MUD FILTRATE EFFECTS ON THE LATEROLOG IN ALBERTA

FOOTHILLS CARBONATES

T.T. DZIUBA

this article begins on the next page F

JCPT87-05-03 COMPLETIONS AND EVALUATION Mud filtrate effects on the laterolog in Alberta Foothills carbonates TARAS T. DZIUBA Shell Canada Limited ABSTRACT This report proposes a new set of invasion correction curves for the laterolog that can be used quantitatively for a variety of mud systems and various diameters of invasion to obtain the true resistivity of the formation. Present resistivity tool designs do not appear to allow measurement deep enough to provide resistivity values of the undisturbed formation; nor do present laterolog invasion correction charts appear to correct
sufficiently for invasion. At Shell Canada, the laterolog has been the primary resistivity tool used in the evaluation of deep, 3000 m to 5500 m Alberta Foot- hills carbonates. Low water saturations, calculated after the high resistivities have been corrected for invasion using existing charts, have led to costly production testing of wet zones. In this report, the Resistivity Index (I) was used to develop new invasion corrections. By assigning an I value to each of the flushed, transition and uninvaded zones and establishing the resistivity contribution of each zone to the laterolog
reading from industry-published pseudo-geometrical factors, invasion corrections were determined. The effects of changing the RR,, value and the diameter of invasion were included in the design of the invasion correction curves. Open-hole logs of actual field cases are used to demonstrate the new invasion corrections for the laterolog. The proposed invasion corrections have resulted in the calculation of more accurate water saturations as substantiated by production test results. Introduction The laterolog is strongly affected by invasion, therefore, the ratio of the mud
filtrate resistivity to the formation water resistivity is crucial because invasion often adds a resistive medium to the formation. Most Shell Canada wells are drilled with muds having a different resistivity than the formation water. Invasion occurs to some unknown depth and to obtain a true resistivity, the effect of the invading mud filtrate on the resistivity must be removed. Logging companies have attempted to minimize the effects of invasion on their resistivity tools through tool designs that utilize geometrical factors(l). A resistivity tool's reading can be con- sidered to be
the sum of the weighted values of the resistivities of the borehole, the invaded and non-invaded zones (Fig. 1). The deep reading resistivity tools are designed to obtain the major portion of their resistivity reading from as far away from the Keywords: Laterolog, Carbonates, Invasion, Resistivity, Resistivity Index. borehole as possible. For cases where invasion is shallow to moderate, this is usually the undisturbed zone. In deep invasion cases the resistivity reading must be corrected using service com- pany charts to provide a value closer to the true resistivity. In foothills
evaluation, very obvious gas zones with high resistivities (e.g. > 1000 ohm-m) and very obvious wet zones with low resistivities (e.g. <50 ohm-m) do not usually pose evaluation problems because they are readily identified from resistivity logs. Zones that appear to exist at some intermediate water saturation (e.g. S. 3007o to 6007o) can be extremely difficult to evaluate for a variety of reasons. Today's resistivity tools run in situations with high resistivity mud systems (Rf/R, > 1.0) and large diameters of invasion will provide resistivity readings reflecting this and in turn will result
in incorrect S. calculations unless properly corrected for invasion. This can lead to petrophysical evaluation nightmares because of the difficulty in deter-mining if the calculated values represent true formation water saturations or reflect invasion. Laterologs have been the main resistivity tool used in foothills evaluations because of the use of low resistivity muds, better thin bed definition and reliability in high resistivities. However, ttie mud systems used do not always have as low an R., as R. - the most optimum condition for this tool and therefore invasion corrections must
be made. This report proposes a new set of invasion correction curves for the laterolog that can quantita- tively be used for a variety of mud systems with Rf / @ > 1.0 in an attempt to obtain a closer estimate of true resistivity of the formation. Invasion Concepts Depths of invasion are generally large for low-porosity carbon- ates and small for high-porosity sandstones. This is sometimes difficult to understand because it is expected that if there is more porosity, more mud filtrate will invade and result in a larger depth of invasion. However, an equal volume of mud filtrate invading a
tow-porosity carbonate will have a larger depth of invasion than in a high-porosity sandstone because the sand- stone can accommodate the mud filtrate in a smaller volume of rock. Factors Affecting Invasion Mudcake permeability, not formation permeability, is the most important factor controlling formation invasion. Filter cake is deposited on the borehole wall as the mud filtrate attempts to invade a permeable formation. The filter cake is made up of a variety of particle sizes that "bridge" to form a cake. This mud- cake can be! between 0 mm and 20 mm in thickness and extends a small
distance into the formation. The permeability of the Paper reviewed and accepted for publication by the Editorial Board of the Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology. September-October 1987, Montreal 41

