.
42335
Case Histories of Production Logging
Robert Stratton, SPE-AIME,TriangleServiee,Inc.
Richard Chase, TriangleService,Inc.
Herman E, Schaller, SPE-AIME,TriangleService,Inc.
Introduction
Production logging techniques can be broadly con-
sidered to include-all type_sof subsurface measure-
ments subsequent to the initial well completion, and
there are undoubtedly instances when these mea-
surements are taken before the actual mechanical
completion.
There are, practically speaking, two main cate-
gories of work into which most production logging
falls: injection wells and production wells.
The injection wells are generally receiving water
as part of a secondary recovery, a pressure mainte-
nance, or sometimes simply a disposal system, The
injection medium may also be liquid hydrocarbons,
gas (including air), or a combination of liquid and
gas such as saturated steam. Whatever the injection
fluid, the main purpose of the production log is gen-
erally to determine the injectivity profile, that is to
quantitatively assign volumes or percentages of fluid
to each of the intervals taking significant amounts
of fluid. While the profile is being obtained, it is
often important to check also for casing failures,
packer leaks, faulty cement jobs and interzonal
migration.
In producing wells the objective generally is to
identify zones contributing fluid-water, oil or gtis—
and more specifically the quantity of each fluid and
its respective entry or entries.
Static or shut-in wells may also be investigated with
production logging techniques, A shut-in temperature
profile is a recognized means of qualitatively indicat-
ing where injected fluids have entered a reservoir.
In injection weils, the main purpose of the production log is to assign volumes or
percentages of fluid to each intervaltaking significantamounts of it. In produc[ng wells
the objective generally is to identify zones contributing fluid — specifically the quantity
of each fluid and itsrespective entry.
FEBRUARY,1970
Rec:nt advances in temperature logging present the
possibility of identifying oil, gas or water in place in
the reservoir through the differences in their respective
thermal conductivities,
Approach to Well Analysis
Injection Wells
h many instances the relatively high injection rate
(1,000 or more barrels per day) and a not too large
casing or liner (7 in. OD or smaller) make the continu-
ous spinner a highly suitable tool for attaining the
injection protle. Where the continuous spinner is not
suited, radioactive tracers can be resorted to; or under
certain conditions the “packer-type” flowmeter can be
used. A temperature profile is commonly run in con-
junction with the spinner or radioactive tracer survey
and is particularly useful in defining the presence of
a static column ii such exists.
Producing Wells
Since generally at least two phases (oil and water).
are present in a producing well, a somewhat differ-
ent approach must usually be made from that used
in a single-phase injection well. If the well conditions
and flow rates are suitable, the spinner approach may
be used to determine the gross rates involved. (If
substantial gas production is involved, the spinner
should be useful in defining the entry point or points.)
The use of water soluble radioactive tracer has
proven satisfactory in preferentially defining the in-
terval or intervals of water entry in the presence of
207
moderate quantities of oil. The radioactive tracer
permits measuring the water flow rate at various
selected depths in the well to provide a water-rate vs
depth profile. In addition, the radioactive tracer can
be distributed over a preselected vertical interval or
intervals so that the dilution effect of formation water
on this tracer can provide the qualitative limits of
the entries,
To provide similar data on oil entries requires a
different approach if there is any water being pro-
duced, The most satisfactory down-hole oil evaluating
device to operate over a wide range of producing
rates and water cuts (particularly in the high cuts)
has been a sampling or “trap-like” instrument. This
tool permits sampling the entire flow stream at various
preselected depths in the well and calculating the
amount of oil present at each depth. By taking the
appropriate number of these readings, an oil-rate vs
depth plot can be constructed.
As in the injection wells, a temperate profile is
normally obtained across the producing interval.
While this has not been used quantitatively or to dis-
tinguish between types of fluid entry (excepting pos-
sible gas) it can be useful in defining limits of fluid
entries.
Static or Shut-in Wells
The temperature survey (including the differential
version) is the most common means of evaluating
static wells. If this survey does not provide meaning-
ful results, it may be necessary to run also a radio-
active tracer survey that will identify fluid migration,
which is ~ut uncommon in “static” wells.
Occasionally the conventional approach to a pro-
ducing or static well problem does not yield sufficient
information, so special techniques are required. An
example of this is the use of a single electrode “con-
ductivity” tool for determining an oil-water interface
or for identifying downward movement of water
through an oil column.
Equipment
All of the data presented here were obtained over a
single conductor armored cable that permits con-
tinuous surface recording or readout. The down-hole
equipment includes the basic temperature, spinner
(including the diilerential adaptation), radioactive
tracer, Oil Cut Meter and conductivity tools, The
description of these tools and their method of opera-
tion is already in the literature and will not be re-
peated here.
Case Histories
Figure 1
A typical water injection well having a series of zones
