Basic Well Logs

and Log Signatures

BASIC WELL LOG TYPES
• The information derived from a geophysical log can be exact (e.g., using particular
values to calculate water saturations) or interpreted (e.g. correlating stratigraphy
using basic pattern recognition or identifying a section repeated by faulting).
• There are three main categories of logs: electric, radioactive, and structural
• Electric and structural logs are typically run in uncased holes because the sensors
need to be in contact with the borehole; whereas, radioactive logs can be run in
either cased or uncased holes. With sub-meter drilling and subcentimeter logging
accuracies, identifying and drilling potential targets is becoming easier.
• A fundamental understanding of each log is vitally important in understanding the
subsurface geology
Common logs and their uses
Gamma Ray (GR)
• A gamma ray (GR) log records the natural radioactivity of a formation in API
units. These units correlate with the gamma ray intensities measured by a
scintillation counter. The radioactivity is the result of radioactive decay of mainly
potassium (K), thorium (Th), and uranium (U).
• Shale units will thus have high API values, while sandstone and limestone will
have low API values. This is the most common log used for stratigraphic
correlations because it is widely run, it has good vertical resolution and is easy to
interpret.
• Occasionally, high values correlate with borehole collapse features rather than
stratigraphy, and other logs should be used to help identify potential wash out
zones.
Some typical gamma values:
• Coal: 20 API
• Sandstone: 20 API
• Shale: 75–200 API
• Limestone: 20 API
• Dolomite: 20 API
• Salt: 0 API
Neutron
• A neutron log measures a formation’s porosity based on the quantity of hydrogen
present in the formation.
• Fluid within a formation as opposed to gas can be identified because water and oil
have approximately the same hydrogen content, whereas gas has less hydrogen per
equal volume.
• Hence, if gas is present in a formation, the compensated neutron log (CNL) will
underestimate porosity.
• Salt units have characteristically low neutron porosity and bulk density readings.
Lithological Interpretation using gamma and
neutron log
γ-log N- log Interpretation
Low Low This indicates probably a very porous formation.
Low Medium Probably porous sandstone, limestone or dolomite.
Low High Non-porous limestone, sandstone or dolomite.
Mediu Medium Non-porous limestone, sandstone or dolomite.
m
High Low Shale or Clay.
High Medium Probably shaly sandstone, limestone or maybe shale and clay
with little water content
High High Interpretation not known.
Spontaneous Potential (SP)
• A spontaneous potential (SP) log records the electrical current (in millivolts, mV)
that arises due to salinity differences between a saltwater-based drilling mud and
the fluid in a formation.
• This log is a good indicator of formation permeability and can distinguish shale
from carbonates and sandstones.
• Another use of an SP log is the detection of hydrocarbons via a muted or
diminished SP response.
• It is difficult to interpret SP logs because they are not good indicators of
lithological boundaries or general lithologies.
• In thin-bedded strata, the poor vertical resolution of the instrument will record a
bulk lithology rather than separating the units.
• Shale typically has a value of 0 to -20 mV, and sandstones and carbonates
typically have values between -20 and -80 mV.
Resistivity
• A resistivity log records the resistivity, or resistance, to the flow of electricity
through a formation in Ohm meters (Ωm).
• Resistivity is the reciprocal of conductivity and is related to the porosity and the
amount and kind of fluid present in the rock and borehole.
• The most important use of resistivity logs is in distinguishing hydrocarbons from
water.
• A high-porosity or hydrocarbon bearing formation has high resistivity; a low-
porosity or saltwater formation has low resistivity. Numerous types of resistivity
logs correspond mainly to the depth of the measurement (e.g., shallow, medium,
and deep penetration). Shallow readings record the interface of the borehole and
the drilling fluid, while deep readings correspond to true or uninvaded formation
resistivity.
• Hydrocarbons may be present in a formation where deep resistivity is greater than
shallow resistivity. Shales typically have low resistivity, and sandstones and
carbonates have high resistivity.
Interpretation of SP and Resistivity Log
Resistivity SP Interpretation
Low Low This indicates a formation containing enough salt water to be relatively good
conductor, but of low permeability which can be interpreted as shale.
Low High This indicates a formation containing enough salt water making it good
conductor and having high permeability. This can be interpreted as a sandy
formation containing brine solution.
High Low Indicates a formation containing little or no salt water and having low
permeability, thus can be interpreted as tight limestone or rock salt, coal, etc.
High High Indicates a formation containing little or no conducting fluid but permeable
and this can be interpreted as oil or gas sand.
 Photoelectric (PE)
• A photoelectric (PE) log records gamma radiation transmitted from a formation
after being bombarded by photons.
• The PE factor is measured in barns per electron (barns/e-).
• The amount of photoelectric absorption within the formation depends on the
mineralogy of the formation and, therefore, is an excellent indicator of lithology.
• This is one of the few geophysical logs that can readily distinguish limestone from
dolomite because of the almost 2:1 PE response.
• Some typical values:
o Coal: 0.17 (barns/e-)
o Sandstone: 1.81 (barns/e-)
o Dolomite: 3.14 (barns/e-)
o Shale: 4.0 (barns/e-)
o Limestone: 5.08 (barns/e-)
o Salt: 4.7 (barns/e-)
Density
• A density log measures the porosity of a formation based on the assumed density
of the formation and drill fluid in grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm3).
• The standard porosity calculation (grain density − measured bulk density)/(grain
density − drilling fluid density) will overestimate the porosity of a gas-filled
formation because the measured bulk density will be lower.
• Hence, when overestimated porosity values (from a density log) are cross-plotted
with the underestimated porosity values (from a neutron log), the crossover is an
indication of gas in a formation called the gas effect.
• Shale, coal, and bentonite beds commonly have low densities and sandstones, and
carbonates generally have higher densities.
Some typical density values
• Grain density of shale: 2.4–2.6 g/cm3

