Glossary of Technical Terms Used in Drilling & Well Completion: Cased Hole Log

Cased Hole Log

Unveiling the Secrets Within: A Look at Cased Hole Logs

In the world of oil and gas exploration, understanding the subsurface is crucial for efficient production. While conventional logging techniques provide valuable information before casing is installed, the need for evaluation after casing can arise for various reasons, such as:

  • Production Optimization: Determining the performance of existing wells and identifying areas for improvement.
  • Reservoir Characterization: Mapping out the reservoir's properties to optimize future development plans.
  • Well Integrity Assessment: Monitoring the condition of the wellbore and identifying potential issues.

This is where cased hole logs come into play. These are specialized logging tools designed to measure and analyze various properties within a cased wellbore, providing crucial data even after the well has been completed.

A Glimpse into the Diverse World of Cased Hole Logs:

Cased hole logs can be broadly categorized based on the properties they measure:

  • Radioactive Logs: These logs utilize radioactive sources and detectors to measure properties like:
    • Density: Measures the density of formations surrounding the wellbore.
    • Neutron Porosity: Determines the porosity of the formation based on the interaction of neutrons with the formation.
    • Gamma Ray: Measures the natural radioactivity of formations, useful for identifying formations and detecting potential shale layers.
  • Chemical Logs: These logs employ chemical reactions and measurements to analyze:
    • Cement Bond Log (CBL): Evaluates the quality of cement bonding between the casing and formation.
    • Production Logging: Measures the flow of fluids within the wellbore, identifying zones of production and identifying potential problems.
    • Corrosion Monitoring: Tracks the rate of corrosion within the wellbore, ensuring its structural integrity.
  • Physical Logs: These logs utilize various physical principles to measure:
    • Caliper Log: Measures the diameter of the wellbore, providing insights into the wellbore condition.
    • Temperature Log: Records the temperature profile of the wellbore, useful for detecting fluid movement and identifying potential problems.
    • Pressure Log: Measures the pressure profile of the wellbore, providing information about reservoir pressure and fluid flow.

Conveying the Technology:

Cased hole logging tools can be deployed using various methods:

  • Electric Line: Traditional wireline logging, using an electric cable to lower and retrieve the tool.
  • Coiled Tubing: Utilizing a coiled tubing unit for deployment and retrieval, offering greater flexibility and reach.
  • Slick Line: A smaller diameter cable suitable for memory logs, recording data and transmitting it later.
  • Drill Pipe (LWD): Utilizing Logging While Drilling (LWD) technology, measurements are taken during the drilling process, allowing for real-time data analysis.

Unveiling the Secrets Within:

Cased hole logs provide a wealth of data that helps oil and gas professionals make informed decisions regarding:

  • Production Optimization: Identifying zones of high productivity and optimizing well stimulation and completion strategies.
  • Reservoir Management: Understanding the fluid flow dynamics within the reservoir and optimizing production rates.
  • Well Integrity Monitoring: Identifying potential problems such as casing corrosion, cement bond issues, and production anomalies.

Conclusion:

Cased hole logs are crucial for unlocking the secrets of already-cased wells. By utilizing a variety of measurement techniques and delivery methods, these logs provide essential insights into the wellbore, reservoir, and production performance. This data helps optimize production, ensure well integrity, and ultimately contribute to a more efficient and profitable oil and gas industry.


Test Your Knowledge

Quiz: Unveiling the Secrets Within: Cased Hole Logs

Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What is the primary purpose of cased hole logs?

a) To evaluate formation properties before casing installation.

Answer

Incorrect. Cased hole logs are used to analyze formation properties *after* casing installation.

b) To measure the thickness of the casing.

Answer

Incorrect. While caliper logs can measure wellbore diameter, they don't specifically focus on casing thickness.

c) To provide information about the wellbore and reservoir after casing is installed.

Answer

Correct. Cased hole logs are designed to provide insights into the wellbore and reservoir even after the well has been completed.

d) To determine the drilling fluid density.

Answer

Incorrect. Drilling fluid density is typically evaluated before casing installation.

2. Which type of cased hole log utilizes radioactive sources and detectors?

a) Chemical Logs

Answer

Incorrect. Chemical logs rely on chemical reactions and measurements.

b) Radioactive Logs

Answer

Correct. Radioactive logs use radioactive sources to measure properties like density, neutron porosity, and gamma ray.

c) Physical Logs

Answer

Incorrect. Physical logs utilize physical principles like caliper, temperature, and pressure measurements.

d) None of the above

Answer

Incorrect. Radioactive logs are a distinct category of cased hole logs.

3. What is the main purpose of a Cement Bond Log (CBL)?

a) Measuring the pressure profile in the wellbore.

Answer

Incorrect. Pressure profiles are measured by pressure logs.

b) Determining the quality of cement bonding between the casing and formation.

Answer

Correct. CBL is specifically designed to evaluate the cement bond quality.

c) Analyzing the flow of fluids in the wellbore.

Answer

Incorrect. Fluid flow analysis is done by production logs.

d) Identifying potential shale layers.

Answer

Incorrect. While gamma ray logs can detect shale layers, CBL focuses on cement bonding.