COMPLETIONS AND EVALUATION
Mud filtrate effects on the laterolog in
Alberta Foothills carbonates
TARAS T. DZIUBA
Shell Canada Limited
ABSTRACT
This report proposes a new set 0/ invasion correction curves for
the laterolog that can be used quantitatively for a variety a/mud
systems and various diameters of invasion to obtairl the true
resistivity of the fannation.
Present resistivity tool designs do not appear to allow
measurement deep enough to provide resistivity values of the
undisturbed formation; nor do present fater%g invasion
correction charts appear to correct sufficiently for invasion. At
Shell Canada. the laterolog has been the primary resistivity tool
used in the evaluation of deep~ 3000 m to 5500 m Alberta Foot-
hills carbonates. Low water saturations, calculated after the
high resistivities have been corrected jar invasion using elCisting
charfs, have led to costly production testing of wet zones.
In this report, the Resistivity Inde.:i( (/) was used to develop
new invasion corrections. By assigning an / value to each of the
flushed, transition and uninvaded zones and establishing the
resistivity contribution of each zone to the laterolog reading
from industry-published pseudo-geometrical factors, invasion
corrections were determined. The effects of changing the
R"./R'IV value and the diameter a/invasion were included in [he
design of the invasion correction curves.
Operz-hole logs of actual field cases are used to demonstrate
the new invasion corrections jor the later%g. The proposed
invasion corrections have resulted in the calculation of more
accurate water saturations as substantiated by production test
results.
Introduction
The laterolog is strongly affected by invasion, therefore, the
ratio of the mud fIltrate resistivity to the fonnation water
resistivity is crucial because invasion often adds a resistive
medium to the formation. Most Shell Canada wells are drilled
with muds having a different resistivity than the fonnation
water. Invasion occurs to some unknown depth and to obtain a
true resistivity. the effect of the invading mud filttate on the
resistivity must be removed.
Logging companies have attempted to minimize the effects of
invasion on their resistivity tools through tool designs that utilize
geometrical factors(ll. A resistivity tool's reading can be con-
sidered to be the sum of the weighted values of the resistivities of
the borehole, the invaded and non-invaded zones (Fig. 1). The
deep reading resistivity tools are designed to obtain the major
portion of their resistivity reading from as far away from the
Keywords: Laterolog, Carbonates, Invasion, Resistivity, Resistivity
Index.
Paper re\'iewed and accepted for publication by the Edilorial Board
September-October 1967, Montreal
r
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..Jc.pT'6' 7-oS-cB
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, ., /-
.,
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borehole as possible. For cases where invasion is shallow to
moderate, this is usually the Wldisturbed zone. In deep invasion
cases the resistivity reading must be corrected using service com-
pany charts to provide a value closer to the true resistivity.
In foothills evaluation, very obvious gas zones with high -, --
resistivities (e.g. > 1000 ohm-m) and very obvious wet zones
with low resistivities (e.g_ <50 ohm-m) do not usually pose
evaluation problems because they are readily identified from
resistivity logs. Zones that appear to exist at some intermediate
water saturation (e.g. Sw 30~[) to 60OJ[)) can be extremely difficult
to evaluate for a variety of reasons. Today's resistivity tools run
in situations with high resistivity mud systems (~r{R..v > LO)
and large diameters of invasion will provide resistivity readings
reflecting this and in turn will result in incorrect Sw calculations
unless properly corrected for invasion. This can lead to
petrophysical evaluation nightmares because of the difficulty in
detennining if the calculated values represent true fonnation
water saturations or reflect invasion.
Laterologs have been the main resistivity tool used in foothills
evaluations because of the use of low resistivity muds, better
thin bed definition and reliability in high resistivities. However,
the mud systems used do not always have as Iowan Rmr as ~ -
the most optimum condition for this tool and therefore invasion
corrections must be made. This report proposes a new set of
invasion correction curves for the laterolog that can quantita-
tively be used for a variety of mud systems with ~f/~ > 1.0 in
an attempt to obtain a closer estimate of true resistivity of the
forIllation.
Invasion Concepts
Depths of invasion are generally large for low-porosity carbon-
ates and small for high-porosity sandstones. This is sometimes
difficult to understand because it is expected that ifthere is more
porosity, mare mud fIltrate will invade and result in a larger
depth of invasion. However, an equal volwne of mud fIltrate
invading a low-porosity carbonate will have a larger depth of
invasion than in a high-porOSity sandstone because the sand- - -' -..
stone can accommodate the mud ftItrate in a smaller volume of
rock.
Factors Affecting InvaSion
Mudcake permeability, not formation permeaiJility, is the most
important factor controlling formation invasion. Filter cake is
deposited on the borehole wall as the mud filtrate attempts to ,-
invade a permeable formation. The fLlter cake is made up of a
variety of particle sizes that "bridge" to form a cake. This mud-
: ...-
cake can be between 0 mm and 20 mm in thickness and extends
a small distance into the fonnation. The permeability of the n~ ~- . . .' -
or thc Journal of Canadian Pe.roleum Technology.
, '
; -'
41
TABLE 1. Effect of changes in water saturation and Rmr/R w on the Resistivity Index
Mud filtrale - 100% displacement of formalion water only
(no displacement of hydrocarbons - see example below) n - 1.8
sw
Rmr/R w 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 eo 90 100
1.0 63 18 8.7 5.2 35 2.5 1.9 1.5 1.2 1.0
2.0 126 36 17.5 10.4 7.0 5.0 3.8 3.0 2.4 2.0
3.0 189 54 26.2 15.6 10.4 7.5 5.7 4.5 3.6 3.0
4.0 252 72 34.9 20.8 13.9 10.0 7.6 6.0 4.8 4.0
5.0 315 90 43.7 26.0 17.4 12.6 9.5 7.5 61 5.0
Examples
1. 90% hydrocarbons 3. 50% hydrocarbons
10% formation water or filtrate of same salinity 50% formation water or filtrate of same salinity
S ..... = 10% Amr/Aw = 1.0 Sw == 50% Rml/A ..... == 1.0

