Chapter 5

Determination of Rw

Lecture notes for PET 370

Spring 2012
Prepared by: Thomas W. Engler,
Ph.D., P.E.
 Determination of Rw
Methods

1. Archie’s Equation
Ro
a. if water zone is present. R 
w F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots
2. Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
 SSP 
 
 k 
Rwe  Rmfe *10

5. Guess?
Determination of Rw
Preliminary Concepts

Total conductivity is influenced by:

– porosity
– water saturation
– salinity
– salt composition Water
conductivity
– temperature
– shale content
– metallic minerals; e.g., pyrite

C w Snw
Ct   X sh  X met
F
Determination of Rw
Preliminary Concepts

Temperature Effects
ionic conductivity - as temp. increases the
conductivity increases. Why?

Salinity Effects
As salinity increases the conductivity will
increase.

Solution ppm NaCl resistivity,-m

oil or gas - 1.0 E6
Potable water 500 10.0
Fresh mud filtrate < 5,000 1.0 - 5.0
Sea water 35,000 0.2
Salt mud filtrate 75,000 0.1
Saturated salt water 250,000 0.04
Determination of Rw
How to determine formation temperature?
During logging operations record the maximum temperature
(TTD) at the bottom of the well (DTD).
Assume a linear geothermal gradient, (gG), {deg.F/100 ft}
TEMPERATURE
Ta To
Region of Diurnal and
Annual Variations

100’

gG
{F/100’}
DEPTH

Tf, Df

Df
Tf  (TTD  To )  To
D TD
TTD, DTD
Determination of Rw
How to determine formation temperature?

Near surface temperature, (To), is given regionally by:

Gulf Coast 80 deg. F
Oklahoma 60
California 60
Permian Basin 60
Rocky Mtns. 50
Alberta 35
Determination of Rw
How to determine formation temperature?
Location To, C
Ankara, Turkey 6.7
Aswan, Egypt 26.7
Aberdeen, Scotland 8.9
Bogota, Columbia 14.3
Bombay, India 27.1
Calgary, Alberta 5.4
Caracas, Venezuela 20.5
Changha, China 18.0
Gabon, Africa 26.0
Great Yarmouth, England 8.9

Location To, C
Jakarta, Indonesia 26.7
Lima, Peru 20.0
Mendoza, Argentina 16.0
Natal, Brazil 23.0
Perth, Australia 18.0
Prince George, B.C. 3.6
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil 23.0
Santa Cruz, Bolivia 15.0
Siberia (west), Russia -4.0
Trinidad, W.I. 29.7
Determination of Rw
How to determine resistivity at Tf?

Courtesy of Schlumberger
 Determination of Rw
Methods

1. Archie’s Equation
Ro
a. if water zone is present. R 
w F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots
2. Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
 SSP 
 
 k 
Rwe  Rmfe *10

5. Guess?
Determination of Rw
Direct measurement

Obtain water sample and corresponding temperature.

Representative sample:
Pumping well with high WOR
Flowing well with high WOR
Drill stem test

Not Useful:
Flowing well with high GOR
Condensate - gas well
Well with casing leak
Tank bottoms
Determination of Rw
How to determine resistivity if a chemical
composition is available?

Calculate equivalent NaCl concentration by

using ion multipliers.

Use salinity - temperature - resistivity

relationships to find Rw.

Example
Ion ppm multiplier Equiv NaCl
ppm
Na+ and Cl- 25,000 1.00 25,000
CO3- 2,000 0.42 840
SO4++ 5,000 0.40 2,000
HCO3- 10,000 0.23 2,300
Mg++ 4,000 0.93 3,720
TDS = 46,000 33,860

T = 200 deg. F => Rw = ohm-m

Determination of Rw
How to determine resistivity if a chemical
composition is available?

Empirical Ion Multiplier Chart

Schlumberger
 Determination of Rw
Methods

1. Archie’s Equation
Ro
a. if water zone is present. R 
w F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots
2. Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
 SSP 
 
 k 
Rwe  Rmfe *10

5. Guess?
 Determination of Rw
Rwa Technique
Requirements:
1. Rw is constant
2. Lithology is constant
3. A water zone exists and is identifiable
Procedure:
Rearrange Archie' s Equation :
S2 R
Rw  w t
F
If in a water zone (Sw = 100%), then
R t (orR o )
Rw 
F
If in a HC zone, the F relationship is the same
but the Rt will increase; thus
Rt
R wa =
F
Calculate for a series of zones, find :
R w  R wa ( minimum )
Determine water saturation by :
Rw
Sw 
R wa
Determination of Rw
Rwa Technique Example
Determination of Rw
Rwa Technique Example
Strawn Sandstone Evaluation Rwa Approach

