PETE 321
FORMATION EVALUATION
Spring 2015
UTR 8:00 --- 8:50
What is Formation Evaluation?
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Formation Evaluation (FE) is the process of interpreting a
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combination of measurements taken inside a wellbore to detect
and quantify oil and gas reserves in the rock adjacent to the
well.
Study of the physical properties of rocks and the fluids
contained within them.
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FE data are mainly gathered through:
1. Mud Logging
2. Coring
3. Formation Testing
4. Logging While Drilling
5. Open-hole Logging
6. Cased Hole Logging
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Data are organized by depth and represented on a graph or table
SP
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Why Formation Evaluation?
To evaluate hydrocarbons reservoirs and predict oil recovery.
To provide the reservoir engineers with the formations geological and physical
parameters necessary for the construction of a fluid-flow model of the
reservoir.
Measurement of in situ formation fluid pressure and acquisition of formation
fluid samples.
In petroleum exploration and development, formation evaluation is used to
determine the ability of a borehole to produce petroleum.
Formation Evaluation course objectives!
1) List and describe basic physics of standard open-hole logging tools
2) Interpret standard measurements in clean formations for lithology, ,
and Sw
3) Estimate and Sw in shaly sands
4) Apply basic integration of log and core data
Principal of Well Logging
In situ meas. (vs. depth) of
Rock properties
Fluid properties
When
Openhole (before casing)
o While drilling (LWD/MWD)
o After drilling (wireline)
Cased hole
Interpret
Geological properties
o Lithology
o Formation tops
o Thickness of units
Petrophysical properties
o Porosity
o Permeability
o Fluids and saturations
Production properties
Logging applications for petroleum engineering
Rock typing
Identification of geological environment
Reservoir fluid contact location
Fracture detection
Estimate of hydrocarbon in place
Estimate of recoverable hydrocarbon
Determination of water salinity
Reservoir pressure determination
Porosity/pore size distribution determination
Water flood feasibility
Reservoir quality mapping
Interzone fluid communication probability
Reservoir fluid movement monitoring
Spring 2014
Principal of Well Logging
A well log is a record of certain formation data versus depth.
The appropriate downhole logging tools instrument called sonde, about 3.5
inches in diameter is lowered into the hole on logging cable.
The tools measure the electrical, acoustic, and radioactive properties of the
formation.
The result will be analyzed to determine which of the layers are porous and
permeable, and likely to contain hydrocarbon.
A depth calibration wheel records the length of cable in the hole.
Survey is normally done from the bottom up. As the sonde is pulled up the
hole, a continuous measurement signal is sent to the surface where the data is
processed and recorded as a curve.
VALUE AND LIMITATIONSOF WELL LOG DATA
Strengths
Provides remotely sensed values of reservoir properties and fluids
Among the most abundant reservoir data
Presentation results fairly well standardized
Allows evaluation of lateral (map) and vertical(cross section) changes in
reservoir properties and fluids
Limitations
Indirect measurements
Vertical resolution
Depth of investigation
A FEW SIGNIFICANT MILESTONESIN PETROLEUM EXPLORATION
First oil well E. L. Drake, Titusville, PA, 1859
Anticlinal trap theory I.C. White (popularized) 1885
Geophysical tools (magnetic, gravity, seismic evaluation) 1911
Geophysical well logging Schlumberger, 9/5/27
Depositional systems analysis Fisher, Brown and others (UT) , 1960s
Sequence stratigraphy (Mitchell, Vail et al., Exxon; Fisher, et al., UT), 1970s
3-D Seismic, computers, 1980s
4-D (time-lapse) seismic; seismic attributes, computers 1990s
Frontiers multicomponent and spectral seismic imaging of reservoirand
fluids, computers
HISTORY
1912 Conrad Schlumberger gave the idea of using electrical measurements to map
subsurface rock bodies.
in 1919 Conrad Schlumberger and his brother Marcel started work on well logs.
The first electrical resistivity well log was taken in France, in 1927.
The instrument which was use for this purpose is called SONDE, the sonde was stopped at
periodic intervals in bore hole and the resistivity was plotted on graph paper.
In 1929 the electrical resistivity logs are introduce on commercial scale in Venezuela, USA
and Russia
For correlation and identification of Hydrocarbon bearing strata.
The photographic film recorder was developed in 1936.
