Resistivity Logging – II

Chapter 5

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Archie Rock: Shaly Rock:

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 Organic shales

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(Worthington, 2011, Franquet et al., 2012)
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Invasion Profile: mud filtrate volume that invades a formation depends on the
fluid loss property, differential pressure between formation and borehole, mudcake
permeability, formation permeability and the length of time that the formation has
been exposed to the mud. The formation porosity usually determines the depth of
invasion. Lower the porosity deeper is the invasion.
(HC bearing formations)
Rmf > Rw

Close to the borehole most of the original formation water and some of the HCs may
be flushed away by the filtrate. This zone is referred to as the flushed zone. It contains,
if flushing is complete, only the mud filtrate; if the formation was originally HC
bearing , only residual hydrocarbons. Further out, the displacement of the formation
fluid is less complete, resulting in a transition from mud filtrate saturation to original
2023 as the transition zone.
formation fluid saturation. This zone is called 6
Invasion profile for oil saturated formation drilled with
water based mud.

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 Fluid mixing in a well
drilled with oil-based
mud

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 (Rmf > Rw)

ILd after 408 hrs

SFL after 408 hrs

Brine
sand
LWD after 300 hrs

LWD @ time 2023 LWD versus Wireline 9

Active fluid movement during logging. MSFL1 was run 1.5hrs prior to MSFL2.
HC are migrating back into the flushed zone.

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Why we need to worry about Electrical Properties?

• To compute Sw of the formation

• To calculate HCPV

Factors that influence Resistivity of Natural Porous Media:

• Salinity of water
• Porosity
• Stress
• Temperature
• Pore geometry
• Rock Composition
• Wettability
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 Current
For a homogeneous and isotropic media, it lines
can be shown that the resistance of the shell Equipotential
of thickness dr is given by: surfaces
A.
dL dr r
d = R =R
dA 4 r 2
r+dr
The resistance between two measuring points situated on two equipotential spheres
with radii r1 and r2 is:

2 R 2 dr R  1 1 
12 =  d =  =  − 
1 4 1 r 2
4  r1 r2 
By Ohm’s law:

12 = V12 /I
or
IR 1 1
V12 =  − 
4  r1 r2 
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13
Resistivity of the medium can be calculated from the previous
equation:

R = G (V12/I)

where G is the geometric factor (=4(r1r2/(r2-r1)) and depends

on the electrode spacing only. Similar expression for R can
be obtained for other electrode arrangements; only the
factor G will be different.

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Conventional Tools:

Hardly used anymore, except for MWD tools, but good to

understand the concepts of resistivity logging. Such tools
were extensively used from late 30’s to early 60’s.

Two types:
- Normal device
- Lateral device

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 Resistivity electrode configurations

Normal device Lateral device

A & B are current electrodes

M & N are potential
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electrodes 16
For normal device, r1 can be replaced by spacing AM and r2 is infinite, therefore
the potential drop can be expressed as

V = IR / 4 AM
The apparent resistivity is calculated from the following expression and is plotted
at a depth that corresponds to the midpoint between electrodes A & M:

Ra = G (V / I) where G = 4 AM

This device has a depth of investigation equal to twice the spacing AM. Most of
the tools contained at least two normal devices of two spacing 16-in (short normal)
and 64-in (long normal).

The long normal device was used to overcome borehole and invaded zone effects
and to obtain true formation resistivity, Rt

The short normal device was used for correlation, location of bed boundaries and
evaluation of thin beds.

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For the lateral device the geometric factor G = 4(AM.AN / MN).
The apparent resistivity is transcribed on the log at a depth corresponding to the
midpoint O of electrodes M an N.

The most common spacing: AO is 18feet and MN are 8in and 32 inches respectively.

The radius of investigation is approximately 19 ft.

The lateral device largely overcame the effects of the invaded zone and yields a
good Rt values. This is true when the beds are thick, say around 40 ft or so. In
thinner beds the device loses most of its vertical resolution.

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Thick bed more resistive than adjacent beds.

