Wireline Logging

Wireline Logs (E-logs)

• An indirect analysis
of downhole
formation features by
electronic methods
Wireline Logs (E-logs)
1. Casing
2. Wireline cable
3. Downhole
probe
4. First sensor
5. Second sensor
6. Third sensor
7. Measurements
obtained by
sensors
Caliper Log

• Measures the inner diameter of the borehole

• Variations in borehole diameter are
important in wireline log interpretation
Gamma Ray Log (GR)
• Measure radioactivity to determine what
types of rocks are present in the well
• API standard gamma ray units
• Shales contain radioactive elements, they
emit lots of gamma rays
• Clean sandstones emit very few gamma
rays
Spontaneous Potential Log (SP)

• Indicates the permeabilities of rocks in the well by

measuring the amount of electrical current
generated between the drilling fluid and the
formation water that is held in pore spaces of the
reservoir rock
• Recorded in millivolts vs. depth
• Porous sandstones with high permeabilities tend to
generate more electricity than impermeable shales
Spontaneous Potential Log (SP)

• Indicate relative permeabilities

• Often used to differentiate sandstones from
shales
• Can be visually interpreted to show
formation bed boundaries and thickness
Resistivity Logs

• Determines what types of fluids are present

in the reservoir rocks by measuring how
effective these rocks are at conducting
electricity
• Resistivity is the inverse of conductivity
• Resistivity is expressed in ohm-meters
• Conductivity is expressed in mhos/meter
Resistivity Logs

• Fresh water and oil are poor conductors of

electricity: High resistivity
• Most formation waters are salty enough:
conduct electricity with ease -> low
resistivity
• A porous and permeable formation with
very high resistivity: inferred to have
hydrocarbons
Types of Resistivity Logs
• Lateral Focus Log
– Sends a current outward to a rock
– Accurate in measuring thin beds
• Induction Log
– A current is induced in formation beds by a magnetic field
– Accurate in measuring thin beds
• Microresistivity Log
– Shows resistance very close to the wellbore
– Has 2 curves (one for filter cake resistivity and one <0.5 ft into
the formation)
– If 2 curves not equal: invasion
Sonic Logs

• Also called Borehole Compensated (BHC)

• Determine porosity by measuring how fast
sound waves travel through rocks in the
well
• In general, sound waves travel faster
through high-density shales than through
lower-density sandstones
 Density Logs
• Also called Formation Density Compensated (FDC)
or Litho Density Log (LDL)
• Bombards formation with Gamma Rays
• Denser formation (less porous): absorbs more Gamma
Rays
• Determine porosity by measuring the density of the
rocks
• Overestimate the porosity of rocks that contain gas
they result in "crossover" of the log curves when
paired with Neutron Logs
Neutron Logs

• Also called Compensated Neutron Logs (CNL)

• Determine porosity by assuming that the reservoir
pore spaces are filled with either water or oil and
then measuring the amount of hydrogen atoms
(neutrons) in the pores
• Underestimate the porosity of rocks that contain
gas they result in "crossover" of the log curves
when paired with Density logs
Dipmeter Logs
• Determine the orientations of sandstone and shale
beds, faults and fractures in the borehole
• Old dipmeters: measured the resistivity of rocks
on at least four sides of the borehole
• Modern dipmeters: actually make a detailed image
of the rocks on all sides of the borehole
– Borehole scanners, USI: use sonic
– FMS (Formation microscanner) and FMI (Formation
micro-imager): use resistivity
– STAR: uses sonic and resistivity
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

• Utilizes technology used in the medical

field
• Measure the magnetic response of fluids
present in the pore spaces of the reservoir
rocks
• Measure both porosity and permeability, as
well as the types of fluids present in the
pore spaces
End of Topic