The dip meter log were developed in 1930
The Gamma Ray and Neutron Log were begin in 1941
SURFACE ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENTS
CONRAD SCHLUMBERGERS ASSISTANT, 1914
EARLY SURFACE GEOPHYSICS
Resistivity map made by C. Schlumberger, 1912
DIEFFENBACH NO. 2907, RIG 7 --- Pechelbronn, France
First well logged with Geophysical tools --- September 5, 1927
SEGMENT OF THE FIRST WELL LOG Schlumberger
SEGMENT OF THE FIRST WELL LOG Schlumberger
HEADER FIRST WELL LOG
Schlumberger, 1927
DIEFFENBACH NO. 2907, RIG 7 --- Pechelbronn, France
First well logged with Geophysical tools --- September 5, 1927
HENRI DOLL LOGGING OKLAHOMA WELL, 1930
OPEN HOLE LOGGING MEASUREMENTS
Passive
Caliper
Gamma Ray
SP
Temperature
Flow Velocity
Active
Acoustic
Nuclear
Resistivity
Electromagnetic
Mechanical
SOME QUESTIONS ADDRESSED BY LOG INTERPRETATION
Geophysicist / Geologist
Reservoir Engineer
Are the tops as predicted?
How thick is the pay zone?
Are potential zones porous?
How homogeneous is the zone?
Formation intervals?
Porosity?
Lithology?
Permeability?
Hydrocarbons?
What type of hydrocarbons?
Which zone(s) to complete?
Commercial quantities?
What production rates?
Any water production?
Drilling Engineer
Production Engineer
Hole volume for cementing?
Is zone hydraulically isolated?
Any key seats or doglegs?
Will well need stimulation?
Packer placement for testing?
What stimulation would be best?
Best place to set a whip stock?
RESERVOIR FORMATION ANALYSIS
Reservoir Formation
Rocks
Carbonates
Sandstones
Clean
Fluid
Shales
Dolomite
Hydrocarbon
Gas
Shaly
Saline Water
Limestone
Water
Fresh Water
Oil
WHAT DOES AN OPENHOLE LOG COST?
IT DEPENDS ON...
Well type
Vertical/Deviated
Deep/Shallow
Hot/Normal
Measurements
Depth charge
Survey charge
Time / location / special procedures
Land/offshore
Service charge
Equipment availability
Rig time
Wireline/LWD
TYPICAL OPEN HOLE WIRELINE COSTS
EXAMPLE LOGGING JOB COSTS
FACTORS ADDING TO LOGGING COSTS
Hostile well conditions
Deviated more than 60deg
Hotter than 300 deg F (150 deg F)
LWD/MWD
Local conditions
Crew on standby
Remote location
Double+
Triple++
Measurements-While-Drilling (MWD)
MWD
The evaluation of physical properties, usually including pressure, temperature and
wellbore trajectory in three-dimensional space, while extending a wellbore. MWD is
now standard practice in offshore directional wells, where the tool cost is offset by rig
time and wellbore stability considerations if other tools are used. The measurements
are made downhole, stored in solid-state memory for some time and later transmitted
to the surface. Data transmission methods vary from company to company, but usually
involve digitally encoding data and transmitting to the surface as pressure pulses in
the mud system. These pressures may be positive, negative or continuous sine waves.
Some MWD tools have the ability to store the measurements for later retrieval with
wireline or when the tool is tripped out of the hole if the data transmission link fails.
LWD
MWD tools that measure formation parameters (resistivity, porosity, sonic velocity,
gamma ray) are referred to as logging-while-drilling (LWD)tools. LWD tools use
similar data storage and transmission systems, with some having more solid-state
memory to provide higher resolution logs after the tool is tripped out than is possible
with the relatively low bandwidth, mud-pulse data transmission system.
(From Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary)
Schlumberger and ChevronTexaco Set New Gulf of Mexico Record for Well Depth and Pressure
Service Delivers Real-Time Well Placement in Ultra Deepwater
HOUSTON, December 15, 2003-Schlumberger Oilfield Services and ChevronTexaco
announced today they have set new measurement-while-drilling (MWD)and logging-whiledrilling (LWD)depth and pressure records for the Gulf of Mexico. These results were recorded
while drilling the ChevronTexaco deepwater Tonga Exploratory Prospect located in Green
Canyon Block 727.
True vertical depth of 31,824 feet was reached exceeding the previous depth record by 700
feet, with a maximum-recorded downhole pressure of 26,138psi in the Tonga #1 well.
Schlumberger delivered continuous real-time surveys, allowing the well trajectory to be kept
on target during the entire drilling and logging process. "The Schlumberger tools functioned
flawlessly under the extreme conditions of depth and pressure. We were able to capture and
transmit 100 percent of the data in real time, without lost time or trips, which was critical to
the success of this ultra-deep exploration well." Drilling operations for this record-setting
well located in 4,695 feet of water and approximately 150 miles southwest of New Orleans
were conducted from Transocean's Discoverer Deep Seas drillship.
hostile environment1. n.[Drilling] A particularly difficult set of well conditions that
may detrimentally affect steel, elastomers, mud additives, electronics, or tools and
tool components. Such conditions typically include excessive temperatures, the
presence of acid gases (H2S, CO2), chlorides, high pressures and, more recently,
extreme measured depths.
