Lecture Presentation

PGE368
Fall 2001 Semester
December 5 and 7

Fundamentals of
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Logging

Carlos Torres-Verdn, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
 Bedding scale Well logs
Stratum scale
Core plug scale
Pore scale
 SPIN MAGNETIZATION

H
S Hydrogen
Proton
 PRECESSION
Bo Bo

Parallel
100,006

Larmor Precession Antiparallel

100,000
Hz B
freq. = 4258 o
Gauss
 ELEMENTAL NMR RESPONSE

Nucleus 2 Natural Relative

[most common (Hz/Gauss ) I abundance sensitivity
applications in log & (%)
core analysis]
1
H 4257.59 1/2 99.99 1.000
[core and log]
2
H 653.57 1 0.015 0.0097
[aqueous phase]
13
C 1070.5 1/2 1.10 0.0159
[need high freq.]
19
F 4005.5 1/2 100.00 0.833
[nonwetting phase]
23
Na 11.26 3/2 100.00 0.0925
[salinity]
TRANSVERSAL TIPPING
TRANSVERSAL TIPPING and PROTON PRECESSION

LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE RELAXATION

T1 Buildup
T2
Decay

Time
TE TW

Q Two primary parameters that control NMR

logging, TE and TW .
BASIC NMR INSTRUMENTATION COMPONENTS

N
A time-constant magnetic B0
field used to polarize the

spins
S
B1
A time-varying RF
magnetic field to excite
the spins

A magnetic receptor to
measured the spin
response
 COMMERCIAL NMR WIRELINE TOOLS

MRIL CMR

Magnet

B0

B1

Gradient field vs. Homogeneous B0

LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE RELAXATION

T2
T1

TW

Tw= wait time TE

TE= inter-echo time
T1= Longitudinal magnetization build up
T2= Transverse magnetization decay
 T1 BUILD-UP OF OILS

T1 Buildup
1
0.2 cP
0.9
0.4 cP
0.8
0.6 cP
0.7 0.8 cP
% Polarization

0.6 1 cP

0.5 2 cP

0.4 4 cP

Water (512 m)
0.3
Water (256 ms)
0.2
Water (64 ms)
0.1
Water (16 ms)
0

12.5
10.5

11.5

13.5

14.5
0.5

2.5

3.5

5.5

6.5

7.5

9.5
1.5

4.5

8.5

10

13

14
11

12

15
1

8
2

9
0

Time (sec.)
TRANSVERSE RELAXATION
Amplitude Decay Explanation
Gradient Field and Diffusion

B0+B0 B0 B0B0
M

T1

T
2

f+f f f-f Time

Diffusion during the pulse sequence causes a reduction
in signal amplitude with time and decreases T2.
 Elements of T2 Decay

(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)

Surface Relaxivity Pore Surface Area to Volume Ratio

1 S 1 1
= + +
T2 V T2b T2D

Bulk Fluid Relaxivity Diffusion Decay

 Primary Controls on T2 Decay
(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)

Pore Size & Geometry

Wettability Pore Fluid Viscosity

1 S 1 1
= + +
T2 V T2b T2D
et ics
gn
Ma
Pore Mineralogy Pore Fluid Diffusivity
Magnetic Field Gradient
Inter-Echo Spacing (TE)
 T2 Decay and Pore Size
(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)
100

Small Pore Size = Rapid Decay Rate

Echo Amplitude (pu)

80
Large Pore Size = Slow Decay Rate

60

40

20

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500

Time (ms)
Single Exponential Decay
y = por . e - t / T2

Incremental (pu)
y = por . e -t/256
Amplitude (y)

256
ms y = por . e -t/64

y = por . e -t/16

64ms

16 ms
16 64 256

t T2 (ms)
Multi-exponential Decay

= por . e - t / T2
= 30p.u.

