Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
S. F. BOWLBY*
ARS TRACT
htating that ulodertl trchnic[uc and c q u i p ~ l ~ e l l]la\ t e o l a field accordir~g to the I I I ~ Srceeut
111t~11t ~ ad~a~lcez
d o i l lllau to attempt c o r ~ ~ p l e t i o unsh i e h would
c ~ ~ a b l cthc illtechnique, aud illustrates the lrlarlller ill which such
have- bec.11 iulpobsiblc a few >Care ago-particularl? on data nlay be recorded graphically i n order that they
account o f the greater depths to which ruploration uon I Irlay have the greatest utility. In the kecpiug o f records
i- carried. as nc.11 a* that t,pc.s o f rc.cr\oirs n h i r h arc. ;IIIC~ thr arscmbli~lg o l data. usability s l ~ o u l d 11t. thcb
e ~ ~ c o ~ u r t c r e d - t h c author prc.se11t~ thc t,l)e. o f data kcsyl~ote ill all irlstanct.~.
which artL rrt1uirt.d for the 111o.t t . c t ~ ~ ~ t , ~ ~clt.rc.lol)- ~irnl I
1
11le11tof a field, experience i s of first importance; and
the collectio~lof such d a t a should be under the i~nlnedi-
a t e dil,ection of a l~ersonnel of broad trailling---wen
though i11 r e c e ~ tyears the collection of this data 111s
becon~esome\vhat of a routine procedure.
I t i s f o r this pur1)ose t h a t the following surnunary of
d a t a which can be collected, and the manner in ~vliich
I
they may be l~reserved,has been prepared.
/ (;enerally sl~eaking,records may be of two k i ~ ~ ( l s :
first, the written record, providing the historical back- Until recently i t h a s been necessary, i n order to ob-
ground and including all minor details in the drilling tain the character and content of the formations pene-
of a well; and, second, the graphic record, of which the trated, t o take formation cores with the so-called
well logs and cross-sections a r e examples which, how- "conventional" core barrel, which i s attached to the
ever, have undergone considerable change and improve- drill stem and necessitates a round-trip each time a core
ment on account of t h e advanced technique and greater of a maximum length-seldom exceeding 20 ft.-is
variety of physical constants measured and recorded taken. Such procedure is, and always was, costly. The
thereon. Although the written record is necessary to steadily-increasing depth to which wells, particularly
provide all of t h e details concerning a well, neverthe- exploratory wells, now a r e drilled confronts t h e engineer
less, it is of limited value f o r comparative study and or geologist seeking information with ever-mounting
coordination of d a t a in undertaking difficult comple- cost of obtaining conventional cores. This cost factor,
tions-and i n this instance graphic records a r e indis- recognized a t a r a t h e r early date, i n t u r n h a s led t o t h e
pensable. development and general adoption of wire-line core
I n discussing well-completion data, it will be assumed barrels and practices-until a t this time wire-line cor-
t h a t all of t h e details a s to geologic correlation-such ing i n many instances entirely h a s replaced t h e old-
a s paleontology and structural correlation in connection time conventional core.
with the use of t h e electrical log-already have been Second only to accurate measurements in basic well-
undertaken, a n d t h a t the reader is familiar with t h e completion data, core analyses play a n important p a r t
gi,aphic formation symbols used i n the illustrations. in t h e essential information t o be assembled; and, a s
The primary considerations, therefore, hinge about: will be seen, t h e graphic presentation of such d a t a is
cr, d a t a necessary before t h e actual mechanical comple- of equal importance.
