Use of Gas Meters for Determination of Pay Strata III Oil

Sands *
By C. v. MILLIKAN, t TULSA, OKLA.

When a flowing oil well is being drilled in with cable tools, it is difficult to determine
when an additional: streak of pay sand is drilled. By placing a gas meter on the gas-
release line from the oil and gas separator, any increase in volume of gas that comes with
oil production is recorded. In addition to the better knowledge of sand conditions, these
data are a valuable aid in determining the size and depth of shots, plugging off water, and
estimating ultimate production. The meter also gives a record of operation while the
well is drilling in; and if allowed to remain on the well after completion will give infor-
mation that may lead to a more efficient recovery of the oilfrom the sand.

A vertical cross section of any oil sand will show great variation in
porosity and oil content. In some sands, the entire thickness contains
oil, the variation being only the degree of porosity or oil content, but
more often the pay streaks are distinctly separated by shells or barren
streaks. These pay strata vary in number and may be thin or thick.
The total thickness of the sand may be several tens of feet while the part
containing oil may be only 1 or 2 ft. thick. The amount of production
is not proportional to the thickness of the sand but rather the thickness
of the pay streaks.
If the total thickness of the sand or the amount that can be drilled
is small, or if the initial production is small, the depth at which each
stratum of pay is encountered can be determined sufficiently accurately
for all present economic purposes. However, when drilling through
sand of considerable thickness, giving large initial production, especially
where conditions necessitate that the production go through the same
gas trap with that from one or more wells already producing, it is difficult
to determine the depth at which the pay strata are encountered even
accurately enough to guide the placing of shots, and small pay streaks
are apt not to be recognized at all.
To determine more definitely sand conditions in wells being completed
with cable tools, the Amerada Petroleum Corpn. has measured the volume
of gas produced with the oil while drilling in by placing a common orifice

* Published by permission of the Amerada Petroleum Corp., Tulsa, Okla.

t Petroleum Technologist, Amerada Petroleum Corp.
IS3
lR4 GAS METERS FOR DETERMINATION OF PAY ,.,'rRATA IN OIL SANDS

meter on the gas-release line from the oil and gas separatur. Hl'et'll(,ly a
Collins Pitot tube was substituted for the flange and orifiec plate, with
apparently just as aeeurate results. This installation is mueh less
troublesome and cheaper than the flange and orifice plate; but has the
disadvantage that it is not so easily adjusted. The same recording deviee
is used, the only difference being the replacing of the flange and orifice
plate with the Pitot tube.
All gas from the well is recorded by the meter except that absorbed
in the oil going to the stoek tanks, which is too small to affeet any results
obtained. The orifice meter is very sensitive and any change in the rate
of flow of gas is recorded instantly. After the well starts flowing and
another pay stratum is drilled into, there is an inerease in the volume of
gas recorded by the meter and a constantly increasing volume of gas is
shown until the entire thickness of the pay streak is drilled, when it will
show a constant rate of flow again. By determining the depth of the
well when the increase is first shown by the meter and again when the
rate of flow again becomes constant, the thickness of each pay streak can
be determined as accurately as the driller can determine the depth of the
well and amount drilled.
The first use of the meter was on Bruner No.4 in Sec. 16, T. 10 N.,
R. 8 E., in the Cromwell field, Oklahoma. The top of the Cromwell sand
was found at 3525 ft. The 5H6-in. casing was set on top the sand with
600 ft. of flow line of the same size to the gas trap. The oil-discharge
gravity line to the stock tanks was 5H6-in. and about 800 ft. long;
the gas-release line was 8-in. and about 400 ft. long with two joints for
riser. The meter was about 150 ft. from the trap. The well was drilled
in Aug. 2, 1924, and the meter put in operation when 17 ft. of sand had
been penetrated. First oil was found at 12 ft. in the sand and was flow-
ing about 20 bbl. an hr. when the meter was first used. The bottom of
the sand was reached 51 ft. below the top and only two strata of pay
sand were penetrated below 17 ft. in the sand. The effect on the meter
is shown in Fig. 1.
On the Goltry lease, the W. H NE. ~~, 34, T. 25 N., R. 1 W., in the
Tonkawa field, Oklahoma, the volume of gas produced by Nos. 38 and
39 was metered while drilling in. The gas discharge was through two
8-in. lines with a pressure regulator on each on the downflow side of the
meter. On one line, two short joints of lO-in. pipe were inserted in order
that a larger orifice might be used. One meter was a 20-in. water differ-
ential gage and the other a 50-in. A 7-in. orifice was used in the lO-in.
line with flange connections; on the 8-in. line, a 6-in. orifice with 2H by
8 diameters connections.
In No. 38, the 6%-in. casing was set on top of the White Lime at
4038 ft. One 5~f 6-in. flow line was used until the second pay was drilled,
 C. V. MILLIKAN 185
wlwlI :t HPcoJld flow liup of j,J1(' sa.mE' Hize WitH laid to reduee th.~ pulsation.
The well was drilled ill Dec. ] 0, 192-1-. The top of the sand alld first gas
and oil were found at 4076 ft., and first flow at 4078 ft. about 1 p.m.
The meter was not put in operation until 3:15 p. m., when the well was
still at 4078 ft. The meter record is reproduced in Fig. 2. While drilling

FIG. I.-BRUNER No.4, CROMWELL FIELD, OKLA.

