data set in a
particular well. Data are acquired by the logging
contractor, witnessed by and sent to the operator.
A full raw data set for each run must always be
requested from the logging contractor. This should
be done even if the logging contractor is the provider of the data processing and the data interpretation. The raw data set is necessary to conduct an independent QC by the data manager
of the operating company and for further data
analysis (e.g., alternative processing).
Field prints are also a requirement. These are article copies available for each tool run, which contain the unprocessed dipmeter-BHI data plotted
alongside tool configuration and tool settings,
comments on borehole conditions, mud type
used, and other acquisition parameters.
2) The operators data manager performs an initial
QC to verify whether data adhere to the companys minimum standards. Incomplete or damaged data sets are sent back to the service company for repair.
3) Data are loaded into the MDB. A variety of data
sets can be loaded into the MDB, typically the
raw data (after acquisition) but also processed
and interpreted data. Therefore, the database application used must essentially have (1) standardized curve mnemonics per tool type as well as an
up-to-date data dictionary applicable to all the
dipmeter and BHI log tools in the database, as
well as (2) a file-type structure and file-naming
convention so that BHI and dipmeter raw, processed, and interpreted curves are kept separately.
If the data are to be processed and interpreted
by the logging or external contractor, then a complete set of all processed dipmeter-BHI curves
should be provided and loaded into the MDB.
For externally processed and interpreted data
sets, an approval process is implemented by the
project geoscientist and petrophysicist to ensure
that all the necessary data are available for loading. This approval process also applies to data
sets acquired via data rooms, asset acquisitions,
or from partners. The data manager ensures that
1)

Data Management and Quality Control of Dipmeter and Borehole Image-Log Data

43

Figure 2. Database workflow applicable to dipmeter and borehole image (BHI) data. QC = quality control; Hdr = header;
R/W = Read/Write.

curve-naming conventions are maintained even

if data are to be interpreted externally.
4) Selected data sets will then be loaded into the
CDB.
5) If required for a particular study, selected data
sets will be copied from the CDB into PDBs.
Depending on the company assets, PDBs split by
fields, groups of fields, and exploration areas can
be created for geoscientists and petrophysicists.
6) Data QC.

7)
8)
9)

10)

Data processing.
Data interpretation.
Once the study work has been finalized, it is
important that the results are fed back to the
CDB, ensuring that a track record exists for each
curve showing all processing steps applied to
each of the curves.
Interpretation results are transferred to specific
subsurface applications to build geological and
geomechanical models.

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Garca-Carballido et al.

Figure 3. Dipmeter
and BHI Web page
used to search and
visualize the data
sets. BHI = borehole
image; QC = quality
control; GEOCAP =
Geological Computing Applications
Portfolio (developed
by Shell).

Make Data Available

Quality Control During Data Acquisition

To make data easily accessible to the geoscience

community, the inventoried database is to be linked
to customized Web-based search tools. These show
data previews, spreadsheets, and Arc Geographic
Information System (GIS) maps to locate data sets
geographically. This allows geoscientists and petrophysicists to check for data availability and quality
at the beginning of subsurface studies. Selected image log data then can be loaded from the CDB into a
PDB and from there to the specific subsurface application using a dedicated data transfer protocol
(e.g., via OpenSpirit ).
An example of the front-end of a BHI and dipmeter
Web site is shown in Figure 3. It not only contains
links to the data search engine, but it might also
contain information on those procedures and guidelines of interest to the operator, useful links to external contractors that can interpret the data, links to
technical articles, and interpretation workflows.

During data acquisition, the logging company

acquiring the data is responsible for conducting the
necessary checks to ensure each tool works properly.
In addition, the logging engineer can make changes
to acquisition parameters while running the tool when
necessary to ensure that the correct range or spectrum of data is acquired to suit the formation characteristics. After the first acquisition run, a quick-look
composite plot is generated to enable data quality
verification in the presence of the operator. It is therefore important that the operators representative witnessing the acquisition job should be conversant with
basic BHI and dipmeter QC procedures such as the
ones described in this chapter. A repeat run over the
main interval of interest is commonly conducted to
ensure data quality and repeatability. Tool modifications and/or adjustment in the acquisition parameters may be conducted using the information provided from the first logging run.

TM

QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES

Data QC is an essential procedure that is required
to ensure dipmeter and image log data integrity in
subsurface models. Quality control should be performed at all stages, from data acquisition to data
management, data processing, and data interpretation. Each of these stages is described in detail below.

