WELL LOGGING TECHNIQUES &

INTERPRETATION USED IN
PETROLEUM EXPLORATION
 Well logging

• The systematic recording of rock properties and it’s fluid

contents in wells being drilled to obtain various petrophysical
parameters and characteristics of down hole sequences

• The measurement versus depth or time, or both, of one or

more physical properties in a well.

• These methods are particularly good when surface outcrops

are not available, but a direct sample of the rock is needed to
be sure of the lithology.
• In some cases, the measurements are not direct, it
require interpretation by analogy or by correlating
values between two or more logs run in the same
hole.

• Provide information on lithology, boundaries of

formations and stratigraphic correlation.

• Determine Porosity, Permeability, water, oil and gas

saturation.

• Reservoir modeling and Structural studies.

• Logging is considered to be an ‘EYE’ of the drilled well
• It is a record of physical properties of the formation wrt depth
in a drilled well.

• SP & Electrical Resistivity logs

• Micro-resistivity & Dip meter logs

• Gamma ray, Neutron & Density logs
• Acoustic logs
• Formation Fluid Tester
• Side wall Coring
• Cement Bond Log
• Perforation
• Production Logging
• Identification of hydrocarbon bearing zones & estimation
of Reserves-through quick-look & detailed interpretation of log data
respectively.

•Hydrocarbon Reserves = Ʃ (A . H . Φe . S hyd . S)

•Pay thickness (H)

•Capacity of the rock to hold fluids (Porosity Ø)

•Type & Volume of fluids (Fluid Saturation S hyd)

•Capability of the rock to allow fluid flow (Permeability K)

– Well completion evaluation (Cement evaluation)

– Well services (Setting of Plugs / Retainers &

Packers)

– Well diagnosis (Production Logging)

– Back off services (String shot, Free point & Pipe cutters)
• Preparing a comprehensive Logging program

• Acquiring sufficient log data for evaluation

• Ensuring quality control by calibrations & repeat runs

• Calibrating log results with cores, cuttings & other

geological information

• Detailed log processing after fixing zonal parameters

• Generating inputs for auditing hydrocarbon reserves

• Maintaining Reservoir health by corrective measures

 Log interpretation objectives

The objective of log interpretation may be Quantitative or Qualitative.

Quantitative analysis of well logs provides values for a variety of

parameters:
• Porosity
• Formation water Resistivity (Rw)
• Water saturation, fluid type (oil/gas/water)
• Lithology
• Permeability

But many of the users are more concerned with the Qualitative analysis
of well logs :
• Correlation between wells
• Facies analysis
• Synthetic seismograms
• Regional structural and depositional environment
 Identifying Reservoirs

Quick-look evaluation

• Discriminating reservoir from the rest (Φ, H, Vsh, Shyd)

• Understanding heterogeneity of the reservoir
• Effective communication with reservoir for realizing its
potential (Perforation)

Detailed processing and interpretation

• Appraising its potential (Sw, So, Sg, Pressure, K)

 Formation Properties

Log responses - functions of two components of the

formation: physical properties of the matrix (solid rock), and
any pore fluids
 Clean & Sorted Reservoirs

• Conduct electricity by ionic diffusion through intergranular

pore water,

• have no other conductive paths and can be modeled using

concept of electrical tortuosity,
 Shaly sand riddle
• Shaly rocks do not obey Archie’s equation

• Shales contain clay minerals and are often present as

‘Dispersed’, ‘Laminated’ or ‘Structural’ shales

• Shaly sands have silts associated with various conductive

and heavy minerals

• Several conductivity equations exist to account for

non-Archie electrical behavior of Shaly sands.
 Basic concepts
• Archie’s law Ro = F . Rw or Co = Cw / F

• Resistivity Index I R = Rt / Ro
• Formation Factor F = a . Φ-m
• Tortuosity ‘Ƭ’ F = Ƭ2 / Φ
• Water saturation Swn = (IR)-1 = Ro/Rt = Ct / Co

• Shaliness (Vsh)

• Apparent Formation water resistivity (Rwa)

• Cross Plots
 Hingle’s Plot
 Pickett’s Plot
 Lithology cross plots
 Frequency & Z Plots
 Types of Logging

Permeability and lithology Logs

•Gamma Ray log
•Self Potential (SP) log
•Caliber log

Porosity Logs
•Density log
•Sonic log
•Neutron log

Electrical Logs
•Resistivity Log
 Natural/Spectral

Permeability and lithology Logs

Gamma Ray Log (GR) Gamma

Potassium

Ray Uranium

• Measures the radioactivity of the Detector

Thorium

formation and evaluation of

radioactive minerals, such as
potassium and uranium deposits in
clay rocks, like shale.

