Well Logs Quality Control Issues

DR. ZAKI BASSIOUNI.

Professor Emeritus .Louisiana State University

Log quality issues may be classified in two categories:

1. Issues related to the logging tool such as tool calibration, functioning during the run, depth
determination, sticking, etc.
2. Issues related to borehole environment such as borehole size and shape, drilling fluid, etc.

1. Issues related to the logging tool

These issues are the main responsibility of service companies. The service companies draw
on their global experience to control the quality of the logs they deliver to their clients. They
usually do a good job, and take remedial action, such as rerunning the tool when warranted.
Such remedial actions usually require the assent of the operating company.

Operating companies send representatives to the well site to witness logging operations.
Company representative are usually geophysicists, geologists, and/or petrophysicists. In
addition to ascertaining the quality of the measurement, they insure that service companies
meet their contractual obligations. A contract between the service company and the operator
specifies, among other things, tools to be run, intervals to be logged, repeat runs, logging
speeds , and matrix parameters used in density and neutron porosity calculations. They also
initiate and approve, with the consent of management, modifications to logging programs
when necessary.

Examples of these modifications include repeat logging over an interval where the log quality
is suspect, approval of tool conveyance over a troublesome interval through drill pipes. In
case of problematic borehole or when a tool malfunctions, they may curtail the use of an
open hole tool and substitute a cased hole tool in its place, when feasible. Company
representative will also guide additional data acquisition. They will select depths to get side
wall cores and perform formation tests.

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2. Issues related to Borehole Environment

These are the responsibility of log analysts usually the petrophysicists. The most critical
borehole environment which will impact the quality of the log and the validity of the measured
data are wellbore size and wellbore rugosity. Severe wellbore enlargement beyond the bit
size will impact the reading of centralized tools. Well bore rigosity, displayed in Figure 1, will
impact pad type tools. Borehole size and rugosity can easily be inferred from caliper
readings. The impact of bore hole environment is illustrated by the density log of Figure 2. A
clear correlation between the low density reading and the caliper indicating borehole
enlargement and rugosity may result, if overlooked by the analyst, in false interpretation in
terms of high porosity or gas presence. To determine the potential of zones A,B, and C
marked on the log the analyst have to rely on other data such as the mud log and/or the
resistivity log. The analyst has to omit the density values from the analysis as they are not
representative of true formation densities. This may render porosity estimation unfeasible.

Figure 1. Pad type tool trapping drilling mud pockets in rugose borehole

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 Figure 2. Density Log recorded in a rugose section of a wellbore

Another critical aspect which dramatically affects the validity of the data is tool sticking due to
unfavorable borehole conditions. Tool sticking is indicated from the increase in cable tension
which is displayed at the far right side of Figure 3. While the tool is stuck the recorded
measurements are no longer versus depth. To flag this condition curves are usually traced
with a finer font to alert the analyst. The data gaps are not at the same depth as the tool
sensors are not at the same depth. Determining the tool depth after it frees itself is
problematic as the tool tends to yo yo before it stabilizes.
In summary, the lingering and troublesome log quality issues are those related to bore hole
conditions leading to enlargement, rugosity and tool sticking. Before undertaking the
interpretation phase, the analyst should look for these conditions and avoid their negative
impact on interpretation results.

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 Figure 3. Section of a log illustrating tool sticking and its effect of a wellbore

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 ZAKI BASSIOUNI Professor Emeritus Louisiana State University
After 31 years of service Dr. Zaki Bassiouni retired from
Louisiana State University in July 2008. He was a professor and
chair of the Craft and Hawkins Department of Petroleum
Engineering from July 1983 to June 2004 and Dean of the
College of Engineering from 2004 to 2008. Dr. Bassiouni received
a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Cairo University, a diploma
in Geophysics from the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Petrole et
des Moteurs of Paris, France, and an M.S. (DEA) and Ph.D.
(Docteur Es Sciences) from the University of Lille, France. Dr.
Bassiouni is a member of the national honorary society Pi Epsilon
Tau, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the Society of Petrophysicists Well Log
Analysts (SPWLA). He served on the Education and Accreditation Commission (EAC) of the
Accreditation Board of Engineering and Technology (ABET) from 1999 to 2004. He was SPE
Distinguished Lecturer for the 2004-05 and 2008-09 seasons. He is the author of the Society
of Petroleum Engineers Textbook Series Vol. 4 "Theory, Measurement, and Interpretation of
Well Logs." Dr. Bassiouni is the recipient of SPE Distinguished Achievement Award for
Petroleum Engineering Faculty for 1995, and the 2006 recipient of the SPE Formation
Evaluation Award. He is also the recipient of the Louisiana Engineering Foundation Faculty
Professionalism Award for 2000, and of Louisiana Engineering Societys 2008 Technological
Accomplishment Award. He is a licensed petroleum engineer. In addition to his academic
contributions and publications, Dr. Bassiouni has provided technical expertise to the
international oil and gas industry. He continues to provide training and consulting in his areas
of expertise which include: 1) Formation Evaluation 2) Reservoir Management and
Development, and 3) Improved and Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery, 4) design of training
programs. He will also use his extensive academic administrative experience and involvement
in assessment and accreditation activities to advise on curricular development and
improvement.

Proximo Curso Relacionado:

Open-Hole Well Logs

DR. ZAKI BASSIOUNI.

26 al 30 de Marzo de 2012

Hotel Meli Buenos Aires, Argentina

http://bit.ly/mWoQmf

contacto: info@op-ct.com

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