Acknowledgement

throughout the day:

Slides – David Patrick Murphy

Notes – E. C. Thomas
Many graphics courtesy
Schlumberger
1
The SP
Wireline Tool
Potential wrt Surface Ground

Conductive Borehole Fluid

Rmf  Rw

No absolute values, only a

sensitivity scale and
polarity. Digital recording
requires an arbitrary value
for a starting point, but the
only valid readings are the
differences in potential.
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Components of the SP

3
 Computation of Liquid-Liquid Junction Potential

v u RT C1
ED     ln
vu nF C2
Let t = 25 C, so T = 298 K : R = 8.314 Joules : F = 96540 Coulombs
[ Rw] C1 = 100 Kppm [ Rmf] C2 = 10 Kppm n=1
v = mobility of Cl- = 67.6 x 10-5 cm/sec/volt
u = mobility of Na+ = 45.6 x 10-5 cm/sec/volt

ED  11.6 log 10  11.6 millivolt

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5
 Calculate Membrane Potential Example

Same equation as before, except now v = 0, mobility of Cl- = 0

Same concentrations, same temperature

RT C1 C1
Em    ln   59.1log   59.1 millivolts
nF C2 C2

This is the case of a perfect membrane, thus it is called

the Nernst Potential

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 Streaming or Electro-kinetic Potential

Induced pressure drop across a membrane ; forces ions to

flow past fixed charges, which in turn tends to retard the
flowing ions having the same charge as the fixed ions

For a mud cake, which is sort of a mini-shale membrane, the

resulting potential is given by: (rough approximation)

Est  0.0391 Rmc  tmc  fl p 

Where Rmc = mud cake resistivity,ohm meters; tmc = mud cake
thickness, inch ; fl = filter loss, cc/30 min/100 psi through 9 cm ;
P = overbalance
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 (–) (+)
10 mv

SP

Bed boundary
picked on
inflection point

SP amplitude at High P Low P

maximum Fresh Salty
deflection
(cleanest rock)

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9
10
11
 (–) (+) Shallow
SP Behavior Over
a Long Log Very fresh
in Fresh Mud
• SP deflection Fresh Rmf = Rw
direction and magnitude is
dependent upon relationship
and magnitude of Rw and Rmf
Salty

Very salty
Deep
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 (–) (+) Shallow
SP Behavior Over
a Long Log Very fresh
in Salty Mud
• SP deflection Fresh
direction and magnitude is
dependent upon relationship
and magnitude of Rw and Rmf
Salty Rmf = Rw

Very salty
Deep
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 Shape of the SP Curve
• Sharpness of SP curve at bed boundary,
and therefore vertical resolution,
depends on pattern of current flows
at bed boundary
• This is a complicated function of:
– Relative resistivities of:
• Mud
• Invaded zone
• Undisturbed zone
• Shale
– Hole diameter
– Depth of invasion
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Rw from SP

SP amplitude at
maximum
deflection
(cleanest rock)

15
 Computation of Rw from SP
1. Read SP value from log SSP = – 68 mv at 4,170 ft
• Relative difference between shale line
and maximum sand deflection
• WATCH THE SIGN!

2. Read Rmf from log heading

• Convert to temperature of zone of interest
• Use Arps equation or Gen-9 chart (or equivalent)
Rmf(measured) = 0.71 ohm-m at 68°F
Formation temperature at 4,170 ft = 129°F
Rmf at 129°F = 0.71  (68 + 6.77) / (129 + 6.77) = 0.39 ohm-m
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 Computation of Rw from SP

3. Convert Rmf to Rmfe

• Rmfe = 0.85 Rmf
Rmfe at 129°F = 0.85  0.39 = 0.33 ohm-m

4. Solve for Rwe

 R mfe 
SSP    61  0.13T  log 
 R we 
Rwe at 129°F = 0.048 ohm-m

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 Computation of Rw from SP
5. Convert Rwe to Rw using
• Schlumberger Chart SP-2 or
• Baker Atlas Chart 3-3 or
• Halliburton Chart SP-3

6. Check against Rwa or

other source of Rw information

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 Rw
from Rwe

Rwe at 129°F
= 0.048 ohm-m

Rw at 129°F
= 0.063 ohm-m

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 Formation Water
Salinity, Resistivity & Temperature
conc(NaCl) = conc(Cl-)x 1.65
Rw (ohm-m) = 1000 / Cw (mmho/m)

NaCl Cw Rw

Temperature Cw Rw

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