• Grain density of sandstone: 2.65 g/cm3

• Grain density of limestone: 2.71 g/cm3

• Grain density of dolomite: 2.87 g/cm3

• Grain density of salt: 2.03 g/cm3

• Density of drilling mud: 1–1.1 g/cm3

• Density of water: 1.0 g/cm3

• Density of crude oil: 0.8–1.0 g/cm3

• Density of natural gas: 0.7 g/cm3

Dipmeter

• A dipmeter log measures the strike and dip of the strata encountered in the
wellbore in degrees.
• A dipmeter log is usually represented by a tadpole plot.
• The plot consists of a series of circles (tadpole heads) placed at the depth where
the measurement was taken.
• Dip is illustrated by the location of the circle on the horizontal axis (0° to 90°) and
the strike is illustrated by the azimuthal direction of a line coming off the circle
(the tadpole tail).
• These logs can easily confirm structural and sedimentary features (i.e., faults and
cross-bedding), but are not commonly run.
Caliper
• A caliper log records the diameter of the borehole in inches (in.).
• Caliper logs can be used as a crude lithologic indicator. Shale, coal, and bentonites
tend to cave into the borehole and produce an increased well diameter.
• Well-indurated sandstones and carbonates tend not to cave, and subsequently not
produce a deviation from the well diameter.
• A decreased well diameter frequently indicates drilling mud has become caked to
the borehole or the presence of montmorillonite
Sonic (Acoustic)

• A sonic (acoustic) log records the speed of sound transmitted through a formation
in microseconds per foot (μs/ft).
• The speed at which the rock transmits sound energy is related to the formation’s
porosity.
• The lithology of a formation must be known to accurately calculate porosity.
• A sonic log is a good indicator of density and presence of gas.
• Measurements will be lower and have locally irregular signatures where gas is
present because the gas has a slower transmit time.
Some typical compression velocities for consolidated rocks

• Shale: 62–167 μs/ft

• Sandstone: 55.5 μs/ft
• Limestone: 47.5 μs/ft
• Dolomite: 43.5 μs/ft
Temperature
• A temperature log records the temperature present in the wellbore in degrees Fahrenheit
(°F).
• Temperature typically increases with depth at a constant rate (the geothermal gradient).
• Geothermal gradients vary from place to place depending on numerous tectonic,
stratigraphic, and geochemical factors.
• The overall gradient is not as important in identifying structures (i.e., faults and
fractures) as the temperature deviations, or kicks.
• A localized temperature decrease is indicative of fluid or gas emanating from a fault or
localized fracture system, and a broad temperature decrease is indicative of fluid or gas
emanating from a pervasive fracture system.
• The decrease in temperature is typically caused by expansion and subsequent cooling of
gas invading the wellbore.
Generalized well log signature
patterns:
Log Signature Patterns
• Pattern recognition plays a crucial role in correlating subsurface intervals.
• Lithologies and facies can change vertically and laterally, but because the shape of the signature or
pattern is usually similar, it is possible to correlate units across large areas.
• There are two categories of patterns (symmetric and asymmetric) and six types of patterns (irregular,
flat, funnel, bell, cylindrical, and bow).
• Symmetric patterns are trends that have a horizontal line of symmetry (flat, cylindrical, and bow),
whereas asymmetric patterns (irregular, funnel, and bell) do not have horizontal symmetry.
Irregular patterns (fig. 2–3) (i.e., trends that have sharp boundaries with similar magnitudes and have
a saw blade appearance) indicate an aggradational or fluctuating depositional environment.
• Flat patterns (i.e., trends that do not have sharp boundaries and have a consistent magnitude) indicate
steady-state depositional environments. Funnel patterns (i.e., signatures that gradually decrease) are
indicative of coarsening or fining upward sections(depending on the log type). Bell patterns (i.e.,
signatures that gradually increase) are also indicative of coarsening or fining upward sections
(depending on the log type).
• Cylindrical patterns are flat trends bounded by sharp edges. This pattern indicates a steady-state
depositional environment.
• Bow patterns that have a gradual decrease, then increase in the signature, are indicative of coarsening
or fining upward sections.
Generalized well log signature
patterns:

Similar patterns do not necessarily indicate common

depositional environments because different log types
represent different borehole properties (i.e., lithology,
density, and resistivity) and patterns are scale-dependent.
Thank you