CONTINUOUS DIPMETER AS A STRUCTURAL

TOOL Q &A GEOLOGIC WELL LOG ANALYSIS

Presented to/ Prof. Dr. Shouhdi Shalaby

Moataz Mohamed Saad El-Tantawy

Faculty of Petroleum and Mining Engineering
Q1. What are the principles of dip measurements?
- The instrument for dip measurement uses three identical sets of electrodes, separated from each
other by 20 degrees, whereby the center of the three sets are in the same plane perpendicular to the
apparatus axis which coincides with the hole’s axis because the dipmeter tool is long and is kept
centered by spring systems.
- When the instrument moves long the borehole, three curves are recorded simultaneously. Once the
electrode system crosses the boundary between two formations with different electrical
characteristics, the formation dip causes corresponding shifts in the curves to occur at different
depths.
- Geometric elements of the dip (angle and direction) can be derived from the values of these depth
differences. To achieve this, some information is necessary:
1- The orientation of the electrode system, defined by the azimuth of a particular electrode set, is
designated s No. 1.
2- The drift and azimuth of the borehole is equivalent to that o the instrument. These data can be
obtained by orienting systems attached to the dipmeter systems.
3- A microcaliper system provides the hole dimeter on the modern tools.
- When the electrodes cross the formation bedding plane. The sharp break in each curve occur s each
electrode passes the formation boundary. The displacements between the curves recorded by each
two electrodes are the basic elements for computing the formation’s boundary dip.

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Q2. What are the features of continuous dipmeters and the causes of
inaccuracies, errors and reduced quality?

Features of continuous dipmeters

- The most desirable feature is that it can be run over any length of n uncased hole section. Then only
those intervals of interest at the time need to be computed, and the original recording filed.
Validity of dipmeter results:
- Correlation curves of the dipmeter survey define formation bedding planes which re generally parallel
to formation dip, but they may lie at different angle with the formation dip as in cross-bedding.
- These deviations from the structural dip due to sedimentation re interpretable if sufficient number of
levels re computed to enable a close study of the pattern of dip changes.
- These studies are delineating through the dipmeter such important geologic features as: lensing,
pinchouts, and buried topography.
- In some massive carbonate formations, fractures and secondary porosity zones confuse the dip
picture. However, the dipmeter recordings help detect and define the extent of these zones.
Causes of inaccuracies, errors and reduced quality
Mud resistivity:
1- Conductive muds:
- If Rm is larger than 3 ohm-meters, the quality of the correlation curves is reduced because the
contact between the formation and the electrode is increased.
- If Rm is smaller than 0.1 Ohm-meter, such as in salt muds, current leakage round the insulting pad
occurs and the fine details of curve correlation disappear.
2- Oil base muds (nonconductive):
- Dip logging requires a knife or plow to scratch the nonconductive oil film and contact the formation.

Borehole caliper variations:

- Good dip calculations require circular hole. In washed out sections, holes re elliptical or egg-shaped.
The arms re then no longer in the same plane and calculations are incorrect.
- To alleviate this difficulty, the four arm dipmeter has been used with this dipmeter, four solutions for
the dip angle and dip directions are possible and a most probable value at each marker then may be
derived.
- Highly deviated holes tend to be triangular wit round apex into which tends prefer to slide and the tool
my get stuck by wedging.
- Dip computations should never be made in cored intervals or in turbodrilled wells as they exhibit
threaded surface with spiral grooves. The effect may be recognized on the dipmeter correlation curves
by series of closely spaced peaks and valleys that are equally spaced. If the peaks are taken as
correlating features, they will measure constant electrode displacement, which have no significance in
designated an actual bedding surface.

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 Lithology of formations:
1- Clastic sedimentary rocks: the most nearly universal feature of sedimentary rocks is stratification
(bedding or lamination) and degree of orientation. However sediments such as conglomerates and
unconsolidated shales show no stratification.
2- Massive sediments: such as limestone, dolomites, chalk and reefs show little stratification but may
be highly fractured and exhibit very erratic apparent dip.
- Accordingly, it is desirable to indicate the correlation quality of the points that were used in
calculation:

- The grading should be based on curve similarity, tool rotation and hole size change.

Q3. What are the techniques of dipmeter correlation and computation?