open will provide data such as shown. The tempera-
ture profile is responding primarily to the temperature
of the injection water until the rate of movement is
reduced to the point that the formation heat becomes
a significant factor. In this example the no-flow or
static condition is indicated by the temperature curve
slope change at approximately 9,375 ft.
The wntinuous spinner provides a complete depth
vs water-rate profile that can be interpreted in a num-
208
ber of ways. The original trace as is shown is gen-
erally presented in a straight-line percentage function,
and this basic information can readily be related to
barrels per day, or barrels per day per foot,
Radioactive tracer (11” in water) is used where
needed to check the water rate; and it is particularly
helpful in low-rate conditions and where the zero
reference on the spinner trace is not readily apparent.
In this example, if it had not been done previously,
the radioactive tracer would probably be used to
see if the water leaving the top set of perforations
(A 8,040 ft) is moving up behind the casing, and
also to check on the effectiveness of the packer.
Figure 2
Sometimes it is dficult with just a soluble radioactive
tracer to evaluate migration of fluid behind casing.
In this example, ii was suspected that some of the
water leaving the liner at approximately 3,580 ft, as
indicated by the spinner profile, might be migrating
behind the blanked section (3,580 to 3,660 ft). How-
ever, soluble radioactive tracer alone did not verify
this suspicion. To confirm this condition, approxi-
mately 1 qt of specially prepared “beads” was intro-
duced to the injection water at the wellhead. Since
the beads are matched in density to the water, they
are carried out with the water and plate to the sand
face where the water enters the reservoir. Further, the
chemical nature of the beads is such that when they
are in contact with the 1131as used for tracer, an ion
exchange takes place, resulting in a concentration
of radioactivity proportional to the quantity of beads
present. This condition eliminates the critical time
factor involved when using only the liquid tracer for
detecting channels, since the beads are stationary at
the reservoir face and logging runs may be made over
a considerable penod of time. Following placement
of the beads, a slug of radioactive tracer (I’al) was
released at 3,500 ft. Subsequent logging runs com-
pared with the background activity prior to release
of the tracer give positive indication that injection
water is going behind the blank section from 3,580
to 3,660 ft and also behind the blank casing above
3,422 ft. By planimetering the areas between back-
ground and subsequent logs the amount of water
going to each interval can be calculated.
Fiie 3
This particular example started out as a routine spin-
ner-tracer-temperature survey and was to be repeated
at two higher pressure settings to provide a rate-
pressure relationship. The temperature and first spin-
ner run (1) showed a significant loss in water from
3,540 to 3,570 ft and zero flow conditions below
3,900 ft. Both of these conditions were verified by
the use of radioactive tracer velocity readings.
When the injection plant attendant went to raise
the pressure for the next runs, he found that the pres-
sure had dropped from 930 to 870 psi and that
the rate had increased from 850 to 1,680 B/D. The
next spinner run (2) immediately pointed up what
had happened — the bottom section of the well (be-
low 3,900 ft) had for some reason suddenly opened
up and was accepting not only most of the increased
JOURNALOF PETROLEUMTECHNOLOGY
injection, but also about 300 B/D from the interval somewhere in the system. The fact that the casirqj
adjacent to 3,550 ft that previously had been taking had perforations relatively close to the packer point,
considerable water, The radioactive tracer reading at both above and below, raised the possibility of migra-
about 3,990 ft showed downward movement of 640 tion outside the casing as well as by the packer.
B/D at that depth. The injection was then shut off The spinner profile showed practically all of the
and the well surveyed under that condition. Spinner injected water going away at the top of the first set
Run 3, made within minutes after shut-in, showed the of perforations below the packer. After running a
interv~l around 3,550 ft to be giving up water, with gamma ray background log, 6 MC of 1’3’ in water
approximatdy 45 B/D bleeding back to the surface was released at point “A” (5,303 ft). Logging Runs
and 68o B/D moving downward. These rates were 1 through 4 at 2, 5, 7 and 12 minutes, respectively,
determined with radioactive tracer readings as was following release of the tracer, show that water leav-
the 20 B/D loss below 3,990 ft. Injection was re- ing the top of the perforations at 5,310 ft is moving
sumed, and although the pressure-rate conditions up to the region of the perforations at 5,250 ft.
were changing, the trend indicated a return to the Another background gamma ray log was run that
profile as shown in Spinner Run 1. (These conditions showed no activity above 5,250 ft. It also showed
took place over a period of approximately 6 hours.) that some water was moving down to approximately
5,670 ft. Radioactive slug “B” (again 6 MC of 1’31)
Fiim 4 was next released inside the tubing at approximately
A situation in which both a packer leak and a cement 5,260 ft. Runs 1 through 4 at 5, 10, 21 and 105
job failure are present and identified in a vertical minutes, respectively, clearly indicate that water is
space of less than 50 ft is illustrated in Fig. 4. Pressure moving by the packer and has moved up the annulus
on the annulus during injection indicated a failure to 5,020 ft (peak) in 1 hour and 45 minutes.