Incremental (pu)
y = 5 . e -t/16
t/16 + 10 . e -t/64
t/64 + 15 . e -t/256
t/256

256
ms

15
64 ms
10

5
16 ms
16 64 256

t T2 (ms)
 T2 RELAXATION AND PORE SIZE

Clay Silt Fine Coarse

T2 ms
0.5 1.0 10 100 1,000

Clay Domain Sand Domain

2 = 1 m/s 2 = 5m/s
Water-Wet Hydrocarbon-Bearing Rock Formation

Wilcox Sand
Oklahoma City

1 cm
Clay

Close-Up
Effect of Pore Size on T2 Spectra
(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)
Micro-Pores Small Pores Large Pores

T2 Spectra @ Sw = 1.0
2.00

Incremental Porosity [pu]

NMR = 25 pu Formation A

Formation A (Low-k) 1.50 Formation B

T2 Cut-off
1.00

BVI = 10 pu BVM = 15 pu

0.50

Formation B (high-k)
0.00
0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000. 10000.

BVI = 6 pu BVM = 19 pu T2 [msec]

 Surface Relaxivity and T2 Decay

Controls on Surface Relaxivity

Pore surface mineralogy
Para, ferri, and ferro-magnetic ions (e.g., Fe3+, Mn2+)
Wettability
Effects of Variations (Wetting Phase Only)
Higher results in faster T2 Decay
Lower results in slower T2 Decay
 Surface Relaxivity and T2 Decay
(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)

Low (Carbonates)
High (Clastics)
NMR porosity

Incremental Porosity [pu]

2.00
Echo Amplitude [pu]

1.50

1.00

0.50

0.00
0.1 1.0 10. 100. 1000. 10000.

Time [ms] T2 [ms]

Surface Relaxivity and T2 Decay
2-phase Fluid System, Wetting Phase
@ Irreducible Saturation
Low (Carbonates)
High (Clastics)
NMR porosity

Incremental Porosity [pu]

2.00
Echo Amplitude [pu]

1.50

1.00

0.50

0.00
0.1 1.0 10. 100. 1000. 10000.

Time [ms] T2 [ms]

Effect of Magnetic Ions on T2 Decay

The presence of Para, ferri, and ferro-magnetic ions (e.g., Fe3+, Mn2+)
will increase and produce internal magnetic field gradients which
attenuate echo amplitudes due to accelerated diffusion decay (T2D).
Mineral Constituents with Low Magnetic Susceptibility
Mineral Constituents with High Magnetic Susceptibility
Echo Amplitude [pu]

2.00
NMR porosity

Incr. Porosity [pu]

1.50

1.00

0.50

0.00
0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000. 10000.
Time [ms] T2 [ms]
Basic NMR Field Deliverable
Resistivity &
GR T2 Spectra Pore Volumetrics
Permeability
Formation Tester Data and NMR Data
Patagonia Example
Patagonia
Example
Patagonia
Example
China Example
Venezuela
Example
Petrophysical Applications of NMR Data

X Mineralogically-Independent Porosities (Total & Effective)

X Clay-Bound Water Volume
X Capillary-Bound Water & Free Fluid Volumes
X Pore Size Distribution (Single Phase Fluid Saturation)
X Permeability (With calibration to core or test data)
X Shale Volume & Distribution
X Flushed Zone Fluid Saturations (DTW analysis)
X Hydrocarbon Viscosity (DTE analysis)
X Electrical Properties & Water Saturation (Integrated Products)
Basic MRIL Field Deliverable
Resistivity &
GR T2 Spectra Pore Volumetrics
Permeability
 Basic NMR Data
NMR measurements provide:
X Echo Amplitudes
X Echo Decay Rates
Calibrated transforms provide:
X Mineralogically Independent Porosities.
X Clay Bound Water
X Capillary Bound Water & Free Fluid Volumes
X Permeability
Echo Train Inversion Processing

NMR porosity

Incremental Porosity [pu]

2.00 16.0

Cumulative Porosity [pu]

Echo Amplitude [pu]

multi-exponential fit 14.0

to spin-echo amplitudes
1.50 12.0

10.0

1.00 8.0

6.0

0.50 4.0

2.0

0.00 0.0
0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000. 10000.

