Cased Hole Logging Basics - Abbas Radhi
Cased Hole Logging Basics - Abbas Radhi
Petroleum Engineer
Table of Contents
INTODUCRION ................................................................................................................ 2
CASED HOLE GAMMA RAY................................................................................................ 3
CASED HOLE SPECTRAL GAMMA RAY................................................................................ 4
CASED HOLE POROSITY ................................................................................................... 4
CASED HOLE RESERVOIR SATURATION LOG ...................................................................... 6
CASED HOLE DIPOLE SHEAR SONIC ................................................................................... 9
CASED HOLE ELEMENTAL CAPTURE SPECTROSCOPY ....................................................... 12
CASED HOLE FORMATION RESISTIVITY ........................................................................... 14
CASED HOLE FORMATION DENSITY ................................................................................ 15
CASING and TUBING INSPECTION BASICS ....................................................................... 17
CASING INSPECTION with CEMENT MAPPING LOGS ....................................................... 17
CASING and TUBING INSPECTION with ELECTROMAGNETIC LOGS ................................... 20
CASING and TUBING INSPECTION with MULTI-FINGER CALIPERS .................................... 23
CASE HISTORY: CASING INSPECTION .............................................................................. 24
REFERENCE ................................................................................................................... 30
The modern logs that cannot be run in casing are the dipmeter, resistivity
image, nuclear magnetic resonance, and SP.
Cement bond, cement mapping, and casing inspection logs are covered
elsewhere in this Handbook. Production logging, perforating, testing, and
completion or workover services run on wireline in casing are not covered
in this Handbook.
Petrophysical analysis using these cased hole measurements proceed along
the same lines as with the equivalent open hole logs, with only minor
exceptions. The first is that the annulus between the casing and formation
must be well cemented, with good cement fill up. Most cased hle logs
suffer from poor cement. A good cement bond or cement mapping log
should be run and remedial action taken before running cased hole logs for
reservoir evaluation.
The analyst needs to determine whether further borehole fluid, casing size
and weight, cement sheath, or other environmental corrections are
required. Some corrections are made at the time of logging, others are not,
and this varies with the age of the tool.
A brief outline of each of the tools useful in cased hole reservoir evaluation
are given below, condensed fromSchlumberger Services Catalog,
2004 Refer to appropriate Chapters in this Handbook for additional details
on
tool
theory
or
petrophysical
analysis
methods.
Applications
Porosity determination
Lithology identification
Gas detection
Correlation in cased wells
Option to pump slim tools down drillpipe
Formation evaluation behind casing
Accurate hydrogen index estimation
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Clay analysis
Applications
Formation evaluation behind casing
Sigma, porosity, and carbon/oxygen measurement in one trip in the
wellbore
Water saturation evaluation in old wells where modern openhole logs
have not been run
Measurement of water velocity inside casing, irrespective of wellbore
angle (production logging)
Measurement of near-wellbore water velocity outside the casing
(remedial applications)
Formation oil volume from C/O ratio, independent of formation water
salinity
Capture yields (H, Cl, Ca, Si, Fe, S, Gd, and Mg)
Inelastic yields (C, O, Si, Ca, and Fe)
Borehole salinity
Applications
Geophysics
Velocity calibration, time/depth conversion
Synthetic seismograms
Amplitude variation with offset (AVO) calibration
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10
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Applications
Resistivity measurement behind casing in new or old wells
Reservoir monitoring
Location of bypassed hydrocarbons
Determination of residual oil saturation
Contingency logging in wells where openhole logs could not be run
Primary evaluation where openhole logging is not possible Resistivity
Logging
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15
The density data are used to calculate porosity and determine the lithology.
The combination of density and neutron data is used to indicate the
presence of gas.
Applications
Porosity determination
Lithology analysis and identification of minerals
Gas detection
Hydrocarbon density determination
Shaly sand interpretation
Rock mechanical properties calculations
Determination of overburden pressure
Synthetic seismogram for correlation with seismic
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Casing diameter, casing thickness, and ovality logs from CET tool are use
for casing inspection.
Ultrasonic imaging tools evaluate the quality of the cement and determines
both internal and external casing corrosion. A single rotating sensor emits
ultrasonic pulses and measures the resulting resonance. The USI echo
strength and casing resonance are processed to produce detailed images of
cement quality and distribution that can spot channels as narrow as 1.2 in.
Alternate presentations provide images of casing thickness, internal radius,
and internal corrosion. Casing ovality, kinks, and holes can be observed on
the image logs. The size of the rotating head is chosen appropriately for the
size of the tubular to be surveyed.
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Typical USI composite presentation with casing cross section and internal
radius measurements.
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20
Multi-frequency
electromagnetic
thickness
tools are nondestructive and
non-contact
induction
devices to determine metal
loss and changes in casing
geometry, regardless of fluid
type. Generally used to find
large scale corrosion or
casing splits, the tool also
detects metal loss in the outer
casing of multiple casing
strings. A coil centered in the
borehole
generates
an
alternating magnetic field
that interacts with the casing;
a second coil measures phase shift.
These electromagnetic measurements. made at multiple frequencies. are
related to casing wall thickness. inner diameter, and permeability /
conductivity, Each of these parameters is averaged around the pipe
circumference.
<== This composite corrosion log run across a lost circulation zone shows
the axial and radial currents in the casing. The log shows anodic and
cathodic sections along the casing, Anodes have developed in front of the
poorly cemented section resulting in metal loss, pits, and holes.
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22
23
24
Casing inspection log over suspect area shows good casing. Ignore the
cement quality indicator on the right edge - it is just plain WRONG - see
below.
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Cement integrity log over suspect interval shows a bad cement job. White
on cement map is a channel and black is good cement., giving a Bond Index
of only 50%. Water can easily flow up through such a channel. The cement
quality flag at the extreme right is WRONG (black is supposed to represent
good cement but the trigger level is not set correctly - you need at least 80
to 90% bond for isolation to water.
This may not be the end of the story. The integrity of the intermediate
casing also needs to be checked. Fortunately, casing and cement logs were
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run before the well was drilled to total depth. Samples are shown below.
Lots of corrosion both inside and outside the casing is indicated, possibly
because this was re-used casing. Kinks and dents are also evident on the
casing ID map. The cement fill up is also poor and a remedial squeeze job
should have been performed before the well was deepened. There is one
anomaly on the casing that might indicate a split (see below.. There is no
easy way to squeeze behind this casing now and the temperature log is too
insensitive to confirm a water leak at this depth. The salinity of the water
flowing in the annulus might provide a clue as to whether the water is
coming from a deep or shallow source.
Casing profile shows corrosion an inside and outside of pipe. Map of inside
diameter shows casing is oval - dark red is large diameter, pale colour is
small diameter. Casing thickness shows possible splits (white diagonal
areas with dark blobs- white is thin, black is thick). "Good" cement flag at
far right is not correct - see image below.
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Cement bond and cement map show poor bond with a medium size channel
and no bond to the formation If the casing is split as indicated in the
previous image, this cement could allow water inflow between this casing
string and the liner. Note that the apparent "casing splits" on the casing log
are at the same place as the missing cement. The interpretation of a casing
split here is not certain - an electromagnetic pipe evaluation tool would
have been needed to confirm.
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Reference:
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