tion can be determined, which, f o r reference, will be I t h a s been general practice until quite recently to
called "basic completion data," and which a r e meant to examine a core a t t h e surface f o r i t s appearance, and
include also such infornlation a s i s necessary to deter- f o r its cut, smell, and taste, and subsequently f o r paleon-
mine well density required and, in general, all factors tological information. I t has become evident, however,
which may influence the development of t h e particular t h a t i n limiting core examinations solely t o these super-
s t r u c t u r e ; b, "actual completion data," pertaining to ficial points, the operator is not obtaining t h e maximum
the mechanical details; and, c , "performance data," information f o r the money which has been spent in cor-
which, of course, a r e proof of the conclusions reached ing-which, even with t h e general adoption of wire-
under u and b. line coring practices, i s still a r a t h e r costly procedure
when compared with drilling. Appreciably more d a t a
BASIC COMPLETION DATA on cores became available when those cores which con-
tained some evidence of petroleum were canned i n air-
T h e necessity of accurately locating a n y sub-surface tight containers and forwarded to a distant laboratory
point in a well, a s well a s the degree of accuracy of the f o r complete analysis. A t present the utilization of lab-
various means of obtaining depth measurements, re- oratories brought directly to the well makes i t pos-
cently h a s been discussed a t some length in a paper sible to make use of these d a t a without a n y delay. How-
entitled "Well-Depth Measurements," by C. E. Reistle, ever, a s the costs of coring in a n y case still a r e im-
Jr. and S. T. Sikes, J r . , dated May 25, 1938.* Of all portant factors in drilling costs, there is a growing
of t h e basic d a t a which a r e necessary t o effect a satis- tendency to rely on t h e electrical log with i t s recent im-
factory completion, particularly the selective comple- provements in lieu of coring and, in case of doubt a s to
tions which now a r e being undertaken, accurate mea- the contents of the horizon penetrated, rely on cores
surements a r e probably t h e most important. The impor- taken from the walls of t h e hole with devices which a r e
tance of proper measurements i s recognized fully when now available. Although the idea of side-wall coring
one considers the attention t h a t mechanical depth-mea- in itself is not new, the devices by which such cores may
suring devices a r e receiving. It i s the writer's opinion be taken, and particularly the technique of operation,
t h a t , even though mechanical devices f o r recording have improved to a considerable degree.
depth are, on the whole, largely satisfactory, never- With the growing use of core analysis in basic com-
theless t h e drill-pipe and sand-line measurements still pletion data, a s well a s a factor in forecasting the
should b'e regarded a s the standard of comparison- performance of the reservoir itself, attention is drawn
inasmuch a s conditions beyond t h e control of the opera- t o the physical constants i n a core which may be
t o r make i t possible to e r r when using mechanical analyzed with accuracy. Foremost among these are,
devices. of course, permeability and porosity-the l a t t e r deter-
I n indicating measurements on the graphic record, mining t h e maximum amount of void space t h a t hydro-
a s well a s in the written record, the maximum amount carbons c a n occupy in a u n i t volume of formation, and
of possible e r r o r should be apparent a t once; e. g., permeability indicating the resistance to extraction of
in Fig. 1, the possible discrepancy of the depth a t which oil-and possibly having a direct influence on the degree
t h e electric log w a s r u n and t h e electric-log depth mea- of saturation of the oil-bearing formations. Aside f r o m
surement itself a r e shown. these two main points i n core analysis, the other major
' I ' r ~ s c n t e da t t h mid-year
~ meeting of the American Petroleum ones may be enumerated a s follows: oil saturation,
I n s t i t u t c , Wichita. Iians.. 31.25 1038 1 Drilling and P r o f l ~ ~ c t i o n
I'rrrctirc, 1838, SO. w a t e r saturation, chloride content, solubility in hydro-
chloric acid, grain size, and colloidal content. rZny one hest in Fig. 2 on the right-hand side of the log-gives
or all of the foregoing analyses to which cores lend a ready reference of basic core data to be used in formu-
themselves niay become of first importance, depending lating actual completions. Particularly in limestone
upoil t h e problem under consideration; and because reservoirs, where porosity and permeability vary con-
electrical logging is affected by these constants also, side1,ably over a short vertical interval, frequently it is
they a r e of certain ustx a s ail aid in interpreting the desirable to include with the graphic log a permeability
electrical log. .4ny or all of these points also lend them- profile (see Fig. 1) a s a distinct aid in a selective
selves to graphic presentatioil. completion; and, further, a s a n aid in correlating
Advances constantly a r e being nladr in core-analysis "pay streaks" within the reservoir.
technique, and a t least one private laboratory operating The electrical log now is used in the majority of areas
or1 a service basis contends that, by coml~arison, in ~ v h e r eexploitation or exploration is carried on, except
I 1
Conlpletiou Record-Limestone Reservoir.
