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SP Partone

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11 views18 pages

SP Partone

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Note

Lots of real geological examples, physics sciences ,maths

sciences and geological responses, are shown in lecture

presentations and not shown in lectures notes so you are

responsible for both of them


Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Spontaneous
Potential
Curve

The earliest sand/shale indicator was

discovered by accident in early resistivity

surveys. Primarily used as a correlation

tool, but can be used to calculate Rw and

is sensitive to permeability. Limited to

water based mud systems.


Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

SP results from electric currents flowing in the drilling


mud. The SP is measured in mill volts, mV.
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

SP uses

 Give an indication of shaliness (maximum


deflection is clean; minimum is shale).

 Determine Rw in both salt and fresh muds.

 Differentiate potentially porous and permeable reservoir


rocks from impermeable clays.

 Define bed boundaries.

 Correlation
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

SP
Measurement

N
The SP curve is a continuous
recording (versus depth) of the The SP was discovered quite by accident in

difference in potential between a


moveable electrode in the borehole and a
fixed (zero) potential surface electrode.
М
Units used are millivolts.
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Three factors are necessary to produce an SP current:

 a conductive fluid in the borehole,

 a porous and permeable bed surrounded by an impermeable formation,

 difference in salinity (or pressure) between the borehole fluid and the formation

fluid.
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Two sources of electrochemical


potential

The SP signal comes combination of two

phenomena: an Electrokinetic potential usually

negligible and electrochemical potential

between the filtrate and formation water, and

the differences in mobility of Na and Cl ions

amplified by the negative charge of the shale.


Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Simplified
Scenario
for SP
Development
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Current Loop at Bed Boundary


millvolts

The strength and


direction of the current
loop is dependent on
SP the relative resistivities
of the formation and the
filtrate

Reservoirs are deflections from the shale baseline:


Rmf < Rw SP is positive
Rmf = Rw No SP
Rmf > Rw SP is negative
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

SP deflections vs. Salinity


Rmfe
SSP = -K log
Rwe

Rmf = Rw Rmf <Rw Rmf >Rw


SALINE MUD FRESH MUD
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

10

Shale Baseline and SSP

SP has no absolute values and thus treated quantitatively and


qualitatively in terms of deflection, which is the amount the
curve moves to the left or to the right of a defined zero. The
definition of the SP zero, called shale baseline, is made on thick
shale intervals where the SP curve does not move. All values
are related to the shale baseline.

shale baseline,
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

10

The theoretical maximum deflection of the SP opposite


permeable beds is called the static SP or SSP. It represents
the SP value that would be measured in an ideal case with
the permeable bed isolated electrically. It is the maximum
possible SP opposite a permeable, water-bearing formation
with no shale. The SSP is used to calculate formation-water
resistivity (Rw).

SSP
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Formation-water Resistivity (Rw)

S(SP) = SP value: this should be the SSP


(Rmf)e = equivalent mud filtrate resistivity: closely
related to Rmf (Rw)e = equivalent formation water
resistivity: closely related to Rw K = temperature-
dependent coefficient
K = 61+ (0.133 x
T°F) K = 65 + (0.24
x T°C)
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

Factors Affecting the SP


 Bed Thickness
SP decreases when bed thickness decreases. SP curve can be
corrected by chart for the effects of bed thickness
generally, whenever the SP curve is narrow and pointed, the SP
should be corrected for bed thickness before being used in the
calculation of Rw.
 Hydrocarbons:
Hydrocarbons in slightly shaly formations will reduce. This effect
is called Hydrocarbon suppression
 Invasion: Reduces SP Shaliness very small and, in
general, can be ignored
 Shale content : reduces SP .The magnitude and
direction of SP deflection from the shale base line
depends on relative resistivities of the mud filtrate and
the formation water.

 Formation resistivity Higher resistivities reduce Rmf < Rw SP is positive ,Rmf = Rw No


the deflection of the SP curves. SP, Rmf > Rw SP is negative
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

The maximum available SP in a thick, clean, water-bearing zone is called


Static Spontaneous Potential, or SSP

The SP is reduced by the shale in a shaly zone and the deflection is


called the Pseudo- static Spontaneous Potential, or PSP.

The ratio of these two values, termed ɤ = PSP/SSP is occasionally used as a


shale indicator in sands. An approximation of the SSP in a shaly sand is SSP =
PSP / (1 - Vsh ) where

the volume of shale (Vsh ) is estimated from the Gamma Ray deflection which will be
discussed later.
Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

VSH from SP

PSP (Pseudo-static SP) – the SP value in the water–bearing shaly sand zone

read from the SP log.

SSP (Static SP)– the maximum SP value in a clean sand zone.


Well Logging and Subsurface Geology Mr: Muftah Ben Essa

VSH from SP

• Estimate of shale (clay) content


– A linear relationship between SP response
and shale content is generally assumed.

 SPclean  SPlog 
Vclay  V shale   

 SPclean  SPshale 
– Clay in the formation decreases the SP as
compared to a clean (clay-free) formation and
will fully suppress SP when then grains are
mud supported.

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