Correlations:
1- Manual by shadow overly:
- To void error by paper shrinkage, the original photographic recording film is Mylar film. It is best then
to make one copy and lay the original film over the copy: trace 1 over trace 2, trace 1 over trace 3 with
appropriate vertical displacement until satisfactory correlation is obtained for each marker. The
vertical shift and correlation quality re then noted for each.
2- Visual projection:
- It appears on a screen where the three traces are shown with appropriate vertical shifts.
3- Optical reader:
- The seiscor instrument is one that shows each trace in a different color: black, red and green. They’re
shifted optically and the displacement is measured directly in inches and fractions thereof at the
borehole scale.
4- Computer correlation of digitized dipmeter logs:
- This is a specialized work desired by Morn that requires large digital computing facilities.

Computations:
1- Single marker point computation: this is the most complete type of information and may be obtained
by several techniques.
(a) Analytic geometry: is used in solving the following eutions:4
4
tan 𝐴 = 3𝑑
√(ℎ1 − ℎ2 )2 + (ℎ1 − ℎ3 )2 − (ℎ1 − ℎ2 )(ℎ1 − ℎ3 )

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 (ℎ1 − ℎ3 ) − (ℎ1 − ℎ2 )
tan 𝐵 = √3
(ℎ1 − ℎ3 ) + (ℎ1 − ℎ2 )

Where:
A= apparent angle of the formation’s maximum dip.
B= azimuth of the maximum angle of the formation’s dip with respect to the electrode’s reading
the deepest on the correlation marker.
d= hole diameter.
h1, h2, h3= electrode displacements.
(b) The stereographic net: represents a hemisphere of a perfect globe projected on an equatorial
plane.
- Visualize a globe being rotated to place its north and south poles in a horizontal plane. By connecting
several points on the semicircle to the uppermost point of the globe (zenithal point), these points will
be projected on a horizontal plane through the globe’s center. The complete stereographic net is
constructed by projecting the meridians and the parallels of only the globe’s lower hemisphere.
- A “small circle’’ is the intersection of a sphere by any plane not passing through the sphere’s center.
The “equator line” extends from 90 to 270 degrees through the net’s middle. The circumference of the
stereographic net is “primitive” and is divided into 360 degrees.
- Stereographic net designed to rapidly calculate dips and strike is available and is provided with a plastic
overly for calculation ease.
(c) The mechanical computer: is a mechanical instrument on which it is possible to reconstruct
borehole conditions using the seven independent variables gathered from the dip log plus a
compass correction thus two dependent variables (dip direction and dip angle) can be red out
directly. Utilization of swinging dip displacement rods and a floating plane greatly increases the
speed at which these computations can be made.
2- Interval correlation method:
In this method, an interval in the hole is selected in which all markers correlate substantially with the
same vertical displacements for each curve. Single computation is made for the verge displacement
values and a dependable dip and dip direction are obtained for the interval. This helps to quickly detect
important structural features but not sedimentation features.
3- High density computation method:
It is almost necessary to resort to digital computer solutions because hand calculations would demand
too much time and cost. Data red may be punched on cards, or complete automatic computations
from digitalized logs may be used. These computed dip logs are suitable for structural and
sedimentation studies.

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Q4. What are the uses of dipmeter surveys?

1- Determining regional and/or structural dip:

- The primary structural dip is the basic dip indicated by the dipmeter. Superimposed on this dip are dips
resulting from faults, unconformities and local depositional features. These localized features generally
exhibit a definite change in magnitude and/or dip direction by which they may be distinguished. In
some cases, this change may show a definite trend, in other cases, the change appears in dips which
are erratic in degree and direction. Primary structural dips are generally lower than those exhibited by
localized features within the structure and are in a reasonably constant direction.
- To find the primary structural dip, place dipmeter graphical chart on the well and stand off to look at
the entire survey. In 75 percent of the cases, a trend and average dip will be detected immediately. If
this trend is not apparent, draw a circle divided into eight sectors and place each computed dip in the
section conforming to the dip direction noted. If enough levels have been computed, even the poorest
trends should be detected.
- The following rules determine those levels:
1- Rely mostly on features known to give most dependable results such as: resistivity features within
shale formations.
2- The lower dips re mostly likely to express the trend, since localized features generally exhibit higher
dips.
3- If electrical logs of offset or nearby wells re available, rely more on features recognizable from well
to well with little change in appearance.