6:45 p.m.- 8:10 p.m. Drilling pay streak; note increasing volume of gas.
5:00 p.m. Run tools in hole; note decrease in volume of gas.
5 :00 p.m.- 6 :30 p.m. Reaming hole with full gage bit; note difference in effect during
this period and that following caused by drilling.
6:30 p.m.-ll:15 p.m. Drilling.
4:00 p.m.- 4:45 p.m. Running steel line through stuffingbox.

in, the gas was handled through the lO-in. line. The 20-in. gage was
used until the first pay series was penetrated, when it was moved to the
8-in. line and the 50-in. gage used in its place. The meter record while
drilling the second series is shown in Fig. 3. Table 1 shows the depth in
the sand at which each increase was recorded, the increase in volume of
186 GAS METERS FOR DETERMINATION OF PAY STRATA IN OIL SANDS

gas, estimated increase in oil production, and the actual rate of oil pro-
duction per day, as indicated by the hourly gages. From this table, a
graphic log (Fig. 4) of the sand was made, showing the depth and thick-
ness of each pay stratum and estimated production from each. The

FIG. 2.-GOLTRY No. 38, TONKAWA FIELD, OKLA.; CHART STARTED JUST AFTER
DRILLING THROUGH FIRST PAY STREAK.
3:15 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Drilling pay strata; 13 ft. of sand was drilled from time first oil
was found to end of period; seven distinct pay streaks, includ-
ing the one just before the chart was put on, are recorded.
8:15 p.m. Drop in differential is caused by increasing pressure on gas;
there is no change in volume of gas.
7:15 a.m. Increase in differential due to reducing pressure.

estimated daily production from each pay stratum was calculated by

dividing the increase in volume of gas by the average volume of gas per
barrel of oil (gas ratio). Except for the first and second periods, this
estimated production agrees reasonably close to the hourly gages.
 C. V. MILLIKAN 187

Before drilling in No. 39, gas from the trap was turned through the
second release line thus using both meters. The 6%-in. casing was set
in the White Lime at 4107 ft. and a 5H6-in. flow line connected the well
to the trap. It was drilled into the first pay Dec. 30, 1924, the produc-
tion going through the same trap with that from No. 38. On Dec. 29,

FIG. 3.-DRILLING SECOND PAY SERIES GOLTRY No. 38, TONKAWA FIELD, OKLA.
First inerease is noted at 12 m. and the top of the second at 3 p.m.; well wl!'s sl,tut
down at 6 p.m. but volume of gas continued to increase until 11 p.m., indICatmg
that entire thickness of pay streak had not been penetrated. See graphic sand record,
Fig. 4. Reduced pulsation at 9 p.m. resulted from using an additional line from well
to gas trap.
well No. 38 made 3028 bbl. and at the rate of 3426 bbl. per day from 7
to 11 a.m. Dec. 30. The total production for Dec. 30 was 4770 bbl.,
which was allocated 3050 bbl. to No. 38 and 1728 bbl. to No. 39. The
meter records for the first pay series are shown in Fig. 5.
A graphic log, Fig. 4, similar to that for No. 38 shows depths and
increase in production. While drilling from 4196 to 4215 ft., part of the
188 GAS METERS FOR DETlmMINATlON 01<' PAY STRATA IN OIL SANDS

TABLE 1
I
Footage IllC!CaSe I Daily
Drilled
10 Esti- I I Rate of
Volume mated I Accu- Oil Pro-
Date Tillle of Gas Gas Ratio, Iner.ease m,ulated
II I' duction
~:~~ I
Cu. Ft. of Oil I OIl ~ro­ from
I
I
Daily I ducbon I Hourly
, From I To ; 1000 Gage
i
__ ~u~t.