Normal Lateral
Symmetrical Asymmetrical
- ~Rt
Easy to read -
- Better bed thickness

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Thick bed, less resistive than adjacent beds

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Normal device, thin bed, Rt>Rs

Rt~RAO+2/3[(Ra)max-RAO]

Lateral device, very thin bed, Rt>Rs Lateral device, thin bed, Rt>Rs

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 Thin bed, less resistive than the adjacent beds

Normal Device Lateral Device

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Normal and lateral tools response @ bed thickness

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 AM Ra Ra/Rm AM/dh
16 8 10 2
36 7 8.75 4.5
64 5.5 6.785 8

Rt/Rm = 6.5 therefore

Rt = 6.5*0.8 = 5.2 ohm-m

h=22’, dh=8”, Rm=0.8 ohm-m

Resistivity departure curve

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Microlog:
These are tools very similar to lateral/normal logs except that
the electrode spacing is very small (few inches). These are
used mainly to define boundaries of permeable formations. To
minimize the borehole effects (due to very shallow depth of
investigation; ~4inches) the electrodes are mounted on a
rubber pad which is in contact with the borehole wall.

When run in collapsed mode it measures the resistivity of the

mud - “mud log”. Also used to obtain borehole caliper.

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This log is also used to obtain the value of Rxo.
Measurements of Rxo are important for several reasons.
When invasion is moderate to deep, a knowledge of Rxo
allows the deep resistitvity measurements to be corrected
to Rt. Also, some method for computing Sw require the
Rxo/Rt ratio. In clean formation a value of F can be
computed from Rxo and Rmf if Sxo is known.

Microlog (ML), Microlateorlog (MLL), Proximity (PL), and

MicroSFL tools (MSFL).
MicroSFL tool is the latest one and has two main
advantages over the other microtools.
1) combinability with other logging tools, including the DIL
and DLL tools.
2) insensitive to the mudcake while maintaining shallow
depth of investigation in contrast to Proximity tool.
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Micro-resistivity tools
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 Normal – when using M2,& A (MNOR)
Inverse – when using all three (MINV)

A-M2 spacing- 2”. Short or micro-normal R2 in

RI = 4”

Spacing = 1 1/2”. Micro-inverse R1inX1in

RI = 1 1/2”

A – current electrode
M – potential electrode

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 No mudcake, no invasion– so
both tools see the formation
resistivity.

Borehole enlargement
(Shale or sand or salt)

Mud cake buildup, R2” > R1inX1in

as Rxo > Rmc

Positive separation:
Strong qualitative indicator
of porosity and permeability
whenever R2” > R1inX1in

Dashed as RI larger compared

to miro-inverse tool.

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 Porous & permeable
Mudcake formation
MNOR > MINV

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Focusing electrode logs:

The responses of conventional e-log systems can be greatly affected by the

borehole and adjacent formations. These influences are minimized by a family of
resistivity tools that use focusing current to control the path taken by the current.
These currents are emitted from special electrodes on the sondes. The focusing
electrode tools include the laterolog (-3, -7, -8,and dual) and SFL (spherically
focused devices).

These tools are much superior to the e-logs for large Rt/Rm values (salt mud
and/or highly resistive formations) and for large resistivity contrasts with adjacent
beds (Rt/Rs or Rs/Rt). They are also better for resolution of thin to moderately
thick beds. These devices are available with deep to shallow depths of
investigation and are used to evaluate Rt and Rxo.

Laterolog is superior to the induction log when Rt exceeds 150 ohm-m. It also
gives a better estimate of Rt than the induction log when bed thickness is less than
10 ft.

Response generally recorded on a logarithmic scale (0.2 to 20 or 2000 ohm-m).

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LL3 LL7 DLL-LLs,LLd SFL

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Response of LL7 – thin, resistive, non-invaded bed drilled with very salty mud.

Rt/Rm = 5000, Rt/Rs=50

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Dual Laterolog:

Measurement of true resistivity of formation

is one of the key goals of resistivity logging.
Unfortunately, no single device has been able
to completely eliminate the effects of invaded
zone. A solution is to measure the
resistivity with several arrays having different
depths of invasion. This resulted in
the development of the DLL dual laterolog-
microSLF tool (MSFL).
The tool has a range of 0.2 to 40,000 ohm-m.
To achieve accuracy at both high and low
resistivities, a constant-power measuring system
is employed. In this system, both current and
voltage are varied and measured, but the product of the two (power) is held constant
Both the LLd and LLs of the DLL tool have similar vertical resolution (~2ft) but LLs
has much shallow depth of investigation.

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Induction Devices:
Originally developed to log wells with non-conductive muds or no muds. Later
found to be superior to conventional e-devices in water-based muds. Designed for
deep investigation, induction logs can be focused in order to minimize the influences
of the borehole, surrounding formations, and the invaded zones.