TEMP ‘F R/A vELOCITY CHECKS

e? 100”/. (Bw/D)
0 200400 600
800GL SPINNER PROFILE _
7
4J. I
t I
, I
1
I

I I

8500’ : I
1 ( I

I I
9000’

!’ ‘
I I
9500’ : I
0 160”

Fig. I—Injectionwell—spinner,radioactivetracer, Fig.3—injection well-change of profile.

temperature profiles.

AFTER BEAD
BACKGROUND PLACEMENT
h ,
‘., /’
. ,/

SP
%
3500 :

1 .~\, f---y--::,
J ‘w’--
-i
3800 : /
0 –&i---
00

RADIATION INCREASES w
‘F .... ——.
I
. .-..
Fig. 2—Migrationsurvey using radioactive beads. Fig. 4-injection well—packer and cement failures.
1970 209
 ,. .

determined with the spinner under the same con-

Figure 5
Where a well penetrates a long section it is becoming
more common to attempt to control injectivity by
isolating portions of the reservoir by means of pack-
ers. Coupling this packer arrangement with “control”
valves in the tubing provides a means of at least
partially controlling the d~tribution of the injected
fluid. Unfortunately, as this example illustrates, mak-
ing up and running the necessary hardware in the
well does not guarantee the desired results. Four
control valves — A, B, C and D — and the four
packers as shown were selected to provide the desired
water distribution.
With an injection rate of 2,100 B/D, the first run
was a temperature profile. This ind!cated that no
water was moving in the tubing below Valve C at
approximately 3,060 ft. This was particularly sig-
nificant since Valve D in the bottom of the tubing
was designed to pass 600 B/D water.
The spinner run following the temperature con-
firmed that no water was leaving Valve D at the bot-
tom of the tubing and provided the distribution of
ditions.
Figure 7
In a steamflood it may be important to be able to
monitor the advance of the steam front. Probably the
most direct method of doing this is by taking tem-
perature measurements in observation wells. In the
example illustrated here, the well was completed with
blank casing, which was bailed dry following com-
pletion. Because there was no liquid in the casing it
was necessa~ to develop a special logging tool in
which the temperature-sensing element is positioned
so that it maintains direct contact with the inside
100%
1s00 ‘P’:N’WWL’ I W%’’’l::%:s’smomo
2000
A log
●

the injected water as follows: ! ! (

Actual Designed \ { \

2500
Valve A 800 B/D 375 B/D
Valve B 525 B/D 320 B/D ● B

Valve C 525 B/D 445 B/D

Valve D O B/D 600 B/D
! 1 [
Packer at 2,500 ft 250 B/D
3W0 \ )
Total injection 2100 13/D ● c r-

