Logging while drilling (LWD) is a technique of

conveying well logging tools into the well borehole downhole as

part of the bottom hole assembly (BHA).

LWD tools work with its measurement while drilling (MWD) system
to transmit partial or complete measurement results to the
surface via typically a drilling mud pulser or other improved
techniques, while LWD tools are still in the borehole, which is
called "real-time data". Complete measurement results can be
downloaded from LWD tools after they are pulled out of hole,
which is called "memory data".

LWD technology was developed originally as an enhancement to

the earlier MWD technology to completely or partially replace
wireline logging operation. With the improvement of the
technology in the past decades, LWD is now widely used for
drilling (including geosteering), and formation evaluation
(especially for real time and high angle wells).

Available LWD measurements[edit]

LWD technology was originally developed to partially or
completely replace wireline logging. Over the years, more of the
measurements have been made available in LWD. Certain new
measurements are also development in LWD only. The following is
an incomplete list of available measurement in LWD technology.

Natural gamma ray (GR)

Total gamma ray

Spectral gamma ray

Azimuthal gamma ray
Gamma ray close to drill bit.
Density and photoelectric index
Neutron porosity
Borehole caliper
Ultra sonic azimuthal caliper.
Density caliper
Resistivity (ohm-m)
Attenuation and phase-shift resistivities at different transmitter
spacings and frequencies.
Resistivity at the drill bit.
Deep directional resistivities.
Sonic
Compressional slowness (tc)
Shear slowness (ts)
Borehole images
Density borehole image
Resistivity borehole image
Formation tester and sampler
Formation pressure
Formation fluid sample
Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)

Seismic while drilling (SWD)

Drillbit-SWD

Measurement While Drilling (MWD), also known as

Logging While Drilling (LWD), is a measurement taken of the
wellbore (the hole) inclination from vertical, and also magnetic
direction from north. Using basic trigonometry, a threedimensional plot of the path of the well can be produced.

Essentially, a MWD Operator measures the trajectory of the hole

as it is drilled (for example, data updates arrive and are processed
every few seconds or faster). This information is then used to drill
in a pre-planned direction into the formation which contains the
oil, gas, water or condensate. Additional measurements can also
be taken of natural gamma ray emissions from the rock; this helps
broadly to determine what type of rock formation is being drilled,
which in turn helps confirm the real-time location of the wellbore
in relation to the presence of different types of known formations
(by comparison with existing seismic data).

Density and porosity, rock fluid pressures and other

measurements are taken, some using radioactive sources, some
using sound, some using electricity, etc.; this can then be used to
calculate how freely oil and other fluids can flow through the
formation, as well as the volume of hydrocarbons present in the
rock and, with other data, the value of the whole reservoir and
reservoir reserves.

An MWD downhole tool is also "lined-up" with the bottom hole

drilling assembly, enabling the wellbore to be steered in a chosen
direction in 3D space known as directional drilling. Directional
drillers rely on receiving accurate, quality tested data from the
MWD engineer to allow them to keep the well safely on the
planned trajectory.

Directional survey measurements are taken by three orthogonally

mounted accelerometers to measure inclination, and three
orthogonally mounted magnetometers which measure direction
(azimuth). Gyroscopic tools may be used to measure Azimuth
where the survey is measured in a location with disruptive
external magnetic influences, inside "casing", for example, where
the hole is lined with steel tubulars (tubes). These sensors, as well
as any additional sensors to measure rock formation density,
porosity, pressure or other data, are connected, physically and
digitally, to a logic unit which converts the information into binary
digits which are then transmitted to surface using "mud pulse
telemetry" (MPT, a binary coding transmission system used with
fluids, such as, combinatorial, Manchester encoding, split-phase,
among others).

This is done by using a downhole "pulser" unit which varies the

drilling fluid (mud) pressure inside the drill-string according to the
chosen MPT: these pressure fluctuations are decoded and
displayed on the surface system computers as wave-forms;
voltage outputs from the sensors (raw data); specific
measurements of gravity or directions from magnetic north, or in
other forms, such as sound waves, nuclear wave-forms, etc.

Surface (mud) pressure transducers measure these pressure

fluctuations (pulses) and pass an analogue voltage signal to
surface computers which digitize the signal. Disruptive
frequencies are filtered out and the signal is decoded back into its
original data form. For example, a pressure fluctuation of 20psi (or
less) can be picked out of a total mud system pressure of
3,500psi or more.

Downhole electrical and mechanical power is provided by

downhole turbine systems, which use the energy of the mud
flow, battery units (lithium), or a combination of both