4. Which deployment method utilizes a smaller diameter cable suitable for memory logs?

a) Electric Line

Answer

Incorrect. Electric lines are used for traditional wireline logging.

b) Coiled Tubing

Answer

Incorrect. Coiled tubing is used for greater flexibility and reach.

c) Slick Line

Answer

Correct. Slick lines are designed for memory logs, recording data for later transmission.

d) Drill Pipe (LWD)

Answer

Incorrect. LWD technology measures data during drilling, not utilizing a cable.

5. What is a significant benefit of using cased hole logs?

a) They can only be used for new wells.

Answer

Incorrect. Cased hole logs are specifically designed for wells that have already been cased.

b) They allow for real-time analysis of production data.

Answer

Incorrect. While LWD provides real-time data, other cased hole log methods don't necessarily offer real-time analysis.

c) They provide valuable data for optimizing production and managing reservoir resources.

Answer

Correct. Cased hole logs provide critical information for optimizing production strategies and managing reservoirs effectively.

d) They are less expensive than conventional logging techniques.

Answer

Incorrect. Cased hole logging can be more complex and thus potentially more expensive.

Exercise: Cased Hole Log Interpretation

Scenario: You are an oil and gas engineer working on an existing oil well that has been producing for several years. You notice a decline in production and want to understand the cause. You decide to run a cased hole log suite to analyze the wellbore and reservoir.

Task: Based on the following log data, identify potential reasons for the production decline and suggest possible solutions:

  • Caliper Log: Shows a significant increase in wellbore diameter in a specific zone.
  • Cement Bond Log (CBL): Indicates a poor cement bond in the same zone where the wellbore diameter increased.
  • Temperature Log: Shows an unusually high temperature in the zone with the increased diameter.
  • Production Log: Identifies a decrease in fluid flow in the same zone.

Your answer should include:

  • Possible reasons for the production decline based on the log data.
  • Suggested solutions to address the identified problems.

Exercice Correction

**Possible reasons for the production decline:** * **Casing failure:** The caliper log indicates an increase in wellbore diameter, potentially caused by casing failure in the specific zone. * **Poor cement bond:** The CBL shows a poor cement bond, which further suggests that the casing failure could be due to inadequate support. * **Fluid influx:** The unusually high temperature and the production log's indication of decreased fluid flow point to a potential fluid influx into the wellbore from a nearby formation. **Suggested solutions:** * **Wellbore repair:** To address the casing failure and poor cement bond, a wellbore repair operation is necessary. This could involve running a new liner or conducting cement squeeze operations to repair the damaged zone. * **Isolation and pressure control:** If the fluid influx is confirmed, it needs to be isolated. This might involve using packers or other isolation methods to separate the affected zone. * **Well stimulation:** After repair and isolation, it might be necessary to stimulate the well to restore its production potential. This could involve techniques like acidizing, fracturing, or other stimulation methods to improve reservoir access.


Books

  • "Well Logging and Formation Evaluation" by Schlumberger - A comprehensive textbook covering various logging techniques, including cased hole logging.
  • "Petroleum Engineering Handbook" by William D. McCain Jr. - A classic reference book with a dedicated chapter on well logging, including cased hole logging.
  • "Log Interpretation Principles and Applications" by Archie - A foundational text exploring the principles of well log analysis, covering both open and cased hole logging.
  • "Cased Hole Logging: Principles, Techniques, and Applications" by John M. Campbell - A specialized book focusing specifically on cased hole logging techniques and applications.

Articles

  • "Cased Hole Logging: A Comprehensive Overview" by Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) - A technical paper providing a general overview of cased hole logging technologies and applications.
  • "Advances in Cased Hole Logging for Reservoir Characterization" by SPE - A paper highlighting the latest developments in cased hole logging tools and their contribution to reservoir understanding.
  • "Cement Bond Logging: A Critical Assessment" by SPE - An in-depth article focused on cement bond logging techniques and their importance for well integrity.
  • "Production Logging: A Powerful Tool for Optimizing Production" by SPE - A paper exploring the role of production logging in optimizing well performance and identifying production problems.

Online Resources

  • Schlumberger's Website: Provides detailed information on their cased hole logging services and technologies, including various tools, applications, and case studies.
  • Halliburton's Website: Offers similar information on their cased hole logging offerings, emphasizing their expertise and innovative solutions.
  • Baker Hughes Website: Presents their cased hole logging services, highlighting their focus on advanced technologies and data analysis.
  • SPE's Digital Library: Offers access to a vast collection of technical papers and publications related to well logging, including cased hole logging.

Search Tips

  • "Cased hole logging + [specific technique]": For detailed information on a specific cased hole logging technique, such as "cased hole logging + cement bond log" or "cased hole logging + nuclear magnetic resonance".
  • "Cased hole logging + [application]": To focus on specific applications, like "cased hole logging + production optimization" or "cased hole logging + well integrity assessment".
  • "Cased hole logging + [company name]": To explore the cased hole logging services and technologies offered by specific companies, such as "cased hole logging + Schlumberger" or "cased hole logging + Halliburton".
  • "Cased hole logging + [case study]": To find real-world examples of cased hole logging applications and their impact on oil and gas operations.
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