Time [msec] T2 [msec]

Inversion
Acquisition Time Domain T2 Relaxation Time Domain
Processing
NMR Porosity Definitions

X Effective - Pore volume excluding clay bound water.

X Total - Pore volume including clay bound water.

X CBW - Clay bound water, which represents anion-free
water adsorbed within clay inter-layers.
X BVI - Bulk volume irreducible water which includes
water retained by capillary forces in small pores, and
water wetting pore surfaces.
X BVM - Free-fluid volume which is available for
hydrocarbon storage and fluid flow.
 MRIL Porosity - Test Pit Verification

Echo Amplitude Complete Echo Fit Results BVM Fit Results

Limestone Block Berea Sandstone Block

20
25
core = 25.5% core = 20.3%
MRIL = 26.25 pu MRIL = 19.82 pu

Echo Amplitude
Echo Amplitude

20 15
BVM = 20.30 pu BVM = 15.61 pu
15
BVI = 5.95 pu BVI = 4.21 pu
10
Echo Spacing of 1.75 ms Echo Spacing of 1.5 ms
10

5 5

0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150 0 15 30 45 60 75 90 105 120 135 150

Time (ms) Time (ms)
 Mineralogy-Independent Porosity

Gulf of Mexico Sandstone Middle East Carbonate

20 0.3

18
0.25
16

MRIL Porosity (frac.)

MRIL Porosity ( %)

14
0.2
12

10 0.15

8
0.1
6

4
0.05
2

0 0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
Core Porosity (%) Core Porosity (frac.)
Porosity Considerations
Although NMR porosity is mineralogically
Independent, it is not fluid independent.
NMR porosity can be too low when :
Hydrogen Index of reservoir fluids < 1.0
Reservoir fluids with long T1 are only partially
polarized due to insufficient acquisition wait time (TW)
Solid hydrocarbons (tar) are present with relaxation
rates faster than the measurement time window
Internal gradients caused from magnetic minerals
accelerate NMR echo decay to below measurement
time window
T2 Decay and Pore Size
(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)
Pore Volumetric Distribution

NMR Porosity T2 Cutoffs

Incremental Porosity (pu)

20
4.00 4.00

15 T2 Decay 3.00 3.00

Amplitude
Echo

2.00 2.00
10 Transform
1.00 1.00
5

CBW BVI BVM

0.00 0.00
0 15 30 45 60 75 105 120 135 150
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000
90

Time (ms) T2 Decay (ms)

Clay- Capillary
Matrix Dry Mobile
Bound Bound Hydrocarbon
Clay Water Water
Water
Bulk Volumetrics - Light HC

Clay- Capillary-
Matrix
Dry Mobile Mobile Res.
Clay Bound Bound HC
Water HC
Water Water

MCBW MBVI MBVM

MPHE

MPHS
Effect of Oil Saturation & T2 Spectra

Water Bulk Oil

Sw = 0%
Oil
Sw = 34%

Sw = 57%

Sw = 76%

Sw = 100%

T2
Adapted from Straley et al, Log Analyst (Jan. 1995)
T2 Decay in a 2-Phase System

Wetting Phase Relaxivity

1 S S 1 1
= + (Sw ) +
T2bwater V V T2bwater T2Dwater

Non-Wetting Phase Relaxivity

1 1 1
= +
T2hc T2bhc T2Dhc
T2 Spectra for Various Fluid Types

Gas

Oil

Water
Effect of Pore Size on T2 Spectra
(2-Phases with Wetting Phase Saturation @ Irreducible)
Micro-Pores Small Pores Large Pores

T2 Spectra @ Sw = Swir
2.00

Incremental Porosity [pu]

NMR = 25 pu Formation A

Formation A (Low-k) 1.50 Formation B

T2 Cut-off
1.00

BVI = 10 pu BVM = 15 pu

0.50

Formation B (high-k)
0.00
0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000. 10000.