Quality Control in Data Management

and Processing
Dipmeter and BHI data should be quality controlled by the operator before it is sent for processing and interpretation either internally or by third
parties. This ensures that cost, time, and resources
are deployed only on acquired intervals of suitable

Data Management and Quality Control of Dipmeter and Borehole Image-Log Data

interpretation quality. A simple QC check methodology has been developed and includes the following
three steps:


Verification of curve completeness and curve

mnemonics using the data dictionary for each
BHI and dipmeter tool: This is conducted by
the data manager.
QC plot: This is a composite plot (example in
Figure 4) compiled by a suitably trained data
manager to analyze each data set. This plot contains key raw curves and the processed image.
Composite templates can be customized by the
operator for the most commonly used BHI and
dipmeter tools.
QC report: This is conducted by a dedicated BHI
focal point in the asset or department, typically
a geologist or a petrophysicist working alongside
the data manager. This report contains the results
of the QC analysis using the QC plot. The QC
report should be stored alongside the QC plot.












45

verify that data are on-depth with the well reference gamma ray or resistivity master log
for on-pad devices, identify areas of tool sticking
(look at vertical accelerometer and tension curves)
and irregular pad readings, curve character, or
dead buttons
verify caliper reading inside casing
verify data versus expected lithologies
identify sections of excessive tool rotation (look
at relative bearing curve), i.e., excessive tool rotation occurs within a 30-ft (9-m) interval
verify data repeatability from different acquisition runs (main and repeat)
on-pad devices, assess whether pad pressure
was satisfactory (look at the pad pressure curve)
identify mud cake buildup and sections of poor
hole conditions and assess the effect on data quality; mud cake buildup in excess of 0.5 in. (1.2 cm) is
likely to affect the image and raw curve quality

Quality Control in Data Interpretation

The QC composite plots (1:200 or 1:500 scale) containing relevant curves (Figure 4) are the best way to
quickly assess the quality of BHI and dipmeter data,
a summary of which can be neatly shown as a redyellow-green zonation bar to illustrate poor, medium,
and good image quality. This determines which sections of the BHI and dipmeter log are useful for processing and interpretation.
When data sets do not to meet the minimum QC
standards (as described in this chapter), the data manager sends data back to the relevant acquisition contractor for repair. The responsible project geologist or
petrophysicist should review the final deliverable
from the logging company and ensure that only clean
data are stored in the database and subsequently used
to build earth models.
The following are basic quality checks (illustrated
in Figure 5) that should be conducted on raw BHI
and dipmeter data using the QC plot (Figure 4):



ensure that magnetic and gravitational field magnitudes are reading correctly
verify that data are oriented to true north (if not
corrected during processing); data might be also
oriented to the high side or low side of the tool
frame
QC tool orientation using an independent well
deviation survey (look at deviation and hole azimuth curves)

This refers to dip interpretation and image artifacts.

Dip interpretation can be done in two ways: computed dips and/or manually interpreted dips. Computed dips are calculated on processed data, and QC
should be conducted to ensure that (1) only dips from
good to medium image-quality sections are used for
interpretation, (2) suitable processing parameters are
used by the interpreter, (3) dips on separate tool runs
are repeated, and (4) mirror and other artifact-derived
dips (Lofts and Bourke, 1999) are avoided. Different
types of nonmanual dip computation depending on
the algorithm chosen exist, and a dip-quality rating
should be assigned to each computation.
Manual dip interpretation requires geological
knowledge and should be conducted by an experienced interpreter or suitable technical coaching should
be provided; when available, core material should be
used for calibration.
As any other petrophysical log, BHI and dipmeter
logs can be affected by logging artifacts, such as horizontal striping (Figure 6), stick and pull zones, sawtoothed surfaces, and dead buttons, to name just a
few (Lofts and Bourke, 1999).
Artifacts can sometimes completely obliterate the
image and should be recognized to avoid erroneous
interpretation. This requires a more detailed image
QC by looking at processed images on a 1- to 2-mscale (36-ft-scale) sliding window. Numerous artifacts

46

Garca-Carballido et al.

Figure 4. Example of a composite plot for

TM
data QC of an Oil-Base MicroImager (OBMI )
data set. Track 1 = tool inclinometry and well
deviation survey data; Track 2 = tool gamma ray
(GR) and calipers and reference open-hole GR
logs; Track 3 = open-hole logs (density, neutron,
sonic); Track 4 = open-hole logs (resistivity);
Track 5 = depth; Track 6 = tool microresistivity
curves; Track 7 = overall image quality; Track 8 =
false color static image; Track 9 = false color
dynamic image; Track 10 = tool accelerometer,
tension, and magnetometer curves; Track 11 =
computed dips.

Data Management and Quality Control of Dipmeter and Borehole Image-Log Data

47

Figure 5. The BHI and dipmeter data quality control (QC) applied to an Oil-Base MicroImager (OBMI, Schlumberger)
data set; note that some of the tool mnemonics shown in this diagram will vary depending on the kind of tool. ANOR =
acceleration computed norm; FNOR = magnetic field intensity computed norm; DEVI = deviation; HAZI = hole
Azimuth; HAZI_ORI = calculated orientation of the hole azimuth; GR = gamma ray; BHI = borehole image; OBDT =
Oil-Base Dipmeter Tool Schlumberger.

