WELL LOGGING (PE413)

SPONTANEOUS POTENTIAL (SP) LOG

 WHAT IS SPONTANEOUS POTENTIAL LOG?

Defined as a records reflects a difference in the electrical potential (voltage) produced by the
interaction of formation connate water, conductive drilling fluid and shale.
It is reflect the differences electrical potential between a movable electrode in the borehole and a
fixed reference electrode at the surface.

 HOW IT IS WORK?

The spontaneous potential (SP) current produce in bore hole are actual result of these two
processes (Liquid junction (Ej) and membrane potential (Em)).

The Liquid junction (Ej) occurs when two solution in different salinity are in direct contact,

ions moves from more concentrate solution to less, this condition occurs at interface of the mud

filtrate undisturbed formation water, in case of solution saturation with NaCl the negatively Cl

ions move faster than the positive Na ions because there size different, the ions imbalance cause

current flow to develop, the potential from fresh mud filter to the more saline formation water, as

result of diffusion potential (sand Formation), but in case of shale the saline solution (mud

filtrate ) became positively charge.

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The membrane potential (Em) develop at shale bed interface, the crystal instruction of clay

mineral within the shale act as ions selective membrane within which negative Cl ions are

selectively filtered positive Na ions however move freely through the clay, resulting a positive

current flow towered the borehole and contact with the shale, together these current at the shale

bed boundaries cause voltage to excess through the drilling mud at the bore hole, the voltage

measurement is may between an electrode in down hole bore and surface electrode common

refer to Sp.

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The Static Spontaneous Potential (SSP) defined as the sum of the membrane potential (Em) and
the junction potential (Ej) as shown in Figure4.

The potential read for shales normally varies very little with depth. SP is measured relative to
this base line zero called the shale line.

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The Negative deflections, to the left of the shale line occur opposite sands and reach a
maximum in clean porous brine-saturated sands called the clean sand line.

The Spontaneous Potential is positive if the mud filtrate is saltier than the formation water.

The Spontaneous Potential is negative if the formation water is more saline than mud filtrate.

The magnitude of the SP deflection depends on the resistivity contrast between mud filtrate and
the formation brine.

The Permeable beds typically deflect the SP curve to the left (such as sand and Limestone).

The Spontaneous Potential curves are sensitive to bed thickness (deflection being attenuated in
thin beds).

If Layer is thick, SP deflection is maximum.

If Layer is thin, SP deflection is narrow.

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 SPONTANEOUS POTANTIAL LOG USES:

 Lithology indicator and correlation tool.

 Permeability indicator.
 Shale volume indicator.
 Porosity indicator.
 Measurement of Rw.

 FACTOR EFFECTING SPONTANEOUS POTANTIAL LOG:

 Bed boundary sharpness: decreases as formation resistivity increases.

 Shale baseline tends to shift when formation connate waters change.
 Spontaneous Potential cannot be made in oil-based mud.
 Streaming potential can cause disturbances of SP recording.
 “Sawtooth” appearance can occur opposite impermeable beds that are sandwiched between
zones of high vertical permeability.

 SPONTANEOUS POTANTIAL LOG PRESENT:

 Track I
 Measuremed in (milli volts).
 Scale in +ve or –ve (mili volts).
 (-ve) deflection to left and (+ve) to the right.
 It is usually run with Gamma ray or Caliper log.

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 SHALE VOLUME CALCULATION:

By using the following equation:

Where:
Sp log: From sp curve.
SP min: Low sp reding from Sp log.
SP max: High sp reding from Sp log.

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