Dec. 10 12:00- 3:00 p.m. 4076 4078 1280 2210 580 580 No Record
3:00- 4:00 '4078 4078 783 354 934 240
4 :00- 5 :00 4078 4080 517 234 1168 960
4:45- 5:00 4080 4081 None
500- 7:30 4081 4082 965 436 1604
5:00- 6:00 1440
5:45- 6:30 4082 4085 903 408 2012
6:00- 7:00 1920
7:00- 8:00 2728
6:45- 9:00 408;; 4089 1242 5()2
8:00- 9:00 3084
9:00-10:00 2808
10:00-11:00 2808
11 :00-12:00 2809
12:00- 1 :00 a.m 2688
1:00- 2:00 2184
2:00- 300 2424
3:00- 4:00 2928
4:00- 5:00 2544
5:00- 6:00 2304
6:00- 7:00 2304
9 p.m.-7 R.m. 4089 4105 None

Jl 7 a.m.-5 p.m. 4105 4105

6 p.m.-8 a.m. 410;; 4110 140 53 2637 2544

12 4110 4120 215 97

13-14 4120 4126 None

9 a.m. 4126 4126 4:; 2110

9 a.m.-12 m. (2110) 2110
: 11:30-12:45 p.m. 4128 4133 1745 790 2900 2616
i 1:00- 3:00 4134 4143 None 2616
3:00- 6:00 I 4143 4155 505 230 3130 4320
6:00-12:00 None 1450 560 3790 4320

16 4155 4162 130 59 3984

Jan. 6 4162 4165 560 250

4165 4172 None

7 4172 4175 None

8 4175 4179 None

12 4179 4186 None

Total depth

gas was diverted from the trap to the gasoline plant before passing
through the meters, so no record was obtained of any increase in this
interval; if any increase was obtained, however, it was very small.
 c. V. MILLIKAN 189

(,OI-THI ]\'0. :),,,-\ G4lI)TRY No. ;l!1

BARRELS BARRELS

TOP-4-140

4-0BO

4150

4090

4160

4100

4-170

4110

4180

4120

:r: :r
f-
b:w ~ 4190
Cl
Cl
4130

4200 NO
RECORD

4140

42.10

4150

4220

4160

4230

4170 TO. 4235

T.O. +175 LJ...I..L..L..U...L.I

FIG. 4.-LOGS OF PRODUCING SAND, GOLTRY No. 38 AND No. 39.
These logs show pay strata and estimated daily plOduction coming from each stratum.
HlO GAR ~[ETERS FOR DETERMI"'A TION OF PAY STRATA IN OIl. SANDf'.

Hourly gag<'s of oil produetiolJ varied, wmally frolll Hi t,o :30 bill.
and frequently as lllueh as 100 hbl. from hour to hour. Some variation
might result from not reading the gage pole closely and because the gas
trap was not disc-harging the oil evenly. Variation from reading the gage
pole :-;hould not px('('ed ij hhl..; tlw tmp wa::> watched sevpml times, hut

FIG. 5.-DRILLING FIRST PAY SERIES GOLTRY No. 39, TONKAWA FIELD; OKLA.
Gas was turned through the trap at 10 :45 a.m. and following decrease is due to well
filling with oil; first flow wail at 11 :15 a.m.; irregularities from 11 :45 a.m. to 1 :20
p.m. caused by changing connections at well; drilling resumed at 1 :20 p.m.; note
increaRe from 3 p.m. to 4 :30 p.m. Charts were taken simultaneously.

did not vary more than 10 bbl., and this was usually over a period of
several hours. The volume of gas did not vary except when some change
was made at the well, which makes it difficult to explain this variation.
The gas ratio for No. 38 for the first 16 hr. production of 1518 bbl.
is 2120 cu. ft. per hbl. of oil. Five of the] 6 hr., the well was drilling in
 C. V. MILLIKAN 191

so that it produced at a maximum only 11 hr. .For the following 24 hr.,

the oil production was 2544 bbl. with a ratio of 2750 cu. ft. per bbl. of
oil, which was maintained until the second pay was reached. When
production in the second pay had reached 180 bbl. per hr. the well was
shut down. The average hourly oil production for the succeeding 13 hr.
was 180 bbl. The volume of gas at the time the well was shut down was

FIG. 6.-BRUNER No.4, CROMWELL FIELD, OKLA.

Shows effect of drilling in shale, probably caused by shale balling and partly shut-
ting off gas as it is rolled up the hole.

at the rate of 9700 M. cu. ft. per day, giving a gas ratio of 2240 cu. ft. per
bbl. of oil. Six hours after the well was shut down, the gas had increased
to a rate of 11,150 M. cu. ft. per day, or a ratio of 2580 cu. ft. per bbl. of oil.
The production for the next day was 3984 bbl. with a ratio of 2810 cu. ft.
which increased on succeeding days as the oil production declined. The
gas ratio on Dec. 28 for No. 38 was 3410 cu. ft. with 3038 bbl. No. 39
was drilled in Dec. 29, producing a total of 20 hr. and only 11 hr. after
192 GAR l\U;TEH:,; FOH DE'l'EHMINA'l'ION 0]<' PAY STRATA IN OIL SANDS

drilling through the pay sand. The total production from the two wells
was 4828 bbl. with a gas ratio of 2830 cu. ft. The following day, the
production was 4780 bbl. with a ga:,; ratio of 30lO cu. ft.
It will be noticed that, for the three most prolific producing horizons
considered, when each was first drilled, the gas ratio was practically con-
~
'"

Fw. 7.-BRUNER No.4, CROMWELL FIELD, OKLA.

