Electrical

Resistivity

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Tools
Resistivity Theory

 The resistivity of a substance is a measure of its

ability to impede the flow of electrical current.

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 Resistivity is the key to hydrocarbon saturation
determination.

 Porosity gives the volume of fluids but does not

indicate which fluid is occupying that pore space.
 Resistivity Theory 2
 Current can only pass through the water in the
formation, hence the resistivity depends on:
 Resistivity of the formation water.
 Amount of water present.

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 Pore structure.
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Resistivity Model
 Mud Resistivities
 The first resistivities encountered are those of the
mud, mud filtrate and mud cake.

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 The surface measurements to obtain these values
are often erroneous.

 Key points:
 The samples must be identical to the mud used in the
logging interval.
 Check answers using the chart book formulae.
 Rmf < Rm < Rmc
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Laterolog Principle
Laterolog principle (1)

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 Electrical Survey Measurements
Unfocused System
B

Equipotential
Spheres

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B
N

Normal
Device Lateral
V k Device
Ra = I
Laterolog principle (2)

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Equipotential
Non-focused vs Focused Systems

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Focussing - Active
 Dual Laterolog
LLD
Ao Measure Current Electrode
M1 & M2 Monitoring Electrodes
A1 Bucking Current Electrode
A2 Bucking Current Electrode
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LLS
Ao Measure Current Electrode
M1 & M2 Monitoring Electrodes
A1 Bucking Current Emitting Electrode
A2 Bucking Current Return Electrode
 Borehole Effects
 Laterologs see the borehole environment as:
 RLL = Rm + Rmc + Rxo + Rt

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 Rm best measurement is in salt-saturated, low resistivity
mud. Worst readings obtained in fresh mud.
Measurements cannot be taken in oil-based mud

 Rmc usually neglected as very small.

 Rxo depends on Rmf, needs to be known.

 Rt parameter to be measured, the higher the better.

Borehole Effect Corrections

 The log must be corrected for the effect of mud

resistivity.
 There are two possible conditions:

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 Centred.
 Eccentred.
 There is only a small difference between the two
in most circumstances for the DLT-E, the ARI and
HALS
 The correction to the shallow is greater than the
deep, especially in large hole sizes.
Laterolog Corrections (1)

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Bed Thickness Correction
 The next correction accounts for the effects of
adjacent beds which still occur despite focusing.

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 If the shoulder bed is highly resistive, the log has
to be reduced. (Squeeze.)

 If the shoulder bed is of low resistivity, the log has

to be increased. (Anti-squeeze.)

 LLS has a better definition because it is a shallow

device.
 Squeeze/Anti-Squeeze (1)

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Rs is the resistivity of the bed above and below the formation of interest.
The chart is entered with the bed thickness, moving up the ratio RLLD/RS.
The correction factor is read on the y-axis.
 Depth of Investigation
 The plot shows the pseudo-geometrical factor versus di for
various tools.
 The relative depth of investigation is defined as the invasion
diameter for which the invaded zone contributes to 50% of the
signal (J = 0.5).

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 The relative depth of investigation is computed from the chart.

 For example, it is 35" for the LLS.

Laterolog Applications
 Measures Rt.

 Standard resistivity in high resistivity environments.

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 Usable in medium-to-high salinity muds.

 Good results in high contrast Rt/Rm.

 Good vertical resolution

Laterolog Limits

 Cannot be used in oil-based muds.

Cannot be used in air-filled holes.

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

 Affected by the Groningen Effect in some

environments.

 Difficult to model.

 Poor when Rxo > Rt.

 DLT Parameters
 Vertical resolution: 24” (DLT)
12” (HALS)
8” (ARI)
 Maximum reading:
 LLD 40000 ohm-m

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 LLS 6000 ohm-m

 Minimum reading:
 LLD 0.2 ohm-m
 LLS 0.2 ohm-m
Azimuthal Laterolog principle

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Azimuthal Laterolog Corrections
 The borehole correction is similar to the other Laterolog
measurements. It is a function of the borehole diameter and the
ratio of formation to mud resistivity.

 This chart is used to make the correction. It can be done by the

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surface acquisition system.
ARI Applications (thin beds)

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ARI Applications (fractures)

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High Resolution Laterolog Array

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 Dual Laterolog
LLD LLS Strong points:
 Salt muds / Resistive formation
 Focusing
A2 A2
 Vertical resolution (ARI/HALS)

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A1* A1*
Limitations:
A1 A1
 Response in thin layers with
M2
M1
M2
M1 invasion
A0
M1'
I0 A0
M1'
I0  Complex formations / horizontal
M2' M2'
wells
A1' A1'  Groningen effect
A1*' A1*'

Classical interpretation often leads to

A2' A2'
underevaluation of thinly layered reservoirs:

• Rt to high in water zones

• Rt to low in thin reservoir layers
The High Resolution Laterolog Array
Principle:
• monitored equipotential focussing for minimal
borehole and shoulder effect
• 6 channels with different depths of investigation
and matched resolution.

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Benefits:
• Clearer indication of permeable beds, raw curves
resemble formation resistivity profile
• Higher information content for inversion in
complex environments
• No need for deep-mode / bridle:
– no reference effects (Groningen, TLC)
– strongly reduced shoulder effect
• Combinable with PLATFORM EXPRESS and AIT-H
– efficient operation
– real-time speed correction
 Synthetic log example, thin invaded beds
Resistive beds: Rt = 45, Rxo = 1.5, Di = 30”
Conductive beds: Rt = 1, uninvaded
1 ft 2 ft 3 ft 4 ft 5 ft 10 ft Depth of investigation is
HRLA controlled by the shoulder
beds
-> same for all three tools.

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HRLA gives much clearer
information on invasion.
HALS

DLT
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