2- Sidetracking and locating offset wells:

- To determine the height to be gained on the structure in locating n offset or in sidetracking, a
convenient table is given as part of the dipmeter report. This displacement in elevation is simply the
tangent of the dip angle multiplied by the horizontal distance between wells t the formation depth.
3- Determining reservoir’s true thickness:
- The dip angle my compute true thickness for reservoir volume computation. The apparent thickness
from the well log multiplied by the cosine of the dip angle gives the true thickness.
4- Structural interpretation:
- By noting the variations from the established trend that the dipmeter log sows. With sufficient levels
computed, these variations will form pattern of changing dip and /or direction.
- With the dip data checked and correlated with well logs and confirmed as well as possible by other
information, the structural interpretation associates the dip changes.
5- Locating faults:
- Faulting may appear on the dipmeter survey simply by sudden change in dips from one fault block to another.
- The most common indication of a fault in the lower gulf cost is “roll over” or slumping of downthrown formation
against the fault. This characterizes normal tension faults in incompetent beds. It manifests itself on the
dipmeter chart by progressive change in dips as the borehole approaches the fault.
- Some general observations based on lower gulf coast practice re:
1- Regional or depositional faults show more rollover than domal faults. These faults are called “gravity”,
“growth” or contemporaneous” faults.
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 2- Drag below the fault often appears but is usually limited. This is shown by the rather rapid recovery to
normal dips below the borehole fault plane intersection.
3- No correlation has been established between the disturbed zone’s length and fault throw.
6- Unconformities:
- Unconformities re recognized on the dipmeter log when the mount or direction of dip change in the subsequent
deposition. Since unconformities generally spread extensively and re often associated in position with marker
formations on the electric log. They’re rather easy to recognize if the dip change exists.
7- Salt overhangs:
- Formations on the flanks of salt domes, in general dip more sharply as they approach and flatten away from the
dome. If we consider well drilled adjacent an overhang, dip angles increase with depth as the well nears the
overhang, reach a maximum opposite it and decreases as the well penetrates below it.
8- Structural mapping:
- Dipmeter results may be used in contour mapping and vertical cross sections. In contour mapping it is
reasonable to map only one contour above and below a computed point on the dipmeter survey. This is because
the dip cannot be assumed to remain constant over a large area.
- Due to the detail of the vertical dipmeter data, dipmeter results apply even more to vertical cross sections. To
do this, it is necessary to convert each dip to its component in the plane of the section.
9- Interpreting directional tectonic trends:
- As a result of lateral compression from tectonic activity, secondary petrofabric my completely destroy
and replace the primary petrofabric depending on the deformation intensity and the sediments
competency.
- Due to tectonic stresses in the rocks regrowth of minerals and their deformation with plastic flow
cause sharp and fabric anisotropy. From properly calibrated and properly run dipmeter readings, the
strain ellipses tectonic stresses produced may be computed in the plane of the dip.
- The direction of the anisotropy ellipse’s main axis within the plane of dip indicates the “dree of
warping” to which the formation have been subjected. This warping is related to the intensity of
fracturing by rotational strain. Warping may develop induced porosity in closely associated brittle and
tight but porous rocks susceptible of becoming reservoir rocks by developing permeability channels.
- The following exploration problems may be solved by determining tectonic secondary petrofabric:
1. Proximity to deep-seated piercement-type salt dome and direction from which the compressional
stresses originated. By using two or more wells in which continuous dipmeter logs are available it is
possible to triangulate on the region in which to expect the salt dome.
2. Proximity to faults that involve compression, tension stresses and strain such as thrust and
growth faults. An unconformity is distinguished from thrust fault in that an unconformity does not
give rise to abnormal secondary petrofabric.
3. Proximity to fields in fracture in brittle rocks. Tracing the degree of warping with depth that has
occurred in the rock sequence from tectonic deformations may ascertain proximity to fracture
fields. The continuous dipmeter logs can show the petrofabric (oriented internal structure) of
sediments and me sure in situ these oriented structures. Its significance is that the sedimentation
processes are responsible for secondary petrofsbrics in a sedimentary basin.

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