Chapter 5

Determination of Rw

Lecture notes for PET 370

Spring 2012
Prepared by: Thomas W. Engler,
Ph.D., P.E.

Determination of Rw
Methods
1.

Archies Equation

Ro
a. if water zone is present. R
w
F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots

2.

3.

4.

5.

Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
SP log
SSP

k
Rwe Rmfe *10
Guess?

Determination of Rw
Preliminary Concepts
Total conductivity is influenced by:
porosity
water saturation
salinity
salt composition
temperature

Water
conductivity

shale content

metallic minerals; e.g., pyrite

Ct

C w Snw
F

X sh X met

Determination of Rw
Preliminary Concepts
Temperature Effects
ionic conductivity - as temp. increases the
conductivity increases. Why?

Salinity Effects
As salinity increases the conductivity will
increase.
Solution
ppm NaCl resistivity,-m
oil or gas
1.0 E6
Potable water
500
10.0
Fresh mud filtrate
< 5,000
1.0 - 5.0
Sea water
35,000
0.2
Salt mud filtrate
75,000
0.1
Saturated salt water 250,000
0.04

Determination of Rw
How to determine formation temperature?
During logging operations record the maximum temperature
(TTD) at the bottom of the well (DTD).
Assume a linear geothermal gradient, (gG), {deg.F/100 ft}

TEMPERATURE
Ta To
Region of Diurnal and
Annual Variations

100

DEPTH

gG
{F/100}

Tf, Df

Df

Tf (TTD To )
D

TD

To

TTD, DTD

Determination of Rw
How to determine formation temperature?
Near surface temperature, (To), is given regionally by:
Gulf Coast
80 deg. F
Oklahoma
60
California
60
Permian Basin
60
Rocky Mtns.
50
Alberta
35

Determination of Rw
How to determine formation temperature?
Location
Ankara, Turkey
Aswan, Egypt
Aberdeen, Scotland
Bogota, Columbia
Bombay, India
Calgary, Alberta
Caracas, Venezuela
Changha, China
Gabon, Africa
Great Yarmouth, England

To, C
6.7
26.7
8.9
14.3
27.1
5.4
20.5
18.0
26.0
8.9

Location
Jakarta, Indonesia
Lima, Peru
Mendoza, Argentina
Natal, Brazil
Perth, Australia
Prince George, B.C.
Rio De Janeiro, Brazil
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Siberia (west), Russia
Trinidad, W.I.

To, C
26.7
20.0
16.0
23.0
18.0
3.6
23.0
15.0
-4.0
29.7

Determination of Rw
How to determine resistivity at Tf?

Courtesy of Schlumberger

Determination of Rw
Methods
1.

Archies Equation

Ro
a. if water zone is present. R
w
F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots

2.

5.

Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
SSP

k
Rwe Rmfe *10
Guess?

Determination of Rw
Direct measurement
Obtain water sample and corresponding temperature.

Representative sample:
Pumping well with high WOR
Flowing well with high WOR
Drill stem test

Not Useful:
Flowing well with high GOR
Condensate - gas well
Well with casing leak
Tank bottoms

Determination of Rw
How to determine resistivity if a chemical
composition is available?
Calculate equivalent NaCl concentration by
using ion multipliers.
Use salinity - temperature - resistivity
relationships to find Rw.
Example

Ion

ppm

Na+ and ClCO3SO4++

HCO3Mg++
TDS =

25,000
2,000
5,000
10,000
4,000
46,000

multiplier Equiv NaCl

ppm
1.00
0.42
0.40
0.23
0.93

T = 200 deg. F => Rw =

25,000
840
2,000
2,300
3,720
33,860

ohm-m

Determination of Rw
How to determine resistivity if a chemical
composition is available?

Empirical Ion Multiplier Chart

Schlumberger

Determination of Rw
Methods
1.

Archies Equation

Ro
a. if water zone is present. R
w
F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots

2.

5.

Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
SSP

k
Rwe Rmfe *10
Guess?

Determination of Rw

Rwa Technique
Requirements:

1. Rw is constant
2. Lithology is constant
3. A water zone exists and is identifiable
Procedure:
Rearrange Archie' s Equation :
S2
R
Rw w t
F
If in a water zone (Sw = 100%), then
R t (orR o )
Rw
F
If in a HC zone, the F relationship is the same
but the Rt will increase; thus
Rt
R wa =
F
Calculate for a series of zones, find :
R w R wa ( minimum )
Determine water saturation by :
Sw

