SP and GR

Caliper log
CALIPER LOGS
- Applications:
Measure borehole diameter
(borehole geometry if multi-arm
caliper tools with 2 or 3 hole
diameters measurements 90 or
60 relative to each other).
Important measurement for drillers:
hole geometry, hole/cement
volume.
Hole diameters are an import input
parameter for the environmental
correction of petrophysical logs.
Oriented multi-arm caliper logs are
used to identify principle stress
directions - breakout log
- Basic Quality Control:
Perform casing check - should read
nominal casing ID.

CALI, C1, C2

Washout: Shale zone?

Mud cake: Permeable zone?

The SP Measurement

Liquid Junction Effects #1

Liquid Junction Effects #2

Liquid Junction Effects #3

Total SP

SP

SP

Membrane potential is about 5 x Liquid Junction potential

Electrokinetic potential SP is negligible

Static SP (SSP)

SP as a permeability or shale indicator

Since invasion can only occur in

permeable formations, deflections
of SP can be used to identify
permeable formations.
The vertical resolution of SP is
poor, and often the permeable bed
must be 30 ft or more to achieve a
static (flat baseline) SP

Rw from SSP
Under certain circumstances Rw
can be estimated from SP.
The SP value remains constant for
at least 30 feet.
The area where the SP is constant
must correspond to a very clean
sandstone.
The value of Rmf must remain
constant across this same interval.
These conditions are rare, and
large errors in the Rw estimate
may occur.
Use this technique with care!

SSP K c log
Rweq

R mfeq
Rweq

R mfeq
10

SSP
k c

K c 61 0.133T F
K c 65 0.24T C
R weq , R mfeq : Chart _ SP .2

Rmfeq from Rmf or Rw from Rweq

If Rmf @ 75degF > 0.1 Ohmm
then Rmfeq=0.85 Rmf @ BHT
If Rmf @ 75 degF < 0.1 Ohmm
then Rmfeq from chart sp2
Same with Rw

Chart SP-2

SP as Rw indicator

SP is more often used

qualitatively to predict
whether Rw > Rmf or not.

SP for correlation
-ve SP
deflection

+ve SP
deflection

SP for correlation
Keep in mind that SP deflection is Rmf dependent and
never an absolute value

SP log

Rmf > Rw?

Where is Sand?
Where is Shale?
What is Vsh?

Typical SP Log Presentation

Natural Gamma Ray

The Gamma Ray log is a measurement of the
formation's natural radioactivity.
Gamma ray emission is produced by three
radioactive series found in the Earth's crust.
Potassium (K40) series.
Uranium series.
Thorium series.
Gamma rays passing through rocks are slowed
and absorbed at a rate which depends on the
formation density.
Less dense formations exhibit more radioactivity
than dense formations even though there may be
the same quantities of radioactive material per
unit volume.

Total GR measurement
Bed definition:

The tool reacts if the shale is radioactive (usually the

case), hence show the sands and shales, the
permeable zones and the non-permeable zones. Used
for inter-well correlation similar to SP.

Also used for correlation between logging runs,

especially cased and open hole logs

GR shale

Computation of the amount of shale:

The minimum value gives the clean (100%) shale

free zone, the maximum 100% shale zone. All other
points can then be calibrated in the amount of shale.

Vsh=(GRlog-GRsand)/(GRshale-GRsand)

GR clean

Borehole correction
Chart GR-1 (wireline)

GR Log Example
Which has better
vertical resolution,
SP or GR?

GR log example

Spectral GR NGT, HNGS

NGT log example

SGR = total GR
CGR = SGR-Uranium
THOR = Thorium concentration
URAN = Uranium concentration
POTA = Potassium %
TPRA = THOR/POTA
UPRA = URAN/POTA
CGR is often a better shale
indicator in carbonates.
THOR is often a better shale
indicator in sandstone

Mineral Identification from Spectral Gamma Ray

Chart CP-19

Clay Typing
PEF vs K and PEF vs Th/K are also
often used.
PEF=Photoelectric Effect of the
formation (Covered under density
logging)

Clay typing example

Petrolog Asymmetric Equation