LOGGING IS COMPARITIVELY INEXPENSIVE!
Total cost to drill a well:
$75 to $200 per foot!
WIRELINE LOGGING EQUIPMENT
DETAILS OF WIRELINE LOGGING RIGUP
DETAILS OF WIRELINE LOGGING RIGUP
DETAILS OF WIRELINE LOGGING RIGUP
OPEN HOLE WIRELINE LOGGING PROCEDURE
1. Rig-up
Place sonde(s) on cat-walk
Erect sheaves
Thread cable through sheaves
Connect head to sonde
Using cable, lift sonde to rig floor
Set 0 depth reference
2. Tool to TD
3. Repeat section 300ft/100m
4. Tool to TD
5. Full survey
6. Pull out of hole
7. Rig down
LOG PRESENTATION -THE HEADING
IMPORTANCEOF HEADERS
Note use of Rm
to correct for
borehole effects
in Dual Laterolog
Tool
All tools are affected by the presence and properties of mud in the borehole
It is necessary to record all mud properties, such as mud weight, mud
resistivity (at a given temperature) in the header
LOG PRESENTATION -LINEAR GRID
LOG PRESENTATION -LINEAR GRID
LOG PRESENTATION -COMMON DEPTH SCALES
Correlation
1:500 or 1:1000
2 in. (1:600) or 1 in. (1:1200)
Heavy lines every 100 ft. or 50m
Light lines each 10ft or 5m
Routine
1:200 or 1:240 (5 in)
Heavy lines every 50 ft. or 5 m
Medium lines each 10 ft. or 5 m
Light lines each 2 ft or 1 m
CHOOSING A LOGGING TOOL
It is necessary to choose the right tool to get the desired measurement.
Considerations:
Type of well ( wildcat or development )
Hole conditions ( depth, deviation, hole size, mud type )
Examples:
o Oil based mud : Induction tool
o Water based salty mud : Laterolog Tool
Formation fluid content (fresh/salt connate water)
Economics (cost of the job, rig time involved)
TYPES OF LOGS TO BE RUN
Logging suites generally include one resistivity and one porosity device
The logging string will also have other tools like the gamma ray, SP and
caliper tools
However, logging suites usually have two porosity devices to give more
information about rock type, hydrocarbon type and porosity
Other considerations to estimate permeability or to take fluid samples
require other special tools like the formation testers
NOMENCLATURE FOR ZONES IN AND AROUND THE
BOREHOLE
BoreHole Environment
Resistivity of zone
Resistivity of the water in the zone
Water saturation in the zone
Mud
Rm
Adjacent bed
Rs
hmc
Rmc
dh
(Bed
thickness)
Mudcake
Flushed
zone
Zone of
transition
or
annulus
Rxd
Uninvaded
zone
R1
Rw
Sw
Rm1
Sxo
di
dj
(Invasion diameters)
rj
dh
Hole
diameter
Rs
Adjacent bed
Borehole Environment
Uninvaded Zone
Transition Zone
Formation Water
Flushed Zone
Mixture of Mud filtrate
and Formation Water
Mud filtrate
Spring 2014
What occurs around the wellbore during conventional drilling?
Water-based mud with chemicals
& solids flows down drill pipe to
bit & back to surface around drill
pipe
Role of mud:
Lubricates & cools bit
Cuttings brought to mudlogger
Petroleum shows
Controls
pressure
subsurface
fluid
NOMENCLATURE FOR ZONES IN AND AROUND THE BOREHOLE
TOOL CALIBRATIONS
A logging tool collects data that are converted to porosity, resistivity, and
other values
Each tool is calibrated to an industry standard
This ensures that each tool, irrespective of the type of tool or tool
history or service company, reads the same value when logging the same
formation (normalization may still be required between log)
Check tool calibrations before and after a logging job to ensure good
quality log data
LOGGING TOOL SPEEDS
TOOL RESPONSES IN COMMON MATERIALS
LOG QUALITY CONTROL
Check all calibrations before and after job
Record a repeat section of about 200 ft to ensure validity of data and to
explain abnormal curve response
Compare log response with offset well logs
Keep hole conditions (hole size, mud type, tool centralization) in mind
when interpreting log data
Ensure that logging speeds are as recommended by the service company.
SUMMARY -WELL LOGGING
Several methods
Measurements include many parameters
Provides geoscience & engineering info
Modest cost
Standard formats
Interpretation requires care
Most abundant source of reservoir data
