Crain's Petrophysical Handbook - NATURAL GAMMA RAY and SPECTRAL GAMMA RAY ...

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NATURAL GAMMA RAY and SPECTRAL GAMMA RAY LOGS

Gamma Ray Basics Gamma Ray Spectral Log Curve Names

GAMMA RAY BASICS

The first gamma ray logs were run by Lane Wells in 1936. It looked similar to
an SP log and was easy to use in correlating zones from well to well. It was
hailed as a great advance over the SP log because its value does not depend
on mud or formation water resistivity.

Many elements are naturally radioactive as a result of basic particle physics.

Gamma ray logs measures the number of natural gamma rays emitted by the
rocks surrounding the tool. This is often proportional to the amount of shale
in the rocks, but there are other causes of gamma radiation. The spectral
gamma ray log breaks up the total gamma ray response into three
components, namely those due to potassium, thorium, and uranium. These
measurements are used to distinguish the mineralogy in a shale or other
radioactive minerals.

The log can be run in air or mud filled open holes, and also in cased holes,
although the response is attenuated by the cement and pipe thickness.

In the early days of the logging industry, gamma ray flux was recorded in micrograms Radium equivalent
per ton (ug-Ra equiv / ton) prior to about 1960. After that time, logs were calibrated in API units based on
known radiation levels of artificial formations in test pits located in Houston. The usual scale for old style
logs was 0 to 10 ug Ra and 0 to 100, 0 to 120, or 0 to 150 API units for newer logs. There is an exact
conversion between ug-Ra and API units, but since the old logging tools were rarely calibrated, this
conversion is seldom useful. The pragmatic solution is to multiply ug-Ra by 10 to obtain an approximate API
units scale.

Radiation is naturally erratic. A stationary detector facing a given gamma ray flux will not see a constant
stream of gamma rays. To obtain a reliable count rate, measuring instruments record the total number of
emissions over a period of time, known as the time constant. For most gamma ray tools, the time constant
is 1 or 2 seconds to obtain a smooth log curve. The differences in count rates between one time constant
and another are called statistical variations.

An empirical relationship between potassium content and gamma ray API units is reproduced below for the
standard gamma ray logging conditions of 8" borehole, 10 lb/gal mud and 3 5/8" scintillation NaI detector
type tool. This relationship was originally developed by the author while calibrating gamma ray log
response to potash content of potash (sylvite and carnallite) beds in 1963. For other borehole environments
refer to appropriate borehole correction charts.

The flattening effect at high count rates is due to the dead time
of the detector system. Dead time is the time it takes to transmit
the recorded pulse to the surface. For other tool types, with
different detectors and dead times, the relationship must be
found by calibration. Newer tools (post 1980) have a linear
response up to 1000 API units.

Special purpose gamma ray tools, such as those used by USGS

in mineral investigations, are not calibrated to oil field
standards. Conversion to oil field or mineral values will require
calibration on a project-by-project basis.

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SPECTRAL GAMMA RAY LOGS

In gamma ray spectral logging, the three main gamma ray contributors, potassium, thorium, and uranium,
give gamma rays of different energy levels. By appropriate filtering, the total gamma ray flux can be
separated into the three components. This aids log analysis as thorium is a good shale indicator when
uranium masks the total GR response. Thorium-potassium ratio and other combinations of curves can be
used for mineral identification and clay typing. Finally, uranium counts can be subtracted from the total
counts to give a uranium corrected gamma ray curve that is easier to use and to correlate from well to well.

Spectral breakdown of total GR into its three major components.

Gamma rays emitted by the rocks rarely reach the detector directly. Instead, they are scattered and lose
energy through three possible interactions with the formation; the photoelectric effect, Compton scattering,
and pair production. Because of these interactions and the response of the sodium iodide scintillation
detector, the spectra are degraded to the rather “smeared” spectra shown above.

The high-energy part of the detected spectrum is divided into three energy windows, W1, W2, and W3; each
covering a characteristic peak of the three radioactivity series. Knowing the response of the tool and the
number of counts in each window, it is possible to determine the amounts of thorium 232, uranium 238, and
potassium 40 in the formation. There are relatively few counts in the high-energy range where peak
discrimination is best; therefore, measurements are subject to large statistical variations, even at low
logging speeds.

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Gamma Ray Spectral Log Presentation. Note difference between standard gamma ray (SGR) and uranium
corrected gamma ray (CGR).

By including a contribution from the high-count rate, low-energy part of the spectrum (Windows W4 and
W5), these high statistical variations in the high-energy windows can be reduced by a factor of 1.5 to 2. The
statistics are further reduced by another factor of 1.5 to 2 by using a filtering technique that compares the
counts at a particular depth with the previous values in such a way that spurious changes are eliminated
while the effects of formation changes are retained.

GAMMA RAY LOG CURVE NAMES

Gamma Ray Log (GR)

Curves Units Abbreviations
gamma ray api GR or SGR
* corrected gamma ray api CGR
* environmentally corrected gamma ray api ECGR
* casing collar locator mv CCL

Spectral Gamma Ray Log (NGT)

Curves Units Abbreviations

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total gamma ray api SGR or GR

* uranium corrected gamma ray api CGR
thorium ppm THOR or TH
uranium ppm URAN or U
potassium % or ppm POTA or K
* ratios of some of the above frac eg. TH/K
* sums of some of the above ppm eg. TH&K
* casing collar locator mv CCL

Copyright © E. R. (Ross) Crain, P.Eng. email

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