BASIC WELL LOGGING ANALYSIS

Hsieh, Bieng-Zih
Fall 2009

OUTLINES
Introduction
Borehole Environment
Invaded Zone, Flushed Zone, Uninvaded Zone
Invasion and Resistivity Profiles
Basic Information Needed in Log Interpretation
Exercises (#1A, #1B, #2A, #2B)

INTRODUCTION

Well log, Wireline Log, Ge

ophysical well logging, Lo
g

A continuous measurement
of formation properties with
electrically powered instrum
ents to infer properties and
make decisions about drillin
g and production operations
.
3

INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

The record of the meas

urements, typically a lo
ng strip of paper, is als
o called a log.

INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

In wireline measurements, the loggi

ng tool (or sonde) is lowered into th
e open wellbore on a multiple cond
uctor, contra-helically ( ) arm
ored wireline.

Once lowered to the bottom of the i

nterval of interest, the measuremen
ts are taken on the way out of the w
ellbore.
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INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

This is done in an attempt to maintain tension on t

he cable (which stretches) as constant as possible
for depth correlation purposes.

(The exception to this practice is in certain hostile

environments in which the tool electronics might n
ot survive the temperatures on bottom for the am
ount of time it takes to lower the tool and then rec
ord measurements while pulling the tool up the ho
le. In this case, "down log" measurements might ac
tually be conducted on the way into the well, and r
epeated on the way out if possible.)

INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

Most wireline measurements are recorded continu

ously even though the sonde is moving.

Measurements include electrical properties (resisti

vity and conductivity at various frequencies), sonic
properties, active and passive nuclear measureme
nts, dimensional measurements of the wellbore, fo
rmation fluid sampling, formation pressure measu
rement, wireline-conveyed sidewall coring tools, a
nd others.
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INTRODUCTION (CONT.)

Certain fluid sampling and pressure-measuring tools

require that the sonde be stopped, increasing the cha
nce that the sonde or the cable might become stuck.
Logging while drilling (LWD) tools take measurements
in much the same way as wireline-logging tools, exce
pt that the measurements are taken by a self-contain
ed tool near the bottom of the bottomhole assembly
and are recorded downward (as the well is deepene
d) rather than upward from the bottom of the hole (a
s wireline logs are recorded).
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BOREHOLE ENVIRONMENT

BOREHOLE ENVIRONMENT

Where a hole is drilled into a formation, the rock pl

us the fluids in it (rock-fluid system) are altered in t
he vicinity of the borehole.

A wells borehole and the rock surrounding it are c

ontaminated by the drilling mud, which affects log
ging measurements.

Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of a porous and pe

rmeable formation which is penetrated by a boreh
ole filled with drilling mud.

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FIG. 1

Exercise:
You have
15 min. to
fill in your
answer

11

FIG. 1

12

THE DEFINITION OF SYMBOLS USED IN FI

G. 1

13

DIAMETER

dh hole diameter

di diameter of invade
d zone (inner boundar
y, flushed zone)
d diameter of invade
j
d zone (outer boundar
y, invaded zone)
radius of invaded z
rj
one (outer boundary)

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HOLE DIAMETER

A wells borehole size is describ

ed by the outside diameter of t
he drill bit.

But, the diameter of the boreh

ole may be larger or smaller th
an the bit diameter because of
(1) wash out and/or collapse of
shall and poorly cemented por
ous rocks
(2) build-up of mudcake on por
ous and permeable formation

15

HOLE DIAMETER (CONT.)

Borehole sizes normally vary fr

om 7 7/8 inches to 12 inches, a
nd modern logging tools are d
esigned to operate within thes
e size ranges.

The size of the borehole is mea

sured by a CALIPER LOG.

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MUD

hmc thickness of mudcake

Rm resistivity of the drilling

mud
R
mc resistivity of the mudcak
e
R resistivity of mud filtrate
m

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DRILLING MUD

Today, most wells are drilled with rotary bits and u

se special mud as a circulating fluid.

The mud helps remove cuttings from the well bore

, lubricate ( ) and cool the drill bit, and maintai
n an excess of borehole pressure over formation p
ressure.

The excess of borehole pressure over formation pr

essure prevents blow-outs.
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BLOW-OUT

19

DRILLING MUD (CONT.)

The density of the mud is kept high enough so that

hydrostatic pressure in the mud column is always
greater than formation pressure.

This pressure difference forces some of the drilling

fluid to invade porous and permeable formations.

As invasion occurs, many of the solid particles (i.e.

clay minerals from the drilling mud) are trapped o
n the side of the borehole and form MUDCAKE.
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DRILLING MUD (CONT.)

Fluid that filters into the formation during invasion

is called MUD FILTRATE.

The resistivity values for drilling mud, mudcake, an

d mud filtrate are recorded on a LOG HEADER.

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LOG HEADER

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RESISTIVITY
Rw resistivity of formation w
ater
R resistivity of shale
s

Rt resistivity of uninvaded zo
ne (true resistivity)
R resistivity of flushed zon
xo
e

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SATURATION
Sw water saturation of
uninvaded zone
S water saturation of
xo
flushed zone

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INVADED ZONE

25

INVADED ZONE

The zone which is invaded by m

ud filtrate is called the invaded
zone.

It consists of a flushed zone (Rx

o) and a transition or annulus
(Ri) zone.

