Various methods of well

logging
 Well log (The Bore Hole Image)

What is well Logging

Ø Well log is a continuous record of measurement made in bore

hole respond to variation in physical properties of rocks
through which the bore hole is drilled.

Ø Well logging means continuous recording of a physical

parameter of the formation with depth.
Logging Tool

• An electronic instrument containing sensors and processing

circuitry for data acquisition and transmission.
• The logging tool is lowered into the wellbore by means of the
logging cable or wireline.
• The wireline also connects the logging tool electrically to the
surface computer system.
• The surface computer records, processes and plots these data as a
function of well depth and produces what is called a “log” or “well
log”.
• This is normally called the Wireline Logging Technique
A schematic below shows a well logging setup
 Various types of Well Logging

A. Electrical logging
a. Resistivity logging
b. Spontaneous Potential logging

B. Radiation logging (Also known as Nuclear or Radioactive Logging)

a. Gamma logging ( or natural Gamma logging)
b. Gamma Gamma logging (Density Log) Log
c. Neutron logging

C. Caliper logging
A. Electrical Logging
a. Resistivity Log
• Resistivity logs record the resistance of interstitial fluids to the flow of an
electric current,
• Earth resistivity may be measured in a bore hole by lowering two current
electrodes and measuring the resistivity between two potential electrodes.
• Current is applied through the current electrode.
• Resistivity logging is made only in the uncased bore holes.

b. Self Potential (Spontaneous Potential)

The principal sources of spontaneous potential are.
§ Electrochemical potential,
§ streaming potential
• No external source of electric current is connected to this circuit
• The downhole electrode is usually –ve with respect to the surface
electrode.
• As the downhole electrode is moved up and down in the borehole,
the meter registers variation in spontaneous potentials of the
different formations.
• A curve showing these potential plotted against depth provides
what is called the SP log.
• SP log is used primarily as a lithology indicator and as a correlation
tool.
• SP logging is made only in the uncased bore holes.
B. Radiation Logging
(Also known as Nuclear or Radioactive Logging)

Generally two types:

i) Measures the natural radioactivity
ii ) Detects radiation reflected from or induced in the
formation from an artificial source

a. Gamma logging (Natural-gamma logging)

b. Gamma-gamma logging (Density Log)
c. Neutron logging
a. Gamma Logging
• The gamma ray measures the natural radioactivity of the rocks, and does
not measure any hydrocarbon or water present within the rocks
• It measures the radiation emitting from naturally occurring unstable
isotopes of U, Th, and K.
• It is also known as shale log.
• GR log reflects shale formation.
• In general the natural gamma activity of clay formation is significantly
higher than that of sandstone, gypsum, salt, coal, and carbonate rock.
• GR log replaces the SP log, especially where the SP is not diagnostic.
• Clean formations have low radioactivity level.
• GR log can be run in both open and cased hole.
• The most important application to ground water hydrology is identification
of lithology particularly shale formation.
 b. Gamma Gamma/Density Log
• The density or gamma gamma log is used to determine porosity.
• In this log, artificial gamma rays from a Cobalt-60 or Cesium-137
sources are used.
• The gamma rays penetrate the formation and collide with electron
clouds in the minerals in the rock.
• Density logs measure the bulk electron density of the formation.
• The bulk density is defined as weight of rock divided by total volume of the
rock including porosity.
• Gamma gamma radiations increases with decreasing bulk density that
means increasing porosity.
• In general higher the density lower the porosity will be.
Ø The main result is that
§ a porous formation will have many returning
gamma rays, while
§ a nonporous formation will have few returning
gamma rays.
c. Neutron Logging

• In neutron log a chemical source such as Americium- Beryllium/Neutron

bulb which provides the emission of neutrons as continuous source of
energy is used.
• the neutron log is obtained by recording the number of neutrons
impinging on a detector mounted some distance from a constant neutron
source in the borehole.
• Neutron Logs measure the amounts of hydrogen ions present in a rock,
and can be used to measure porosity.

• Neutron logs locate porous zones and determine the amount liquid filled
porosity.
• This is done by bombarding the formation with neutrons, and determining
how many become “captured” by the hydrogen nuclei.
a. Caliper Logging

• The mechanical logging device consists of probe with 1 to 4 adjustable legs

that can sense the diameter of the bore hole.
• Provides a record of average hole diameter of a borehole

Applications

Knowing the exact diameter of the borehole, we can determine

• The amount of borehole erosion that has taken place during drilling
• Presence of swelling clays or resistant sandstone layers
• Fracture patterns in lime stone or sand stone
• Volume of filter pack or cement grout required for well completion
• Position of casing welds or joints
 Applications of well logging
• The primary objective of logging usually is to evaluate the
productive potential of reservoir sands.
• depth to lithological boundaries
• lithology identification
• minerals grade/quality
• inter-borehole correlation
• structure mapping
• rock strength
• fracture frequency
• porosity and permeability
• fluid salinity