BVI = 6 pu BVM = 19 pu T2 [msec]

 Default T2 Cut-off Values

Sandstones : 33 msec Carbonates : 92 msec

4.00 4.00
Incremental Porosity (pu)

3.00 T2 Cut-off 3.00

2.00 2.00

1.00 1.00

CBW BVI BVM

0.00 0.00
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000
T 2 [msec]
Core - Calibration Process

Core NMR Data Capillary Pressure Data

Calibrate BVI Model

Calibrate Permeability Model Core Perm Data

T2 Cut-off from Core NMR

- Obtain two core NMR measurements at:

Sw = 1.0
Sw = Swir (obtained with centrifuging)

- Determine T2 cut-off where the terminal

cumulative porosity @ Sw = Swir is equal
to the cumulative porosity @ Sw = 1.0.
 T2 Cut-offs from Core NMR

15

T2 cut-off Sw = 1.0
(Sxo = 1.0)
Cumulative (pu)

10
Sw (oil-brine) = Swir
BVI
Sw (air-brine) = Swir
5

T2 cut-off (Sxo = Swi)

0
0 2 4
10 10 10
T2 (ms)
T2 Cut-offs from Core NMR

T2 vs. Cumulative Porosity T2 vs. Incremental Porosity

25.0 3.0
(pu)

T2 cut-off T2 cut-off
Porosity (pu)

(pu)
(Sxo = Swir)
2.5

Porosity(pu)
20.0 (Sxo = Swir)
CumulativePorosity

IncrementalPorosity
T2 cut-off 2.0
15.0 (Sxo = 1.0)
T2 cut-off
(Sxo = 1.0)
1.5
Cumulative

10.0

Incremental
BVI 1.0
5.0 0.5
0.0 0.0
0.1 1.0 10.0 100.0 1000.0 10000.0 0.1 1.0 10.0 100.0 1000.0 10000.0
T2 (ms) T2 (ms)

100% Water Saturated De-Saturated with Isotek 100% Water Saturated De-Saturated with Isotek
De-Saturated with Air De-Saturated with Air
T2 Cut-off from Pc & Log NMR Data

NMR Post-Processing
Capillary Pressure Data
T2 cutoff

Pc
BVI BVM
4 8 16 32 64 128 256 512
0 100
Sw (%) T2 (ms)
Swircore
Cumulative Log
NMR Porosity

BVIcore

100 T2 (ms) 103

Integrated Petrophysical Analysis Results

Rock Resistivity & Fluid Pore T2

Volume Permeability Saturation Volume Spectra
NMR Permeability Models
Kenyon Model:
a T Geo. Mean b
k= C NMR 2

Coates-Timur Model :
a BVM b
k =
NMR

C BVI
Where assumed default parameters are: C =10, a = 4 & b = 2

Note: These models will produce a permeability index

unless explicitly calibrated to local reservoir data.
NMR Permeability Models

Kenyon Model:
a b

k= C NMR T2 Geo. Mean

Where default parameters are: C =10, a = 4 & b = 2

 Kenyon Model - Ideal Conditions
(Wetting Phase Saturation = 100%)
Micro-Pores Small Pores Large Pores

T2 Spectra @ Sw = 1.0
2.00

Incremental Porosity [pu]

NMR = 25 pu Formation A

Formation A (Low-k) 1.50 Formation B

T2 Cut-off
1.00

BVI = 10 pu BVM = 15 pu

0.50

Formation B (high-k)
0.00
0.1 1. 10. 100. 1000. 10000.