The flushed zone occurs close t

o the borehole where the mud f
iltrate has almost completely fl
ushed out a formations hydroc
arbon and/or water (Rw).

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INVADED ZONE (CONT.)

The transition or annulus zone,

where a formations fluids and
mud filtrate are mixed, occurs
between the flushed (Rxo) zone
and the uninvaded (Rt) zone.

The depth of mud filtrate invasi

on into the invaded zone is ref
erred to as the diameter of inv
asion (dj).
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INVADED ZONE (CONT.)

The diameter of invasion is me

asured in inches or expressed a
s a ratio:
dj/dh
where dh = borehole diameter

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QUESTION -

General invasion diameters are:

dj/dh = 2 for

dj/dh = 5 for intermediate porosity rocks

dj/dh = 10 for

porosity rocks
porosity rocks

High or Low porosity? And why?

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INVADED ZONE (CONT.)

The amount of invasion which takes place is depen

dent upon the permeability of the mudcake and no
t upon the porosity of the rock.

In general, an equal volume of mud filtrate can inv

ade low porosity and high porosity rocks if the drill
ing muds have equal amounts of solid particles.

The solid particle in the drilling muds coalesce (

) and form an impermeable mudcake.
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INVADED ZONE (CONT.)

The mudcake then acts as a barrier to further invas

ion.

Because an equal volume of fluid can be invaded b

efore an impermeable mudcake barrier forms, the
diameter of invasion will be greatest in low porosit
y rocks.

This occurs because low porosity rocks have less st

orage capacity or pore volume to fill with the invad
ing fluid, and, as a result, pores throughout a great
er volume of rock will be affected.

31

INVADED ZONE (CONT.)

General invasion diameters are:

dj/dh = 2 for high porosity rocks

dj/dh = 5 for intermediate porosity rocks

dj/dh = 10 for low porosity rocks

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FLUSHED ZONE

33

FLUSHED ZONE

The flushed zone extends only a few inches from t

he well bore and is part of the invaded zone.

If invasion is deep, most often the flushed zone is c

ompletely cleared of its formation water (Rw) by m
ud filtrate (Rmf).

When oil is present in the flushed zone, you can de

termine the degree of flushing by mud filtrate fro
m the difference between water saturations in the
flushed (Sxo) zone and the uninvaded (Sw) zone.

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FLUSHED ZONE (CONT.)

Usually, about 70 to 95% of the oil is flushed out.

The remaining oil is called RESIDUAL OIL.

Sro = 1.0 Sxo
where Sro = residual oil saturation (ROS)

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UNINVADED ZONE

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UNINVADED ZONE

The uninvaded zone is located beyond the invaded

zone.

Pores in the uninvaded zone are uncontaminated b

y mud filtrate; instead, they are saturated with form
ation water (Rw), oil, or gas.

Even in hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs, there is al

ways a layer of formation water on grain surfaces.

Water saturation (Sw) of the uninvaded zone is an i

mportant factor in reservoir evaluation.

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UNINVADED ZONE (CONT.)

By using water saturation (Sw) data, a geologist ca

n determine a reservoirs hydrocarbon saturation.
Sh = 1.0 Sw
where Sh = hydrocarbon saturation (i.e., the fractio
n of pore volume filled with hydrocarbons)

The ratio between the uninvaded zones water satu

ration (Sw) and the flushed zones water saturation
(Sxo) is an index of HYDROCARBON MOVEABILITY.
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INVASION AND RESISTIVITY PROFILE

S

39

INVASION AND RESISTIVITY PROFILES

40

INVASION AND RESISTIVITY PROFILES

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TRANSITION PROFILE WATER ZONE

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ANNULUS PROFILE HYDROCARBON ZON

E

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BASIC INFORMATION NEEDED I

N LOG INTERPRETATION

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BASIC INFORMATION NEEDED IN LOG INT

ERPRETATION

Lithology from cutting

Temperature of formation Because the resistiviti

es of the drilling mud (Rm), the mud filtrate (Rmf),
and the formation water (Rw) vary with temperatur
e.
(Resistivities information can be read from LOG HE
ADER)

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LOG HEADER

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FORMATION TEMPERATURE CALCULATIO

N

Given:

Surface temp. = 80 F

Bottom hole temp. = 180 F

Total depth (TD) = 10000 ft

Formation depth = 6000 ft

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EXERCISE # 1A

Calculate Formation 1A temperature

Given:
Surface temp. = 60 F
Formation 1A depth = 5500 ft

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EXERCISE # 1B

Calculate Formation 1B temperature

Given:
Surface temp. = 75 F
Formation 1B depth = 7600 ft

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CORRECT THE RESISTIVITIES TO FORMATIO

N TEMPERATURE
Given: Rm = 1.2 at 75 F, Formation temp. =
160 F

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Rm=0.56 at 160F

START HERE

EXERCISE # 2A

Correct SIX resistivities (Rm, Rmf, and Rmc, in RU

N-1 and RUN-2) to surface temperature

Given:
Surface temp. = 75 F
Rm, Rmf, Rmc => from log header RUN-1 and RU
N-2

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EXERCISE # 2B

Correct the resistivities (Rm, Rmf, Rmc) to Formatio

n 1B temperature

Given:
Formation 1B temp. => From your answer of Ex. #1
B
Rm, Rmf, Rmc => From log header RUN-2

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END OF CHAPTER 1

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