48

Garca-Carballido et al.


Geological formation-related artifacts: For example, halo effects around a highly conductive pyrite nodule or fracture aureoles, mottling caused
by the presence of gas, or even a strong image
character change if data were acquired across the
hydrocarbon water contact.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

TM

Figure 6. Horizontal stripping on a StarTrack image

log (Murray and Buck, 2007). Data from the Affleck field
(reprinted courtesy of Maersk Oil North Sea UK Ltd).

are documented in the literature (Lofts and Bourke,

1999) and can be classified according to the cause
that originated them:


Acquisition artifacts: These relate to drilling operations (e.g., stabilizer grooving or sidetrack window), whereas others relate to the logging operations themselves (e.g., mud smear, tool sticking,
or signal loss).
Borehole wall artifacts: These are very common
and result from physical irregularities in the borehole wall, such as rugosity, washouts, mud cake,
spiral hole, and even breakouts.
Processing artifacts: These are caused during processing, but unlike acquisition artifacts, which
permanently impact data sets, these can sometimes be corrected by a more detailed processing.
The causes of these artifacts include choosing the
wrong borehole diameter from which incorrect
dip values would have been calculated (unless
your software uses caliper measurements directly), incorrect speed correction, mismatch between pads and flaps, or inappropriate normalization windows.

A wealth of BHI and dipmeter data sets seem to

have been obtained by many operators over the years.
Nowadays, logging-while-drilling image data are commonly being acquired. The interpretation of these
data sets provides sedimentological and structural
information and orientation of the subsurface, all of
which are valuable high-resolution data to integrate
into the subsurface models. Data interpretation depends on data accessibility. Data accessibility is closely
related to the data management structure of each
operating company. A recommendation would be
to have a BHI and dipmeter Web-based page in the
company intranet with links to the available BHI
and dipmeter database as well as additional links to
tool information, data QC, and processing guidelines
and also links to the different logging contractors. In
addition, suitable software is required to enable at
least data visualization.
Experience has shown that having a set of fit-forpurpose corporate data management and data QC
procedures will ensure that suitable BHI and dipmeter data sets are available to the project geoscientists and petrophysicists in our organizations in a
timely and cost-effective manner. Having a set of
such procedures also ensures that these data are not
underused.
Elements of Shell global data management strategy are as follows:
1)

2)

High-quality data will allow fast standard reports

to be created automatically, which provides both
time savings and enables auditable results.
High-quality data in a central store will enable
better integration by combining dipmeter and
BHI data with other data (e.g., composite well
logs, petrophysical summary plots).

Furthermore, having corporate guidelines in place

means that even if expert BHI staff take different
positions, a framework is set to effectively handle dipmeter and BHI data sets.

Data Management and Quality Control of Dipmeter and Borehole Image-Log Data

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors of this article are grateful for constructive
comments by Christine McKay (Maersk Oil North Sea UK
Ltd.), Stuart Buck (Task Geoscience), Heike Delius (Task
Geoscience), and Michael Poppelreiter (Shell).

REFERENCES CITED
Garca-Carballido, C., 2002, Borehole image and dipmeter
tools Procedures and guidelines: Shell Internal Library, Shell Internal Publication, Expro Report ER02005,
p. 1 40.
Lofts, J. C., and L. T. Bourke, 1999, The recognition of
artifacts from acoustic and resistivity borehole devices,
in M. A. Lovell, G. Williamson, and P. K. Harvey, eds.,
Borehole imaging: Applications and case histories: Geological Society Special Publication 159, p. 59 76.

49

Murray, A., and S. G. Buck, 2007, Structural analysis of

LithoTrack and StarTrack images from the Affleck Field:
Task Geoscience, p. 1 31.
Poppelreiter, M., and C. Garca-Carballido, 2003, Best practice for data management, quality control and data
transfer of borehole image and dipmeter logs Toward
an integrated workflow (abs.): AAPG International Conference, Barcelona, http://www.searchanddiscovery.net
/documents/abstracts/2003barcelona/extend/81865
.pdf (accessed January 11, 2010).
Poppelreiter, M., C. Garca-Carballido, J. Boon, F. Withoff,
J. Copper, G. Niks, and R. Buist, 2002, Best practice for
borehole image and dipmeter log data quality control:
Shell Internal Library, Shell Internal Publication, EPNL2002-7012, p. 30 33.
Tso, T. N., 2004, Exploration and production data management standards and guidelines Data flows and
procedures PP03 dipmeter/borehole image data: Shell
Internal Library, Shell Internal Publication, EP 2004-3215,
p. 1 55.