• Gamma ray penetrates steel,

hence log can be run in cased
holes.

• The log has robust

lithostratigraphic indicator that can
be used for correlation and facies
studies.
• Unaffected by fluids
• Evaluation of shale content.
Evaluation of the shale content

Where;
V(sh)= shale volume (%), GR(log)= GR
value from log,
GR(max)=GR value from log at shale
line, GR(min)= GR value from log at
sand line
 Permeability and lithology Logs

Spontaneous Potential (SP) Log

• Measuring the difference in electrical

potential between two electrodes, a
grounded electrode and an electrode
on the sonde (logging tool).
• The SP log is similar in shape to GR log
(but does not identify thin beds), and
both can be used alternatively for
correlation purposes.
• If the fluid is better conductor than the
drilling mud/salt water, the curve will
deflect to the left.
• If the fluid is poor conductor (fresh water
or oil), it will deflect to the right.
 Self potential (SP) LOG

• SP is developed in wells drilled with conducting mud.

• It is function of ratio of the mud and formation water
salinity.
• Esp = - log Rmf / Rw
• Negative SP means Rmf > Rw & Positive SP when Rmf <
Rw
• SP anomalies are seen against porous & permeable
beds.
• No SP develops when Rmf = Rw.
• SP log is used to estimate formation water salinity &
Vsh.

Rmf Mud filtrate

 Caliper log Permeability and lithology Logs

• The logging system provides a

continuous recording of borehole
diameter versus depth.

• Used in both soft and hard formations,

run in uncased wells.

• The log significant;

• Determine hole and casing diameter,
• Locate caved zones,
• Recognition of mud cake

When a hole diameter < the bit size is an

indicator of permeability.
 Porosity logs

• Formation Density Log (ρb)

• Neutron Log (ΦN)

• Sonic (Acoustic) Log (ΔT)

 Porosity log-

Density Log

• The log measures the bulk density of the formation,

by tool contains a radioactive source emitting gamma
rays.

• Measure how much radiation returns to a sensor and

that controlled by rock density, porosity, composition
of the formation and fluids.

• The use is to determine a value of porosity.

• useful in the detection of gas-bearing formations and

recognition of evaporites.
Density Log
Scale = 0.1

Add the value from left to right

Or subtract from right to left
 Porosity log-
Neutron Log
• The log design from the fact, hydrogen
atom is consist of proton and electron
it is needful to the neutron.
• Using a radioactive source emitting
neutrons which is collide with the
hydrogen nuclei of the formation
material.
• The amount of returning radiation will
show the total of the lost, a dry layer
will reject all the neutron and if it is
contain a fluids the lost will be more.
• Gas field discovered by the neutron
Log (when the density is low compare
with other Logs for the water and oil).
 • A chemical course generates
Neutron Log neutrons that scatter into the
formation.
• Hydrogen nuclei slow neutrons
down and various elements
capture these slowed
Neutron neutrons.
Source
• When a neutron is captured, a
gamma ray is emitted.
Slowing • Slowed neutrons and/or
of
capture gamma rays are
Neutrons
detected at each of the two
detectors.
Near
Detector • Typically, the only hydrogen in
the formation is in water and
Far hydrocarbons.
Detector
• The use of two detectors
allows compensation for
borehole effects.
Uses:
Neutron Porosity
• With formation density to determine
porosity
• With density to determine rock type
via cross-plot
• With density, crossover indicates
presence of gas
• Normalized count rates from the near
and far detectors can be used to
distinguish gas from oil.

making neutron logs difficult to

interpret.
Neutron
Source

Slowing
of
Neutrons

Near
Detector
Far
Detector
 Porosity log-
Sonic (acoustic) Log
• Continuous record of the specific time required
versus depth for a compressed wave to travel
through a given distance of formation in the
borehole.