FIG. 1
a great number of cases it now is able to forecast with in those a r e a s where i t is either non-diagnostic due
some degree of accuracy the gas-oil ratio of a particu- to peculiar local conditions, or i s not recognized a s a n
l a r well, and possibly the productivity index a s well. economic necessity. Rather recent developments in
Several operators a r e attempting to make analyses electrical logging have increased its value appreciably,
upon fragmentary drill cuttings, although such work so t h a t i t s use made possible not only a considerable
a s yet appears to be inconclusive. A t the risk of un- advance in completion technique, but in drilling prac-
necessary repetition, it should be stressed t h a t unless tice itself by facilitating t h e adoption of "slim-hole"
cores a r e subject to some sort of analyses other t h a n drilling methods.
those of a superficial nature, a n operator is not receiv- Although there is a vast amount of quantitative a s
ing the most f o r his money. well a s qualitative research work yet to be done in
A method of indicating the cored interval and core electrical logging, nevertheless, the improvements-
recovery itself is shown on the left-hand side of the especially i n connection with the lateral investigation
graphic log in Fig. 1 , a s well a s in some of the diagrams, commonly known a s t h e "third" and "fourth"
other illustrations in this paper. I n this method, curves-materially have aided in the difficult comple-
the yecovered portion is shown solid, and the non-re- tions which now a r e being undertaken; and in many
covered portion is left blank. This manner of record- instances it i s entirely because of the able assistance
ing, when accompanied by the indicated content-shown of such devices t h a t these completions may be effected.
Porositu R esistiviSy
T11t.1I. 1121s bec~liargumellt a s to the choice of scales measure of the permeability of the possible procluci~lg
I!. I:(, used for the dctail log of the producing sectio11, horizon. If the d a t a concerning the water lel-el up011
a1111this choice tlel~entlssomewhat ulion t11c scale of the the electrical log a r e confirmed by drill-stem testing,
ovcb~,allelectrical Log itself. Sincc its inception, the the latter need not be repeated until wells a r e c!rilled
clc.ctrica1 log has been furnishtd to tlic ol~c:~.ator trll a in a different structural unit of the field-and 11ossibl;\
sc.alc, of 1 :1(JO ; and a s thest, logs llavc, bee11 uscd 111.i- not then.
marily f o l geological col.relatio11, this scnlc ~voulrlseem The foregoing paragraphs have gix~enconsidei~atiortin
to t ~ re~ltirclysatisfactory. Ho\\-ever, it is to(] small a a general way to the more common basic comlrletion
stair, £01 detailccl study rll' thc, llrotiucirig i ~ l t c ~ , v a l . d a t a and the manner in ~ v l ~ i cthey h should be recol~detl.