The transmitter coil is energized with a constant amplitude

high frequency current (20KHz). The alternating magnetic fields
created induces currents in the formation
surrounding the borehole. These current
flow in circular ground loops coaxial with
the transmitter coil and create, in turn
a magnetic field induces a voltage in
the receiver coil. As the alternating current
in the transmitter coil is of constant
frequency and magnitude, the ground loop
currents are directly proportional to the
formation conductivity. The voltage induced
in the receiver coil is proportional to the
ground loop currents and, therefore, to
the conductivity of the formation.
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Although induction tools were designed for a nonconductive borehole environment,
they have been found to give excellent results in water-based mud, provided that the
mud in not very saline, the formation is not too resistive and the borehole diameter is
not too large.
Induction tool is generally run with SP and
a normal/laterolog. This is known as induction
electric survey (IES). Recently SFL has repla-
ced short normal and induction tool by a
dual induction tool (DIL). The DIL consist of
a regular-deep induction device (ILd) and a
medium device (ILm).

The attached figure is used to determine when

induction tool should be used. Laterolog is
preferred when Rmf /Rw falls to the left of the
vertical line and to the left of solid line.To the right
of the dashed line and below the appropriate Rw
curve, either or both logs may be required.
The nature of the two tools can be described
simply by saying that laterolog devices see the
more resistive zone and induction devices see more
conductive zones. Thus when Rxo is > Rt induction tool
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is preferred and the laterolog tool is preferred when Rxo< Rt for estimating Rt
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Equipment:
- The 6FF40 induction-electrical survey (IES) include six-coil focused induction device
of 40 inches nominal spacing, a 16” normal and and SP electrode
- The DIL-LL8 system, used a deep-reading induction(ID) and a medium induction(IM)
device an LL8, and a SP. IM device has a vertical resolution similar to that on 6FF40
and ID but only half the depth of investigation.
- The induction SLF (ISF) tool incorporated a deep induction device similar to 6FF40,
SLF device and an SP electrode. The tool was combinable with the BHC sonic tool
and GR device. This provides, in certain geological environment, the ability to evaluate
the hydrocarbon potential of the well in a single logging run.
- The Phasor induction tool has a deep-reading induction device (IDPH), a medium-
reading device (IMPH), an SFL device, and an SP electrode. The tool employs a
digital transmission and processing system a continuous calibration verification system.
It also can be operated at frequencies of 10 & 40 kHz in addition to 20kHz. The lower
“f” reduces skin effects in very low resistivity formations and the higher “f” provides
more accurate measurements in high resistivity formations. More importantly, in add-
tion to in-phase resistivity measurements, both IDPH & IMPH measure the out of
phase signal. This improves accuracy of skin-effect correction, improves the thin bed
response, and permits the use of superior deconvolution techniques.
- The 6FF28 IES (2 5/8 inches diameter) is a scaled down version of 6FF40. It is used
for logging in small holes and for through-drillpipe operations.

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IES - Induction electric survey (induction, 16” normal, SP)

DIL-LL8 - deep (ILd) and medium (ILm), LL8, SP

ISF - deep induction, SLF, SP

Phasor tool- deep phasor (IDPH), medium phasor(IMPH),

SLF and SP

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IDPH device -- deep induction phasor device
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 Deep looking devices are usually hole
centered whereas the shallow devices are
on a pad.

In literature, depth of investigation usually

refers to the detection of 50% of the
emitted signal.

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IES combination DIL-LL8 combination
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Array Induction Tool - AIT

(Schlumberger)
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 (Schlumberger)

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(Rider, 2004)
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(Rider, 2004)
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 Resitivity Logging Devices

Normal tool AM = 16”, 36”, 64” D.I. = 2 AM

Lateral tool AO = 18’, MN =8”, 32” D.I. = AO+1/2 MN

Micro Tools (ML)

Micro-normal (R2in) AM = 2” D.I. = 4” Pad-type tool, also allows recording of

caliper log, and Rm (mud log),
Micro-inverse (R1inx1in) AO = 1 ½” , M1M2 = 1” D.I. = 1 ½” R 2in >R1inx1in -- +ve separation,

Focused devices:

Laterolog 3 (LL3)
Laterolog 7 (LL7) Deep depth of investigation, excellent for thin bed analysis
Deep Laterolog (LLd)
Laterolog 8 (LL8)

