Basic Resistivity and Spontaneous PotentialThe preceding chapter showed trough example that an important component of the well loging sue 1 the measurement f electrical properties ofthe formation, These tneaurements deal withthe resitty ofthe formation or the measurement Of spoaneously generated vollages, have voltages athe esl ofan inleracton between the borebole Hu and the formation with is conned ud,3.2 THE CONCEPT OF BULK RESISTIVITY The familiar expression of Ohm’s law: V=IR (3.1) indicates that a current / flowing through a material with resistance R is associated with a voltage drop V. The more general form of tis equation, used as an additional Maxwell's equations, is: : J=oE, (3.2) where J is the current density, a Vector quantity; E , iS the electric field; and the con- stant of proportionality « is the conductivity of the material. Resistivity," a commonly measured formation parameter, is defined as the inverse of conductivity:Resistivity = p = (3.3) o F Pdrift = —T, (3.4) where the term F/m represents the acceleration of the charge carriers of mass m, subject to a force F. In this case the force applied, F, is equal to the product of the charge and the electric field (gE).A general expression for the drift velocity of a particle under the influence of an outside force F is: varifs = we F, (3.5) where the constant of proportionality jt is referred to as the mobility of the particle in question in a specified medium. By reference to Eq. 3.4 it can be seen that for the case of a dilute gas the mobility is given by. (3.6) t h=r. mToilette te eltonship eee estan revista, on epeson il be write for he cue nthe sytem of, nor tha resenbles Clow To compute he cure, not hat itis th charge colt per wnt me. Fire 32 itt the ein of pce comtaing cares tha wil each he pte cert ee of hei x ihn cle darth teil Yim AU, here pile dy (merry cristo iste ef Held,The current is given by: NjWdrifr ATA I = ——4q. 3.7) ar 3.7) The relation for drift veloci V darifp = KF = qe, (3.8) I since the electric field strength is given by the voltage drop per unit length and the separation of the two plates is 1. Combining these two relations resulis in the following expression for the current: (3.9) ning AtA At q which, when compared with Ohm’s law, 1 = +, V, indicates that the resistance of the geometry illustrated in Fig. 3.2 is given by. it =. 3.10) ning? A erFrom this expression it is clear that the resistance R is composed of two parts, one aaal ) and a second which is purely geometric (the length of the sample divided by the surface area of the contact plates). Resistivity, p, is in fact, this first factor: which is material dependent 1 ol I R= —s- =p-. 3.1 nyu? A PA G1) A p=R*x T° (3.12) which becomes, using Ohm's law: 14 = (3.13) Pe TTT This constant k, referred to as the system constant, converts the measurement of a voltage drop V, for a given current J, into the resistivity of the material.Fig. 23 A 1 mcf characteris svi | tm hn acta of Lob fot @ 1 Crepe Fig. 94. Ashemaicihagrametamadap met focdemningihereiivity oad am pe Aces, thragh he ape conespntng vale Vieweddetermination of its resistivity. From the dimensions given in the figure, the system constant can be calculated to be 0.012 m. The resistivity, p, in ohm-m, is then obtained from the measured resistance R by: A p= Re = RF x 0.012. (3.14) For this particular measuring device, a sample of salt water with a resistivity of 2 ohm-m in the chamber would yield a total resistance of 166 ohms.3.3 ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF ROCKS AND BRINES Table 3.4 Resistivity values. Adapted from Tittman [3] Material Resistivity (ohm-m) Marble 5 x 107 — 10° Quartz 10!2 ~ 3 x 10/4 Petroleum, 2x 10! Distilled water 2x 10! Saltwater (15°C): 2 kppm 34 10 0.72 20 0.38 100 0.09 200 0.06 ‘Typical formations Clay/shale 2-10 Saltwater sand 0.5-10 Oil sand 5-108 “Tight” limestone 107Fan, (3.16) F = 3.17) Ap G. A practical application of this concept, knownas Stokes's law, predicts that the viscous force on a spherical object of radius a is given by: F = 6xyan, (3.18) where b is the velocity of the object. In this case, it refers to the electrolytic particles in solution. For future reference, note that Eq. 3.18 inplies that the mobility of an electrolytic particle, or ion, will vary inversely with its size.Cu UT) AMY Wn ii Tanperatue, F & LMM HL VY HAY NAA ED Hy, A MO ELPA AA MIZELL? PLEAS Ail fais stivity of ot sho denn Bee BG 0 Fig. 3.5 A nomogram for determining the resistivity of an NaCI solution as a function of the NaCl concentration and temperature. G/G is grains per gallon. Courtesy of Schlumberger [1].Area A Fig. 3.6 Relative motion between two parallel plates separated by a liquid film will require overcoming a drag force determined by the viscosity of the liquid. Adapted from Feynman [2]. From the analysis of the ionized gas resistivity, it was seen how the mobility, 1, entered into the final expression: 11 =F + R= —-. 3.1 Vdrift = We > mga (3.19)If the electrolytic particle is considered to be a sphere of radius a, then from Stokes’s law the drift velocity would be given by: 1 Darift = Gra F, (3.20) and the resistivity should be given by: 6rya 1 R= —. 3.21 at A G21) ¢ N= Mme! (3.22) where C is characteristic of a given liquid.3.4 SPONTANEOUS POTENTIAL Fal a inn by ysl wn iy hae ume sy of fn prices is Jy The dfson cosa D cate sho} beret bit oft ins an hemp so hat onc ti Jig = 1H. (4) dr “Tiscomectonbtnen moby anion cl he Neri lai,Fig. 3.8 A schematic representation of the development of the spontaneous potential in a borehole. Adapted from Dewan [6].Inter patltprsty "> a Nic ponsity Si gare @ Oberg eg, oats, qu ey Fig. 39 A representation of a shale on the lef, consisting of rock mineral grains and small platy clay particles. On the right the distributions of ions close tothe face of one af the clay minerals is shown, which ilustrates the so-called electrical double-layer Adapted from Revil and Leroy [7]LOG EXAMPLE OF THESP ST Ruy> Ry ‘Allsands Thick etean gas sand | Thick: arson” SSP = legal Fo) Fig. 3.11 Schematic summary SP curve behavior under a variety of circumstances commonly encoumtered. From Asquith [11]REFERENCES wa wo _ Schlumberger (2005) Log interpretation charts. Schlumberger, Houston, TX . Feynman RP, Leighton RB, Sands ML (1965) Feynman lectures on physics, vol 1, Ch 43. Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA . Titman J (1986) Geophysical welll logging. Academic Press, Orlando, FL |. Adamson AW (1979) A textbook of physical chemistry, second international edition. Academic Press, New York, San Francisco, London, p 291 . Lest AM (1982) Introduction to physical chemistry. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ p 605 . Dewan JT (1983) Essentials of modem open-hole log interpretation. PennWell Publishing, Tulsa, OK.