BVI = 6 pu BVM = 19 pu T2 [msec]

Permeability from NMR

Generalized Coates-Timur Model:

1 - Swir a b
k= C S
wir

This model is designed to compute the effective (non-wetting

phase) permeability model based on the lower permeability
boundary condition which is controlled by the ratio of non-
wetting phase (1-Swir) to wetting phase (Swir) saturation .
Permeability from NMR

Coates-Timur Model (NMR version):

NMR
a b
BVM
k = C BVI
Where default parameters are: C =10, a = 4 & b = 2
 BVI Dependence on Capillary
Pressure/Height above FWL
T2 Distributions at Partial Saturations
2.00
Incremental Porosity (%)

1.50

100%
Saturated

1.00

0.50

25 psi

50 psi

200 psi 100 psi

0.00
0.10 1.00 10.00 100.00 1000.00 10000.00

T2 (ms)
 BVI Dependence on Capillary
Pressure/Height above FWL

18

16

14
NMR Predicted BVI (%)

12
Capillary Drainage Curve
10

8
Calibration Pc
6
BVI at calibration Pc
4

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450
Capillary Pressure (psi)
Coates-Timur Permeability vs. Column Height

NMR NMR BVI

4 2
NMR = 20 pu
k =


kabsolute = 256 md 10 BVI
Capillary Pressure T2 Spectra Coates-Timur Permeability
250
BVI = 4 pu
k = (20/10)4 (16/4)2 = 256 md
200
BVI = 4.3 pu
k = (20/10)4 (15.7/4.3)2 = 213 md
150
Pc (psi)

BVI = 5 pu k = (20/10)4 (15/5)2 = 144 md

100
BVI = 6 pu k = (20/10)4 (14/6)2 = 87 md
50

0
0 20 40 60 80 1001 10 100 1000
Sw (%) T2 (ms)
T2 Cut-off @ Reference Pc
 Limitations of Coates-Timur
Permeability Model

Application of the model is predicated on assumption that

the porosity is all interconnected, and that pore throat
diameter sytematically increases proportional to an increase
in the magnitude of the bulk free fluid volume (BVM).

Computed permeability may systematically increase as a

function of increasing height above free water level. This
effect is most likely to occur for lower quality reservoirs with
highly sloped capillary pressure curves, but should not be
an issue for very high permeability reservoirs where
capillary presure curves are near-asymptotic.

Model Losses sensitivity at very high permeabilities where

irreducible water saturation is on the asymptote of the
capillary pressure curve, and porosity doesnt increase
relative to increased pore size and/or pore throat size.
 Calibration of Coates-Timur
Permeability Model

Local calibration of model fitting parameters (C, a & b) are

necessary to account for variations in the complexity and
connectivity of the pore system, which control the
permeability and its correlation to the bulk pore volumetric
elements of which model is strictly comprised.

Multi-linear regression can be employed to solve for the the

formation-specific fitting parameters (C, m & n) when
reference permeability data from core or formation tests are
available.

Minimum error analysis can also be employed to solve for

an optimum value of the porosity denominator C while
holding parameters a and b constant at default values.
Multiple Water Saturation Models

Shale-Free Conductance Model

Archie

Laminated Shale Conductance Model

Poupon-Leveaux (Indonesian)

Double-Layer Dispersed Clay Conductance Models

Waxman-Smits

Dual-Water

Mixed Dispersed-Clay / Laminar-Shale Conductance Model

Patchett-Herrick
Waxman- Smits Water Saturation Model

Waxman-Smits Model:

C
Ct = w n* + B Q
S
w v Sw
F* F*
Where, F* is the Total Formation Resistivity
Factor, and Qv = Total Qv
Patchett-Herrick Water Saturation Model

Patchett-Herrick Model:
C
B Qv
Ct = (1 - Vsh) w Swn* + S
w + (Vsh Csh)
F* F*

Where, Vsh = Laminar Shale Volume, F* is the

Formation Resistivity Factor of the Sand layers,
and Qv = Qv of Dispersed Shale in Sand Layers
Core-Calibrated Analyses Results

Rock Permeability & Fluid Porosity T2

Volumetrics Resistivity Saturations Volumetrics Spectra
 Highly Laminated Example

Rock Resistivity & Fluid Pore T2

Volume Permeability Saturation Volume Spectra
Original
Perfs

800
BOPD

Added
Perfs

733
BOPD
Acknowledgements:

Baker Atlas
Schlumberger