To further evaluate the d~tribution of the water I IIB

after it has left the tubing valves and is moving in TEMPERATURE “F

the tubiig-casing annulus, radioactive tracer is intro-

duced to the injection stream and a series of Ioggirzg L .~ I *—
VALVE A 800 B/O (376 010)
runs is made. Ordy three of a considerable number 3500 VALVE B S$25 B/O (320 B/D)
VALVE C 525010 (445 WD)
of these runs are shown to illustrate the technique. vALVE O -0. WD (6W BIDI
From these runs the general distribution of water I n PRE-’ET RATE
PAcKER
2s00’
‘7
250 BID kO- BfOl
after it leaves the valves can be traced and actual TOTAL INJECTION ~B/O

rates calculated by comparing interface depths with Fig. 5-injection weil—packers and control valves.
time. (Note that the three logging runs have time
references at the top of O, 28 and 215 minutes.) In
SPN6WR SURVEYS
addition to showing the distribution of water between 11 hA1 ufif ‘r 100%

packem, the radioactive tracer survey showed that

water was moving up past the packer at about 2,755 ft. - 2000
J :
520

1
Figure 6 2106 :
—.— .
With any type of flooding it is desirable to have as I

complete a sweep as is practicable. This is even more 2200

I
, -.—
important with steam injection because of the con- I

siderable costs involved in the process. In this ex- 1

230G I
ample, the steam initially left the liner between 2,240 I
and 2,400 ft Following the introduction of 400 lb 1
I

of diverting material, steam was injected to a depth 2400 I !3

BEFORE
I
I
of 2,475 ft. A second diversion treatment involving
600 lb of material (some 24 hours later) resulted in 2500
—T
1

:
.4-J
AF1f R
J/
6f Fofi!
400 L’S MATLRIALUSED
a further significant change in profile, with injected I roR D!vLRSION e
AFTER
steam now reaching 2,550 ft. It is noted that where 2600 !

injection is performed with the tubing below the top L 600LBS MATERIAL
FOR DIVCRSION
USED

of the perforations, radioactive tracer can be used to Fig. &lnjection weii--ateam profiles and
determine the distribution of steam; this camot be diversion effects.
210 JOURNALOF PETROLEUMTECHNOLOGY
.

casing wall. The four runs shown in I%g.7 were made
at approximately 30-day intervals.
Figure 8
This figure illustrates the mechanical setup for a
pumping well survey. The pump or bottom of the
flow string should be above the uppermost perfora-
tions so that water entering from the formation must
move upward to be produced.
In pumping wells, the survey tool must travel be-
tween the tubing and casing to the producing interval.
The access to the amulus is provided by an offset
tubing head that must have an amulus opening large
enough to permit passage of the %-in. or 1% -in. OD
survey WO1.The lubricator is tied into this offset
flange (through a valve if there is annuIar pressure
to control), eliminating the need for a mast to sup-
port the sheaves.
Whh the introduction of the %-in, logging tool
some of the previous clearance problems have been
eliminated. Of course tubing anchors or other annulus
restrictions must be removed for the survey.
Figure 9
In a conventional water entry survey, the tempera-
ture profile, water-rate profile and ddution of a radio-
active column are all used to define the limits and
rates of the entry or entries.
In the example, the temperature itself contributes
two significant pieces of information — first, there is

z
TEMP ‘F fluid movement from as deep as can be surveyed;
400.
? 100. 200” 3or”
second, there is a pronounced anomaly between 1,675
SP
2000 and 1,710 ft. (The increase in temperature across the
interval is the result of thermal stimulation in other
2100
parts of the reservoir.)
The water-rate protile reflects a series of discrete
measurements (with logging tool stationary) spaced
2200 vertically so as to provide required defirdtions of areas
of rate change. The general procedure is to start from
above the perforated intervals and take a reading at

$
2300
regular depth intervals (probably every 50 ft, depend-
ing upon the over-all producing interval). Once the
2400 gross areas of rate change have been thus deilned,
additional readings at appropriate intervals will pro-
2500 -
vide the desired detail. In this example it is apparent
that from the temperature and water-rate profiles the
areas of interest are approximately 1,670 to 1,710 ft
2600 and 1,770 ft to total depth.
The additional information is obtained by observ-
Fig. 7—Temperature profiles in steam observation well. ing how water entering the wellbore and m-ovingup
to the pump (or in some cases down to a zone of
lower formation pressure) affects an essentially uni-