6:00 a.m.-4:45 p.m. Drilling.
4:45 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Tools out of hole.
5:30 p.m.-8:15 p.m. Reaming with full-gage bit.
8:15 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Tools out of hole.
9 :30 p.m. Shut down.

stant. Therefore it is believed safe to conclude that it is constant

throughout the sand body and that with each increase in gas there is a
corresponding increase in oil. This assumption was made when esti-
mating tlw oil production from each pay streak. It is especially valuable
as it in<licaks that production was ohtained in No. 38 from 4105 to 4120
 c. v. l\UI,LIKAN Ifl3

ft. awl frolll .l [IiIi (.0 ·II!iIi H., which eould not have heell detlH"lUined from
the hourly gages.
The knowledge of the location of porous and barren streaks is also an
advantage when it is necessary to plug off bottom water. If a plug is

FIG. 8.-BRUNER No.4, CROMWELL FIELD, OKLA.

8:45 a.m. Run tools in hole; note decrease in gas volume.
9:00 a.m.- 9:45 a.m. Cleaning out after shot.
9:45 a.m.-ll:20 a.m. Agitating.
11:20 a.m. Shut down.
2:15 p.m.- 4:1.5 p.m. Pulling tools up slowly while Rpooling sand linc.
4:15 p.m. Pulled tools out of holc.

set in porous sand, it will only partly shut off water for a short time, the
water soon finding its way around the plug in as large a volume as before.
If the location of a hard barren streak is known, the plug can be set at
this point with much better chance for a successful shut-off on the
first attempt.
194 GAS METERS FOR DETERMINATION OF PAY STRATA IN OIL SANDS

The meter registered many other details of well conditions and oper-
ations just as quickly and definitely as it did the pCIlPtration of pay strata.
This was especially true of the well on the Bruner lease at Cromwell.
The wells on the Goltry lease were flowing such a large volume of oil and
gas that the great pulsation prevented the recognition of smaller effects
caused by certain conditions or changes in the well. The meter on
!::!g
<':

0,

FrG.9.
Upper, Swabbing Bruner No.7, Cromwell Field, Okla. ,
Lower, Flowing by heads; Zoldoske No.1, Pawnee County, Okla. Note increase
in size of flows indicating that entire thickness of pay stratum has not been pelletrated.

Goltry No. 38, on April 17, showed signs that the well was about to stop
flowing; it went dead on May 6, 19 days after the first indication by the
meter. On Bruner No.4, each operation 01' condition of the well had a
characteristic effect on the rate of flow of the gas, which was recorded by
the meter. Perhaps the most important of these is the effect when the
bit drilled through the sand into shale; the meter recorded this fact
 ('. V. 1\11 LLIKAN In5
instantly, as shown by Fig. 6. Charts showing the effect of various
conditions and operations are shown in Figs. 7 to 9.
In addition to the information obtained on the sand and operating
conditions of the well, the actual measuring of the volume of gas gives
data on the relation of gas and oil as the production declines, and on
normal operating conditions that tend to reduce or increase gas ratio. It
is hoped that a study of these will indicate the best method of attack of
the problem of increasing the efficiency of expulsion of oil from the sand,
a problem on which much work is now being done.
Meter records of the gas production of a well while it is being drilled
in, especially when the well is flowing into the same trap with one or more
wells already completed, will show several conditions that are difficult
or impossible to determine or even estimate from the hourly gages and
action of the tools while drilling. The definite and additional informa-
tion obtained on the well by use of the meter may be stated as follows:
1. The depth and thiekness of each pay streak is determined, which
will guide the size and location of shots; indicate where a plug must be
placed to shut off bottom water; give sand data that will permit a more
accurate estimation of ultimate production from the well.
2. A record is obtained of operations while the well is drilling in.
3. Continued use of the meter will give information on the well that
will often indicate a more efficient method of operation not only for that
well but all wells in which gml is the principal expelling force.
There is now heing initiated a geneml research for methods of
iJl(:reasing the effi!:iency of recovery from oil sands; if such work is to
be successful ill the future, dependable accurate sand records will be
of inestimable value.