average Rwa = Sw =
1/2
Interval Ca, mmho/m Rt, ohm-m t,microsec/ft porosity F Rt/F (Rw/Rwa)
3562-64 110 9.1 65 0.097 85.9 0.106 0.942 tight
3564-66 90 11.1 76 0.179 25.4 0.438 0.463 pay
3566-68 90 11.1 71 0.143 39.5 0.281 0.578 pay
3568-70 100 10.0 62 0.072 155.1 0.064 1.000 tight
3570-72 125 8.0 70 0.136 43.9 0.182 0.718 tight/wet
3572-74 130 7.7 76 0.179 25.4 0.303 0.557 pay
3574-76 125 8.0 72 0.151 35.7 0.224 0.648 wet
3576-78 125 8.0 68 0.121 55.6 0.144 0.808 tight
3578-80 120 8.3 70 0.136 43.9 0.190 0.704 wet
3580-82 115 8.7 71 0.143 39.5 0.220 0.653 wet
3582-84 115 8.7 70.5 0.140 41.6 0.209 0.671 wet
3584-86 120 8.3 72 0.151 35.7 0.233 0.635 wet
3586-88 120 8.3 71 0.143 39.5 0.211 0.667 wet
3588-90 130 7.7 71 0.143 39.5 0.195 0.695 wet
3590-92 145 6.9 73 0.158 32.6 0.212 0.666 wet
3592-94 200 5.0 70 0.136 43.9 0.114 0.908 shaly
3594-96 270 3.7 75 0.172 27.4 0.135 0.834 shaly
3596-98 280 3.6 74.5 0.168 28.6 0.125 0.867 shaly
3598-3600 260 3.8 71 0.143 39.5 0.097 0.982 wet
3600-02 280 3.6 73 0.158 32.6 0.110 0.926 wet
3602-04 320 3.1 75 0.172 27.4 0.114 0.908 wet
3604-06 355 2.8 74 0.165 29.8 0.094 0.997 wet
3606-08 360 2.8 76 0.179 25.4 0.110 0.926 wet
3608-10 350 2.9 75 0.172 27.4 0.104 0.950 wet
3610-12 340 2.9 74 0.165 29.8 0.099 0.976 wet
3612-14 350 2.9 74 0.165 29.8 0.096 0.990 wet
3614-16 325 3.1 74 0.165 29.8 0.103 0.954 wet
3616-18 275 3.6 72 0.151 35.7 0.102 0.961 wet
3618-20 200 5.0 73 0.158 32.6 0.154 0.782 wet
3620-22 120 8.3 66 0.105 73.3 0.114 0.909 wet

Rw=0.094

depth h  Sw h hSw
3564-66 2 0.179 0.463 0.358 0.166
3566-68 2 0.143 0.578 0.286 0.165
3572-74 2 0.179 0.557 0.358 0.199
6 1.002 0.530

average porosity in pay zones = 0.167 Area = 40 acres

average Sw in pay zones = 0.529 Boi = 1.5 rbbl/stb

OIP = 97,551 stb

 Determination of Rw
Methods

1. Archie’s Equation
Ro
a. if water zone is present. R 
w F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots
2. Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
 SSP 
 
 k 
Rwe  Rmfe *10

5. Guess?
Determination of Rw
Resistivity – Porosity Crossplots

Pickett Plot
Rearrange Archie’s Equation:
log R t  m log   log(aR w )  n log Sw
Determination of Rw
Resistivity – Porosity Crossplots

Pickett Plot Example

Pickett Plot
1.00

Sw=50%
aRw=0.10
Porosity

Rw=0.12
0.10
m=1/.5267=1.90

y = 0.3007x-0.5267
R2 = 0.7674

0.01
0.10 1.00 10.00 100.00
Rt,ohm-m

Results:
m = 1.90
Rw = 0.12 ohm-m
Determination of Rw
Resistivity – Porosity Crossplots

Hingle Plot
Rearrange Archie’s Equation
1/ m
 n 
1 / m  S w 
[R t ]   
aR
 w
 
Determination of Rw
Resistivity – Porosity Crossplots

Hingle Plot Example

Hingle Plot, m=1.90

0.7

0.6 y = 3.4858x
R2 = 0.9836
0.5
Rt-1/m

0.4

0.3

0.2 Sw = 50%
0.1

0.0
0.00 0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20
Porosity

At= 10% y= 0.35

Ro = 7.4 ohmm
F= 64
Rw = 0.115 ohmm

OOIP = 118 Mstb

Determination of Rw
Determination of Rw References

Bassiouni, Z: Theory, Measurement, and Interpretation of

Well Logs, SPE Textbook Series, Vol. 4, (1994)
Chapter 4, Sec 4.5-4.6
Chapter 12, Sec 12.2
Chapter 13
Schlumberger, Log Interpretation Chartbook, (1995)