TEMP ‘F
110 120 130 140
1400

r“”

R/A INCREASES—

4 1500
-----
I
@

1 4

I @

[ 1600
I +

@
/ 1
I
I 1
1
I

: 1
1
I 1
I
I 1
I

I I
1
,
I 1
I 1 I -~
I
1. 0 400
ii 100 200300
WATER RATE B/D

Fig. 8-Mechanical setup for producing well suwey. Fig. -Water entfy survey.
FEBRUARY,1970 211
 .
TEMP ●F
1~2 I ~6 1?0
Ill 3000
tEMP *F
110 113 116 119 122 125
2000
II

3100
\ 1
I 1
1 R/A INCREASES — I e
2200
II
1 @ @ e
I
, _ 3200
1\
1

I
:@ 2400 ill 1+
R/A INcREASES — e

●
+ +
t
~ ----- ------- -----
. 3300
\
I I
2600 I 1

1
I I 1m :3:
1
I I
l\ *
.
I 3500
:Ba:/?.’ ,

i-+
~:foh t
I 3600
I
I \
I

, ? o— 10 20
o 200 4CI0 600 0 200400600
WATER RATE 010 WATER RATE B/C Olj?..lc

Fig. 10—Water entry survey with migration. Fig. n-Water and oil entry survey.

form concentration of radioactive material through-
out a portion of the wellbore. In the example shown,
the radioactive tracer injector was started and the
logging tool lowered at a uniform speed from ap-
proximately 1,600 ft to the effective depth of the well,
* 1,810 ft, at wh!ch point the injector was turned
off. Subsequent logging or “drag” runs reveal the
diluting effect that the water entering from the forma-
tion has upon this radioactive column; they also reveal
the interface movements, permitting the calculation
of flow rates over the relevant intervals. It may be of
interest to note the characteristic change in level of
radioactivity reading due to changes in hole size (liner
top at approximately 1,595 ft)o
The conclusion drawn from this survey utilizing the
temperature, rate profile and dilution information are
that two water entries are present: 1,675 to 1,705 ft,
approximately 225 B/D; and 1,775 ft to total depth,
approximately 125 B/D,
Figure 10
Not uncommonly is migration encountered in a well
that is producing substantial amounts of fluid, The
normal sequence of measurement is used to analyze
such a situation temperature profile, water-rate pro-
file using radioactive tracer slugs, and the dilution
runs. In this example a normal 200 B/D entry was
determined at 2,440 to 2,475 ft and an additional
entry of 380 B/D between 2,615 and 2,630 ft. From
this latter point of entry, approximately 25 B/D was
moving down, with an additional 25 B/D entering at
2,900 to 2,920 ft, and the resulting 50 B/D going
down and exiting at about 3,030 ft.
Figure 11
When a well becomes uneconomic to produce because
212
of excessive water, the operator has two choices —
either stop producing the well or reduce the water
volume. 10 reduce the water volume without losing
what oil may have been entering under the excessively
high water-cut conditions requires knowing where the
respective oil and water entries are, This example
shows the means to this approach and the significance
of this information, With the selective perforated
completion it should be a straightforward matter to
eliminate the 300 BWPD that is entering just below
3,410 ft. The oil entry results show that 5 BOPD has
been entering with the 300 BWPD and would prob-
ably be excluded with the water. The additional 13
BOPD entering in the 3,300-ft area would not be
jeopardized by exclusion work done below 3,400 ft.
The question then becomes, “Is eliminating 300
BWPD (together with 5 BOPD) justified?” Also to
be considered is whether or not eliminating the water
could result in additional oil recovery from intenrals
not now contributing, and whether or not steps should
be taken to determine if there is actual communication
through the perforations that are not contributing,
F&me 12
This particular example shows the results of a survey
to identify the source of gas, which was being pro-
duced in such quantities as to make continued opera-
tion under these conditions prohibitive. The actual
daily production rate at the time of the survey was
94 bbl of oil, 2 bbl of water and 1,008 Mcf of gas.
Based on accepted theories of the effect of gas on
temperature, the temperature profile would suggest
possible gas entry at about 6,800 ft. Also the tern-
perature curve by itself indicates fluid movement
from the lowest set of perforations.
With the considerable gas being produced it was
JOURNALOF PETROLEUMTECHNOLOGY
 R/A VELOCITY (FPM)
SPIN NER STOP COUNTS