Hc~cause this is true, tlir ~ ~ r o d u c i l isp' c t i o ~ ~i~lust be There are, however, ii~stanceswhen special co11side1,:t-
lopg:.cll oil a l a r g e ~ .scale, a i ~ t lit is the \vrite~,'sol~inioil tion is essential. I n linlestoiie producing areas it is
that a scale lnf 1:20 ha? the greatcbst utility with regard believed by some that, \vl~eii coring the l~roclucing
t c ~t~asiccoml~letiondata. This scale, ill mall>-instances, section, the reco\-eries a r e a p t to be selective-the morc-
ivi7l t.11o blc. a co~,l,clatjo~l n-ilhi~ltllc. lu.orluci~lgsc.c.tjo~l r ~ o ~ . o usections
s sul~posetllybeing lost through disinte-
itself. thet~chyg i ~ i n g:i twttc~t u n t l ~ ~ ~ ~ s t a ~to l d ~.rsel.voir
ilig gration while cutting, so t h a t only the tlenscxr, lesa-
ai~onlalit~s.F o r c ~ x a i n l ~ lt( ~l , ~ inil~t.~.viou.-
i ~ ~ s t r a t a , the l~oi,oussections a r e l,ecoveretl. This actually has 11i.ovetI
ide~ltitya ~ l t l\-aluc of a.llicli 1n:l)- )I(& !ost in ~liagnosiiig to t ~ ethe case in some instances; and in order to inl-
?,(.sc,l.\-c~ir conditio~ic ,11! t l i ~ s~nall-scalcl log. Inny h~ 1ll'ove the inforination a s to the character of the 1x11-
:.eadily discer~lit)l(xu11o11the largt,-scale- log. ducing section, dldling-time curyes a r e used, indicatinp
.~Itliouglithc i~~t:.c~.lrl~et>itiol~ of t l i r , c~lecil~icnl log is the actual time r1ecessai.y to drill 5-ft. (10-ft.) i l l
I I I itst.lf a sc[ial.atcLsul).irct, sevc~.al oilit its i l l this con- ~el,\.als. These curvcs, when constl~ucted ulloll a c o ~ i -
Iirctloli a]'!- \\,o~.tliyof coi~sirlcratitrilh ~ r c .I'hc so-called venient scale and iilcluded with the gi.aphic logs, a,<
~l[.l~o.it)-cul.vc. \I-hicii is 1111tainccl11). i.ecol,di~~g the sho\vn in Fig. 4, give some indicatioii a s to the locatic>~~
cslc~ct!-ic. ~ L I , . Icilt ~c.t~cl.at(.(l
! ~ yillfiltration, is actually and extent of the actual l)roduciiig sectior~.
a nllsllonlc~l~-as it vrlatc> 1.:1tlit~1. to l)c~~.~nt~al)ility. This As the fo1.1nations found ill limestone producilig areas
is found to I]? true i l l mail> fielcls n11ci.c thc: so-called a r e indurated, theit cuttings lend themselves \\.ell 10
~nicroscol~iclithological deternlinations, so that a l s l ~
ulron this ]]asis the amount of ~~orous-and, hence.
]~roducing-section may be determinetl to some t,xtent.
cclnltriilt~d~,esistivityof filritlatio~lsand their contents. This is particularly t r u e if the information so o1)tained
Tlicsc d i a g r a n ~ s ,includi~lpt lhe tllii.tl arid f o u r t l ~curves, is indicated ul)on the graphic recortl, a s shown 011 the
:lr:.c ~lcl,t~n(le~it some\vhat u!)oil the: i.t~sistivity of the right-hand side of the formation log in Fig. 4, where
mud fluid in t h r \vt,ll. ?'lic~.c.fo~~e, the 1,esistivity of the the amounts of l~orosityhave been estiinated b~ tht:
muc!. :IS \vc~11 ;IS t l ~ etc~1iil1t.1.atu1.c~ at \ v l ~ i c lsucli
~ niea- obserl-er in each 10-ft. sample. The synlhol on the left-
sut,t.n~c~rlt is ~ n a t l r shoultl
, alil~eal oil the log along with hand side of the log in the same illustration sho\vs th(6
other basic data. Onra of the p~.ir~cipal 1,easons f o r the 1,c~latire a1nou1it.i of good a ~ ~ poor
d l)orosit>. These
adol~tionof the third a ~ I'ourtll ~ d curves was to rectify data, i l l con,iunctio~l \\,it11 the drilling-time curve>,
the! c f T t ~ t sof infiltration from the drilliilg fluid b!. lnea- should give a fairly-good indication a s to the l o c a t i o ~ ~
su~.iilgformation rc~sista~~cct in a larger electrical field and extent of the oil-bearing s t r a t a , through inference:
a~ltl. lieilcr, a t greater laLei.nl lrel~et~.atioll.As the t h a t all porous sections will contain oil or gas.