1= = 63 I = = 3.5
(.10),·· (.50)1 ,

2. 90% hydrocarbons 4. 50% hydrocarbons

10% mud filtrate with Aml/Aw == 2.0 50% mud filtrate with Rmi/Aw == 2.0
Sw = 10% Rml/R w = 2.0 Sw == 50% Rml/Rw = 2.0
1=63 3.5)( AmllAw == 7.0
63 x Amr/Rw = 126

mudcake is extremely low and has been measured to range from
IO-z md (for flocculated muds) to 10-4 md (for muds with
defloc("ulating agents).
Another facmr responsible for invasion is degree of water
loss. With a higher water loss more mud filtrare i.:i lost to the for-
marion resulting in a larger diameter of invasion. In drilling low
porosity carbonate objectives Shell Canada commonly uses a
water (oss of < 10 ccfJO min. The laboratory test for measuring
water loss is a sratic one and is performed according to API
procedures. In the borehole much more mud filtrate is lost
under dynamic conditions than the laboratory static conditions.
Ferguson(2) and others hav!:: reported thaL dynamic filtration
rates have been found to be higher than static rates for various
mud types. Krueger(3), Lawhon(-ll and Horner(S) all ha.ve found
dynamic fiItracion to be ver), different from API static Huid loss
measurements (water loss is usually higher).
Several other factors further influence invasion behaviours.
They can be summarized in the following manner:
1. mud {ype,
2. pressure differential between mud column and fonnation
pressure,
3. annular mud veloeit}',
4. mud temperature I formation temperature,
5. borehole diameter,
6. drilling process (tripping, etc.).
7. formation porosity I permeability, and
8. exposure time.
Apart from service company tornado charts there are few
methods available for predicting depths of invasion. 8reiten-
bach(6) introduced equations which can be used to calculate and
predict diameters of invasion.
occurs before any mudcake is formed. As the filler cake is form-
ing, invasion will continue and the amount will depend largely
on the effectiveness of the mudcake [0 slow down the invasion
process.
Flushed Zones
The flushed zone exists next closest to the borehole. Just as the
name implies, this is the zone that is assumed to be complerely
flushed by mud filtrate. A common belief is thal this close to the
borehole (2 em to 10 em), all the fluids will be mechanically
displaced. This is not neces~iarily true because the mud filtrale
may not be able to enter all the pores because of capillarity. ctc.
and displace the connate water or formation tluids, c.g. gas, oil.
However, it is very likely that rhe connate water remaining in the
flushed zone is less than the irreducible formation waler.
Transition Zone
The transition zone can best be imagined as being the "grey"
zone. This is the zone where partial invasion takes place. There
are no set rules of thumb for predicting the diameter of invasion
(mudcake zone + flushed zone + transition lone) bUl the
following general relationships have been proposed by Pickell(7 ):
High porosi£},:
DiameLer of invasion (D I )
(20D7D - 350/0): "'" 2-3
Hole diameler (d)
Medium porosity:
DiameLer of invasion (OJ)
(1O'~lo _ 200;'0): _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _-"'c 5-6
Hole diameter (d)

Invasion Profiles Low porosity:

The greatest problem a'isociated with resistivity log interpreta-
tion is understanding the invasion profile. No service company
or author has yet been able to accurately predict depths of inva-
sion and the effects of invasion on resistivity logs. Only approxi-
mations based on simple models have been available to the
petrophysical engineer to aid in applying invasion corrections to
resistivity logs.
The invasion profile of most formations can be divided iO[o
four main zones (Fig. I). They consist of the following: mud-
cake, flushed zone., transition zone, and uninvaded zone.
Mudcake
As was previously mentioned, the mudcake region will extend
from a few millimetres into the borehole to a few miltimetres
imo the formation. An initial warer loss, known as spun loss,
Diameter of invasion (01)
(30/0 - 101f.'0): - - - - - , , - - - - - ' - - ' - 10-12
Hole diameter (d)
The effectiveness of mud filtrate sweeping the fluids from the
transition zone is not fully understood. It has been shown that
salt water under certain conditions will more effectively sweep
fresh water than vice-versa_ \Vhether this is due to densiLY difrer-
ences or ionic transfer is not known. In most drilling operalions,
mud filtrate is fresher than the formation, fluid, which suggests
the sweep is not as effective. It is ver)' difficulr La assign a
number to the sweep efficiency in [he transition zone. Figure 2
shO\\'s how the situation is further complicated in heLerogeneous
formations when mud filtrate channels and bypasses sections of
rock. The bypassed rock ~an contain essentially unconLaminated

42 The Journal of Canadian Petroleum Technology