Electrical Petrophysics

PETE 3036
Well Logging

Fall 2015

Objectives
1. To understand and quantify the phenomenon of electrical
conduction in porous and permeable rocks,
2. To understand the influence of (a) porosity, (b) connate water
salinity and temperature, (c) grain sorting and cementation, (d)
partial hydrocarbon saturation, (e) wettability, and (f) clay
concentration, on the effective electrical resistivity of rocks,
3. To introduce the concepts of formation factor and electrical
resistivity index,
4. To understand the petrophysical limitations of Archies
equations,
5. To introduce methods to calculate the electrical resistivity of
connate water, and
6. To perform basic exercises on the calculation of hydrocarbon
saturation.

Reading Material
Chapter 6 and Chapter 11, Openhole log
Analysis and formation evaluation, by
Bateman
Chapter 1, Electrical Resistivity of Rocks, pp 124 of the book Theory, Measurement, and
Interpretation of Well Logs by Z. Bassiouni,
Z.,1994, SPE Textbook Series Vol. 4,
Richardson, Texas.

How is the ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY of this

rock related to porosity and hydrocarbon
saturation?

EXAMPLE: Fontainebleu Sandstone

How is the ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY of this

rock related to porosity and hydrocarbon
saturation?

Large quartz grains

showing quartz-filled
fractures and
porosity filling quartz
(SEM-CL image).

Hydrocarbon
Density
Estimation

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND RESISTIVITY

ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY OF ROCK

CONSTITUENTS

Electrical Resistivity of Non-NaCl

ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY OF ROCKS:

MAIN TENDENCIES

Comparison of Rw and Ro
Lets consider a cylinder of water with the same
volume as the water volume in the core.
Vp = A L = Ae Le
Ae = A L / Le
rw = Rw Le / Ae = Rw Le2 / ( A L )

To make a comparison, lets set rw equal to ro.

(In other words, the combination of Le and Ae
for the cylinder of water that yields the same
electrical resistance as the water filled core.

Comparison of Rw and Ro (cont.)

Recall for the core:

And for the water:

rw = Rw Le2 / ( A L )

ro = Ro L / A

RO L / A RW Le /( A L )
2

Le 1
RO RW
L
Lets define:

Le 1
F
L

Ro = F Rw

Comparison of Rw and Ro (cont.)

Ro = F Rw
F is know as the formation resistivity factor:
2

Le 1
F
L

Let: Le / L =
2
F

(Known as tortuosity)

ARCHIES Clean Sand Equation

Generalized Formation Resistivity

Relationships
Sandstones

Most commonly used

Humble: F = 0.62 -2.15

Simplified Humble: F = 0.81 -2

Phillips: F = 1.45 -1.54
Chevron: F = 1.13 -1.73

Carbonates
Caruthers (1968): F = -2

Shell: F = -1.87+0.019/

m and n
m = cementation exponent
varies with pore geometry
sandstones -1.1 to 2.5
carbonates -2.9 or higher
n = saturation exponent
reflects path of electric current through pore
network that is partially full of brine
affected by wettability, clays, residual
hydrocarbons
Archies equation assumes n = 2, ranges from
1 to 2.5

Homework
Problems 1.14, 1.15 and 1.16 from textbook
Please find resistivity of a fracing water-based
fluid with the following information at 270F
Sulfates, ppm

200

Chlorides, ppm

100

Calcium, ppm

0.01

Bicarbs, ppm

97.60

Magnesium, ppm

14.39

Review Questions
1. Using simple physics arguments, explain why the electrical resistivity of a
rock is related to porosity.
2. Is the electrical resistivity of a rock controlled by its solid or fluid component,
or by both?
3. List four independent petrophysical/measurement conditions that will cause
Archies first law to
breakdown?
4. The porosity variable used in Archies equations, is it total or effective
porosity?
5. Why is it often said that Archies second law is not scientifically sound?
6. Why is the electrical conductivity of clays in contact with water relatively
high?
7. When does presence of clay/shale in a rock will cause Archies first law to
breakdown?
8. Explain why the wettability of a rock could have a sizable influence on the
rocks electrical conductivity.