Spherically focused Log (SFL) Intermediate depth of investigation, excellent for thin bed
Dual Laterolog (LLd-LLs)

Focused-micro-devices:

Microlaterolog (MLL)
Proximity log (PL) Good for high R xo / Rmc
Microspherically focused log (Micro SFL)

Induction devices
IES Induction, 16” normal, SP
DIL-LL8 ID, IM, LL8, SP
ISF Deep induction, SLF, SP
Phasor Deep Phasor IDPH,2023
Medium Phasor IMPH, SLF, SP 58
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Parameters determining Ra:

- True resistivity of the formation Rt

- Resistivity of the invaded (flushed) zone, Rxo
- Diameter of the invaded zone, di
- Resistivity of the mud, Rm
- Resistivity of the mudcake, Rmc
- Mudcake thickness, hmc
- Hole Diameter, dh
- Bed thickness, h
- Resistivity of the adjacent beds, Rs
- Vertical resolution of the measuring tool.

These parameters can be divided into four groups. Each group determines the effects
of one of the four zones in the well:

1) the borehole (Rm, Rmc, dh, hmc)

2) surrounding beds (Rs, h, tool vertical resolution)
3) the invaded zone (Rxo, di)
4) the uninvaded zone (Rt, di)

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The apparent resistivity measured by a tool can then be expressed as:

Ra = Gm(dh, hmc)Rm + Gs(h)Rs + Gxo(di)Rxo + Gt(di)Rt

where Gm, Gs, Gxo, and Gt are the geometric factors of the borehole, surrounding
beds, invaded zone and uninvaded zone respectively. Similarly for the induction
tool the the apparent conductivity is given by:

Ca = Gm(dh, hmc)Cm + Gs(h)Cs + Gxo(di)Cxo + Gt(di)Ct

The calculation of true formation resistivity then requires measured value of apparent
resistivity (conductivity) and the different geometric factors and the resistivities of
the various zones.

Various vendors generally provide charts for different tools to get ‘G’ values. Also
not all factors have to be corrected for all the tools, e.g. for deep resistivity tools
near borehole corrections are not important and can be ignored or for micro tools
correction for surrounding beds can be ignored.

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Borehole effects:
Determined by Rm, Rmc, dh, and hmc.
For tools with relatively deep radius of investigation, the effect of mudcake zone
(Rmc, hmc) can be ignored.
For pad type tools the effect of dh, and Rm is eliminated as the electrodes are
pressed against the formation face.

Bed thickness
dh 32
4

In general, the input to the chart is the dimensionless ratio Ra/Rm. The output is
another dimensionless ratio, R’a/Rm or R’a/Ra. R’a is called the ‘borehole-effect
free’ apparent resistivity.
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Bed-thickness effects:
The effect of surrounding beds is determined by the bed-thickness, the vertical
resolution of the tool, and the resistivity contrast Rt/Rs. The thicker the main bed
wrt the vertical resolution the smaller the effect. For Rt > Rs this effect will lower the
apparent resitivity and for Rt < Rs the effect will increase the apparent resistivity.
Micro resistivity tools are free from this effect due to small electrode spacing.

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Invasion Effect:

The value R’’a is affected by only two zones: the flushed zone and the uninvaded
zone with geometric factors Gxo and Gt. Therefore
R’’a = Gxo(di)Rxo +{1-Gxo(di)}Rt
There are three unknown in the above equation so if three resistivity (conductivity)
curves are known, Rt can be determined analytically or alternatively charts such as
shown here can be used..
This chart was constructed for Dual Induction-
Laterolog-8 tool that measure three resistivity curves:
deep induction RID, medium induction RIM and
relatively shallow LL8, RLL8. To use the chart, the
ratio RLL8/RID is plotted against RIM/RID. The
plot yields Rt/RID, Rxo/Rt, and di. Because value of
RID is known, Rt, Rxo can be easily calculated.

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 Multiply R1x1/Rmc by the
following:
.93 for 10” hd
1.05 for 6” hd
1.15 for 4 ¾” hd

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Amplified scale
(x by 2,5,&10)
Off or backup scale
0-4
(/ by 2,5,10)

B,D,E,F- thin resistive beds, C – 12 ft, permeable

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 2023 69
(www.slb.com)
 Dashed PL~100 ohm-m
2” ~ 13 ohm-m
1X1 ~ 8 ohm-m

Several permeable
zones are indicated
from positive separation
Caliper

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