\ : ‘? 2~1 ? 2?0 4’?0

I I
\
6000’
1

1 I

oNOUCTIVITY
I RADIAIION INCREASES _
I I
\

6000

6500’

BEFORE 96 94 1008 I~

‘L’
t
:x (PLUG) AFTER I 89
x
I 57 95
JI IAT E R

T
I 6100
I
/ I
f TEMPERATuRE ‘F

x I
i \
(
6200
7000’

, \
A I MC WATER TRACER RELEASEO
!:/ INJECT Al 7208/0 RATE
260 ‘ 2;0 ‘ 220 “ 230

Fig. 12-Gas entry survey. Fig. 13—Oil migration survey.

possible to take spinner stop counts, with the results the source of the oil? Under producing conditions, it
indicating appreciable fluid entry in the lowermost was not possible to obtain a positive answer. How-
perforations. There is considerable variation in some ever, by injecting the same oil that was produced and
of the spinner readings, and the reason for this can- tagging it with radioactive tracer, possibly the path
not be positively identified. It is suspected that these of the oil behind the pipe could be followed,
variations may reflect changing flow conditions (head- The first step was to establish that injected fluid
ing, etc.) that are most severe near the points of gas would leave the casing only through the perforated
entry. interval. A conductivity run showed the oil-water
To supplement the spinner-temperature data a interface at the bottom of the perforations. The use
special radioactive tracer (gas miscible) was used to of water soluble 1’3’below the perforations revealed
obtain the profile of velocities given in linear feet per that under an injection rate of 720 B/D, no fluid was
minute. Since there were actually three fluid phases moving inside the casing below the perforations.
present in the production (water, oil and gas), it was With oil being injected at the 720 B/D rate, a 2
felt that the direct observation of linear velocity MC slug of I~SIin oil solution was released above the
would be more meaningful than a conversion to perforations at approximately 6,030 ft. A series of
volumetric units. This tracer work confirmed the logging runs followed the mo’rement of the oil behind
spinner indication of fluid entry from the bottom set the casing to a depth of approximately 6,170 ft, where
of perforations; it also indicated a further significant it then evidently moved laterally away from the casing.
entry in the 6,800 ft area, which had been suggested
by the temperature profile. References
Based on the information available, a plug was set 1. Champion,C. A,, Schaller,HermanE. and Jackson,B. R.:
in the blank casing section (6,500 to about 6,610 ft). “SomeRecentApplicationsof RadioactiveTracersin De-
terminingSub-surfaceFlow Behavior:’,pa r SPE 1246
Daily production following the setting 6f this plug presentedat SPE Annual Fall Meeting,I%ver, Colo.:
was reported as 157 bbl of oil, 32 bbl of water and Oct.3-6,1965.
95 Mcf of gas, 2.~a:ko~t, Donald E., Glenn,J. J., Jr., and SchaIler,Her-
. “Injection Profiles During Steam Injection”.
Figure 13 paper p~esentedat AM Spring Meeting,Los Angeles.
Calif.,May2-4, 1967.
This example presents an unusual set of conditions
3. Schaller, Herman E,: “Subsurface Flow Measurements in
and illustrates what can be accomplished by thorough Producing Wells”, paper presented at SPWLANinth An-
analysis and careful planning. The problem in this ~~ Logging Symposium, New Orleans, La., June 23-26,
instance was that the substantial amount of oil being 13PT
produced through the indicated perforations did not
possess the characteristics of the oil from the cor- Original manuscript received in Soelety of Petroleum Engineers
offica Sept. 20, 1968. Revised manuscript receivad Oct. 20, 1969.
responding depth interval of t!.e reservoir. The obvious Paper (SPE 2336) was presented et the 39th SPE California Regional
implication is that the oil was migrating behind the Fel! Meeting bald In Bakemfleld, Nov. 74% 196S. @ Copyright 1970
American Institute of Mlnin6, MeteW#@t and petroleum Engi-
casing to the point of entry — the question, where is neers, Inc.

FEBRUARY. 1970 213