• The acoustic travel time in a formation depends

upon lithology and porosity, the more dense the
lower the travel time (∆t) because sound waves
travel through the rock it self rather than the mud

• The use to estimation of porosity (primary) and

the calibration of regional seismic data.
 Sonic Log

∆t log = Reading from sonic log in

µs/ft

∆t ma =Transit time of matrix material

∆t f = fluid velocity ~189 s/ft.

 Resistivity Log

Electrical Logs

•Used in exploration for water, minerals,hydrocarbons.

•The electrical tools is to calculate

•The water saturation of a reservoir formation

•Electrical conductivity or resistivity of the materials and

directing signature for hydrocarbon.
 Resistivity Log

• Resistivity of the material is resistant in ohms of a unit

cube, (ohms/S) or (ohms/M)

• Most of the rocks are porous and moisture (sandstone),

and other are compacted which they are containing
moisture in the component minerals (granite)

• Resistivity decrease with increase in the moisture content

and for rock with low moisture content resistivity
determined by the component minerals.

• Weathered rocks has lower resistivity than fresh.

 Types of Resistivity

• Micro for saturated zone

• Shallow for transition zone

• Deep for the zone which is

not effected by drilling mud
 Resistivity Log
Micro: red Deep: black Shallow: blue
M= Micro saturated zone
S=Shallow for transition zone
D= Deep for the zone which is not effected by drilling mud

M<S<D
Saline water
M>S>D
Fresh water
M<S<<D
Petroleum

Dry layer when they shows overlap

between them

When the D and M only overlapping that

give an idea about the reservoir
 Developments in Logging Tools

• Electrical Resistivity Log

• SP Log
• Induction Log
• Latero Log
• Gamma Ray Log
• Sonic Log
• Neutron Log
• Formation Density Log
• Dipmeter Log
• Electromagnetic Propagation Log (EPT)
• Formation Micro Scanner / Imager
• Nuclear Magnetism Log (CMR / MRIL)
• Shear Wave Log
• Elemental Capture Spectroscopy (ECS)
• Imaging tools
 Applications of Wire line logs

Gamma Ray Log - Formation Natural radioactivity

SP Log - Formation potential
Caliper Log - Size and Shape of the hole
Resistivity Log - Voltage, hence Resistivity By passing Current
Induction Log - Induced secondary current . Propositional to conductivity
Laterolog Log - Voltage, hence Resistivity By passing Current focused
Sonic Log - Acoustic travel Time
Density Log - Energy loss between a radioactive emitting source & return
of gamma to detector. Loss of energy is collision of gamma
rays with electrons in the formation. Electron density is
propositional to bulk density
Neutron Logs - Neutron source bombards the formation and resultant
scattering & neutron deceleration. It dependent Formation
Hydrogen content.
Dip meter log - Comparison of three or six identical micro Resistivity devices.
Cement bond Log- Acoustic velocity
FMI, CMRI, VSP etc… are other special logs
Imaging tool Micro-resistivity

• Structural dips
• Sedimentary dips
• Rock texture
• Microfacies
• Reservoir modelling
• Stress analysis
• Borehole stability
 Elemental measurements

• Lithology Elements Measured

• Clay typing – Carbon
• Clay quantification – Oxygen
• Chemo-stratigraphy – Silicon
• Permeability – Calcium
– Hydrogen
– Chlorine
– Iron
– Sulfur
– Gadolinium
– Titanium
– Potassium
 Elemental Measurement

Elements Measured
Inelastic Capture Remarks

Hydrogen Fluid
Carbon
Oxygen
Silicon Silicon
Calcium Calcium
Chlorine large x-section
Iron Tool, csg, mineral
Sulfur
Gadolinium Clays
Titanium
Potassium B/h fluids, clays
Tool Responds to Rock Matrix Barium Barite mud
Tool Bg Tool Bg Tool materials
Tool response is insensitive to:
– mud weight
– fluid type: gas, oil, water
– borehole size and rugosity
 Carbon-Oxygen Logging

• Saturation independent of Rw (Water Salinity)

• Reservoir Monitoring
• Locating By-passed oil
• Injection profile monitoring