sandstone

Cl-

Na+
+
Cl
Na
shale

Cl-

Na+

Cl-

Na+

Chapter-3
SP Log Self Potential
+

By

Dr. Jorge Salgado Gomes

9/21/2011

Chap-3

Duration of this chapter: 2 classes1(90)

Educational Outcomes

What is self potential

Electrochemical potential
SP interpretation
SP applications (sand-shale sequences)
Factors affecting SP amplitude
Determination of Rw (water resistivity)

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Chap-3

Principle of SP (Self Potential)

The SP is measured mostly simultaneous
with the resistivity log.
The SP is the natural electrical potential
in our case in a borehole.

SP is useful particularly for

sand - shale discrimination, shale content
Rw calculation - we need it for saturation
calculation

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Chap-3
by Lecturer

Electrochemical Potential (Ec)

EC = EM + ELJ
Membrane Potential

Membrane potential is the migration of cations

(Na+) through shale membrane.

Liquid Junction Potential

Schematic SP Resistive Circuit

Schematic SP Current Loop

SCHEMATIC
REPRESENTATION of
POTENTIAL &
CURRENT
DISTRIBUTION
in and around a
permeable bed

Liquid Junction (diffusion) and

Membrane Potential
Cw
RT v u
ED

ln
C mf
F vu

RT v u
Rmf

ln
F vu
Rw

at 77F (25C):
Cw
Cw

E D K D log
11.6 log
C mf
C mf

C w RT
Rmf
RT

EM
ln
ln

F
C
F
R
mf
w

at 77F (25C):
Cw
Cw

E M K M log
59.1 log
C mf
C mf

Static SP
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SSP E D E M K SP
Chap-3

R - ideal gas constant

T - absolute Temperature
F
Cw
Cmf
Rw
Rmf
u
v

- Faraday constant
- formation water concentration
- mud filtrate concentration
- formation water resistivity
- mud filtrate resistivity
- mobility of Cl (67.6 10-5 cm/sV)
- mobility of Na (45.6 10-5 cm/sV)

Cw
log
C mf

Cw
71 log

C mf

SP: Result of Electrochemical

Interaction
concentration

sandstone

-160

Cl-

Cl-

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Diffusion-

potential

shale Na+
ClCl-

+ 40

Na+
Na+

- SP in mV +

Na+

Membranepotential

+
Chap-3

Example
Step 1:
draw shale base line

Step 2:
draw sand base line

Step 3:
select reservoirs,
describe the profile

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Chap-3

10

TWO
EXAMPLES OF
SP
BASE-LINE
SHIFT

SP (Main Observations)
SP results from conductivity differences between formation
water and mud salinity.

SP-log can be used to:

detect permeable beds
separate sand and shale
determine formation water resistivity Rw

In permeable beds, SP has the following response relative to

the shale baseline:
negative deflection where Rmf > Rw
positive deflection where Rmf < Rw
no deflection where Rmf = Rw

SP is suppressed at presence of oil/gas and by thin beds.

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Chap-3

12

Factors Affecting SP Amplitude

OBM & AF boreholes

Clay/shale in the formation
Hydrocarbon zones
Bed resistivity
Formation thickness
Invasion

EFFECT OF Rmf/Rw on SP development

Shape and Amplitude of SP Response

The shape of the SP curve and the amplitude of
the deflection opposite a permeable bed depend
on several factors:

Ratio of Rmf/Rw
Thickness (h) and true resistivity (Rt) of the bed
Rxo and diameter of the invaded zone (di)
Resistivity of the adjacent formation
Resistivity of the mud (Rm) and borehole diameter

The following slides show examples of these

factors
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Chap-3

15

EFFECT OF SHALINESS ON SP

EFFECT OF
PERMEABLE
BED THICKNESS
ON RECORDED
SP

EFFECT OF
VARYING SHALE
THICKNESS ON
SP

EFFECT OF BED RESISTIVITY ON SP

EFFECT OF
INVASION
ON SP
when
Ri = Rt

SP IN RESISTIVE FORMATIONS

RESPONSE OF SP TO TIGHT ZONES

Quality Control SP
Should be recorded noise-free as possible
Repeatability: curves should have the same shape and
character as those from previous runs or repeated sections if
same conditions with respect to mud and no streaming potential.
Cross-check the curve character with other logs from the same
logging run.

Adapted after Krygowski, 2004

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Chap-3

23

DETERMINATION OF Rw
FROM SP

SSP Equation & Conditions for Rw

Determination
Cw
SSP K SP log
C
mf

R mfe
K SP log

Rwe

Where : KSP = 61 + 0.133T (0F)

Clean formation
Thick formation
Salinity contrast

Determination of Rweq
INPUT:
SSP = 100 mV @ 250 F
Rmf = 0.7 .m @ 100 F
From Chart Gen-9:
Rmf= 0.33 .m @ 250 F
If Rmf @ 75 F > 0.1 , then Rmfeq = 0.85 Rmf
If Rmf @ 75 F < 0.1 , then use Chart SP-2

Output:
Rmfeq = 0.85 * Rmf
Rmfeq @ 250 F = 0.85 * 0.33 = 0.28 . m

Rweq @ 250 F =0.025 .m

R mfeq
SSP K SP log
R
weq
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Chap-3

26

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Chap-3

27

Compute Rw from Rweq

If Rweq = 0.025 Ohm.m
@ 250 F
Rw = 0.03 Ohm.m

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Chap-3

28

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Chap-3

29

CALIPER LOGS

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Chap-3

30

Caliper Logs
Caliper Measurements
2-Arm Calipers
3-Arm Calipers
4-Arm Calipers
6-Arm Calipers

Why ?

borehole condition (breakouts --> mechanical behaviour)

formation properties (mud cake --> permeable zones,
fractured zones)
borehole volume --> cementation
corrections for quantitative log interpretation
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Chap-3
by Lecturer

31

Caliper Log

Source: Baker 2002

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Chap-3

32

Caliper Measurements
Single axis

Three arm

Dual Axis (x,y)

Four or six arm (individual radii)

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Chap-3

33

Interpretation of Caliper Data

(Borehole Breakout & Key Seat)

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Chap-3

34

Geomechanical Information
(Relationship between stress fields and
borehole Shape)

Fig 3a

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Fig 3b

Chap-3

35

Quality Control Caliper

Check the caliper value in casing against the casing diameter
Shale values should be similar to those in nearby wells
Repeatability: curves should have the same shape and character as those
from previous runs or repeated sections
Cross-check the curve character with other logs from the same logging run.

Adapted after Krygowski, 2004

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Chap-3

36

Additional Support Material

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Chap-3

37