Rw
R wa

Determination of Rw
Rwa Technique Example

Determination of Rw
Rwa Technique Example
Strawn Sandstone Evaluation

Rwa Approach

Interval Ca, mmho/m Rt, ohm-m t,microsec/ft

3562-64
110
9.1
65
3564-66
90
11.1
76
3566-68
90
11.1
71
3568-70
100
10.0
62
3570-72
125
8.0
70
3572-74
130
7.7
76
3574-76
125
8.0
72
3576-78
125
8.0
68
3578-80
120
8.3
70
3580-82
115
8.7
71
3582-84
115
8.7
70.5
3584-86
120
8.3
72
3586-88
120
8.3
71
3588-90
130
7.7
71
3590-92
145
6.9
73
3592-94
200
5.0
70
3594-96
270
3.7
75
3596-98
280
3.6
74.5
3598-3600
260
3.8
71
3600-02
280
3.6
73
3602-04
320
3.1
75
3604-06
355
2.8
74
3606-08
360
2.8
76
3608-10
350
2.9
75
3610-12
340
2.9
74
3612-14
350
2.9
74
3614-16
325
3.1
74
3616-18
275
3.6
72
3618-20
200
5.0
73
3620-22
120
8.3
66

average
porosity
0.097
0.179
0.143
0.072
0.136
0.179
0.151
0.121
0.136
0.143
0.140
0.151
0.143
0.143
0.158
0.136
0.172
0.168
0.143
0.158
0.172
0.165
0.179
0.172
0.165
0.165
0.165
0.151
0.158
0.105

F
85.9
25.4
39.5
155.1
43.9
25.4
35.7
55.6
43.9
39.5
41.6
35.7
39.5
39.5
32.6
43.9
27.4
28.6
39.5
32.6
27.4
29.8
25.4
27.4
29.8
29.8
29.8
35.7
32.6
73.3

Sw =
Rwa =
1/2
(Rw/Rwa)
Rt/F
0.106
0.942 tight
0.438
0.463 pay
0.281
0.578 pay
0.064
1.000 tight
0.182
0.718 tight/wet
0.303
0.557 pay
0.224
0.648 wet
0.144
0.808 tight
0.190
0.704 wet
0.220
0.653 wet
0.209
0.671 wet
0.233
0.635 wet
0.211
0.667 wet
0.195
0.695 wet
0.212
0.666 wet
0.114
0.908 shaly
0.135
0.834 shaly
0.125
0.867 shaly
0.097
0.982 wet
0.110
0.926 wet
0.114
0.908 wet
0.094
0.997 wet
0.110
0.926 wet
0.104
0.950 wet
0.099
0.976 wet
0.096
0.990 wet
0.103
0.954 wet
0.102
0.961 wet
0.154
0.782 wet
0.114
0.909 wet
Rw=0.094

depth
3564-66
3566-68
3572-74

h
2
2
2
6

0.179
0.143
0.179

Sw
0.463
0.578
0.557

average porosity in pay zones =

average Sw in pay zones =

h
0.358
0.286
0.358
1.002

hSw
0.166
0.165
0.199
0.530

0.167
0.529
OIP =

Area =
Boi =
97,551 stb

40 acres
1.5 rbbl/stb

Determination of Rw
Methods
1.

Archies Equation

Ro
a. if water zone is present. R
w
F
b. Rwa Approach
c. Resistivity - Porosity Crossplots

2.

5.

Laboratory
a. Direct measurement of representative
water sample.
b. Chemical analysis of water sample.
3. Databases
a. Published regional water catalogs
b. online:http://octane.nmt.edu/waterquality/
4. SP log
SSP

k
Rwe Rmfe *10
Guess?

Determination of Rw
Resistivity Porosity Crossplots

Pickett Plot
Rearrange Archies Equation:
log R t m log log(aR w ) n log Sw

Determination of Rw
Resistivity Porosity Crossplots

Pickett Plot Example

Pickett Plot
1.00

Sw=50%
Porosity

aRw=0.10
Rw=0.12
0.10

m=1/.5267=1.90
y = 0.3007x-0.5267
R2 = 0.7674
0.01
0.10

1.00

10.00
Rt,ohm-m

Results:
m = 1.90
Rw = 0.12 ohm-m

100.00

Determination of Rw
Resistivity Porosity Crossplots

Hingle Plot
Rearrange Archies Equation
1/ m
n
1 / m S w
[R t ]

aR
w

Determination of Rw
Resistivity Porosity Crossplots

Hingle Plot Example

Hingle Plot, m=1.90
0.7
y = 3.4858x
R2 = 0.9836

0.6

Rt-1/m

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2

Sw = 50%

0.1
0.0
0.00

0.05

0.10
Porosity

At= 10%

y=
Ro =
F=
Rw =

0.35
7.4 ohmm
64
0.115 ohmm

OOIP = 118 Mstb

0.15

0.20

Determination of Rw

Determination of Rw

References

Bassiouni, Z: Theory, Measurement, and Interpretation of

Well Logs, SPE Textbook Series, Vol. 4, (1994)
Chapter 4, Sec 4.5-4.6
Chapter 12, Sec 12.2
Chapter 13
Schlumberger, Log Interpretation Chartbook, (1995)