a n ~ o u ~ of r t such infiItl.ation is d c l ~ e ~ l t l eulroi~
i ~ t the cliar- In t r u e lin~estoiieproducing arcas a stucly of insoluble
acteristicc of the (11.illi11p fluid, its 1)i~oljertiesshould residues f o l l o \ ~ i n gdigestion of the formation sample 11,
tic illdicatetl also ul)oll the g!.aphic lop. hydrochloric acid offers considerable possibilities f o r
X l ~ h o u p h the elect~,icallog canilot tiifferentiatc re- corielation xvithin the reservoir itself, even though thc
lialjly hetween g a s a i ~ r loil, ~t does give a n indication of a c c u i n u l a t i o ~of
~ oil in sonle cases ]nay he ind(bpendc~~t
the \vatci le\-(.I ir! inally cases; ant1 its use in this of local stl,ucturc.
rrJsl1ect Jias I~rcome rnt11c.r ye11'tal. Ho\\-ever, the
Temperature surveys ha\-e a specializetl al~pllcatioli
lily1.iad of variah1c.s \\-liicli ai-fect the rc:sistivity diagram in the co~npletion l~roblem. Although generally useful
pl,ecludes 100-l~er-centaccutxcy i l l such intcl.l~rrtation.
in locating g a s and water, they a r e particulai.ly he111
Expei.ience she\\,$ it to b(, good c111e1.atingpractice to
ful in the foregoilig case of a lilllestone producir~gsec-
car1.y one of the en1.1)- \\-ells in a ne\\:ly-discovered field
tioil, in indicating the 1-ertical esteiit of the gas call. a s
tlo\.-11 lo the \vatel. lel.el--t~.sting progressively a t short
sho~vilin Fig. 5. Generally, t h e electrical log in linle-
i ~ ~ t ~ ~ . mice\ a l s thc
, oil c o l u m ~h~a s been entered, with
stone areas has proved to be of less utility than i t 1 t h t ~
c11,ill-stem testiilg ecluil)n~ellt(see Yip. 2 and 3 ) . This
coastal or sand producing areas. It is hoped, Ilo\x-e\.c~.
c~clui~~meiit, a s \veil a s t h t tecll~~icluc~ of ol~eration,h a s
becon~eacccl~tetiso ~ . c i l c ~ . a l lthat y it i,q s ~ l l e l f l L I 0to
~~ t h a t resea~,chwhich now is being undertaken \\-ill iiv-
gi\ e it f u l t h e r consitleratioll here. Each drill-sten1 rest l)l.ove eithei the interpretation o~ the charactt~c or'
ho\veve~..sl~ouldal)lltx;ll.ili c~l111il)lete detail in the graphic logs in limestone areas. Strangely enough, there already
a r e limestoile 1)roducing areas (e. g., Rodessa tl.encl)
:.i.col.cl a s \\-ell a s the \vrit:c,n record; and although not
i.~~clicatc,rl in the accoml,al~yiupsketches, it is suggested tvhere the electrical log h a s almost a s inuch utility as
t h ~ ~ \\-hen
i. testing in tl~c: oil colunl~l,the l~ottom-hole ill sand areas, and in such cases (see Fip. 1 ) is clssential
c rinc1icatocl alho, a > thtbsr data a1.t. a
t!c,:\-jllg r l l , e ~ s u ~t. ~ ill effecting a selective completion.
Porosity Resistivity
-150 -140 420 -100 -BO -60 -40 -20 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 12 16 18 hlorm~lCurve
--
Sehl. m-2-37
FR. 6905
TD. 6922