THE CARBON/OXYGEN

SPE 7172
LOG MEASUREMENT
by

P. A.Wichmann, E. C. Hopkinson, and V. C. McWhirter

Dresser Atlas - Houston, Texas

ABSTRACT

A new pulsed neutron logging technique has been developed to unambiguously identify
the presence of the element carbon. The Carbon/Oxygen Log is currently available on
a limited commercial basis in North America and has been tested under a wide variety
of field conditions.

This paper covers the theory of the log's response and shows examples of what is
available in the way of taped output. The basics of interpretation by a simplified
pattern recognition technique are reviewed along with test pit measurements and
verified field response.

INTRODUCTION

During the past three years, a Carbon/Oxygen logging device has been commercially
available and has been used to survey several hundred wells. Despite the fact that a
great many of these applications have been made as a "last resort" when definitive
answers could not be derived from other more conventional logging methods, the
device has scored a very high success ratio in predicting the type of fluid ultimately
produced. Also complicating these initial efforts is the fact that development and
improvement of the instrumentation has been continuous over this period of time and
even now, a significant advance is on the verge of commercial introduction.

The Dresser Atlas Carbon/Oxygen Log is 10!lS

made possible by an electro-mechanical -y Rays From Inelastic Collisions

device that can be pulsed in extremely

short, concentrated bursts of 14 Mev neu-
trons and a detector system that can
selectively discriminate and count the high Days
energy gamma rays that result from the
inelastic collisions of these neutrons with -y Rays From Neutron Activation Products

the atoms of carbon and oxygen. Figure 1

schematically reviews the source and time Figure 1
frame of neutron bombardment induced
gamma radiation. Note that the inelastic
or prompt gamma rays exist only while the
very high energy neurton source is on and
for a very few microseconds following the
cessation of the pulse. From this period of
time until the neutron source is reacti-
vated, only gamma rays of thermal neutron
capture, and to a lesser degree, activation
gamma rays, are present. This is an
extremely important point, as the 4.43 Mev
inelastic carbon gamma ray is the only
unambiguous nuclear indicator of that ele-
ment in nature.

THE INSTRUMENT AND ITS CALIBRATION

The current commercial version of th~ C/O logging instrument is made up principally
of the neutron generator, an electro-mechanical apparatus using the deuterium on
tritium reaction to produce 14 Mev neutrons at an average rate of 10 8 per second and
1
a gated Nai scintillation detector. The window is 6 to 7 microseconds wide and the
repetition rate is 4,000 neutron pulses per second. The current generation of
instruments is designed for stationary readings to overcome the statistical limitations
of the data.
A prototype device, designed after the
method of Schultz et al, is currently being
field tested as a continuous logger. To
overcome the current statistical limita- f-+~-- . ~----,~ --r--~'-~-- =----- ~ --

tions of the older instruments, the genera- ..c f-- - ~----=-=

tor is pulsed more rapidly at 20,000 times '0. f-· - · -+r-· - -r- Water Sand
~ ~~--- ----.,~~-=1-- =~~---, 35%
per second and the resultant increased ~:=r-- .:= -=-~
~+---- ~ :--
-:-_;--::-1-
undesired background is compensated for 1-1--
A
=-.
·t- ~I-= ~- r-~:
by measuring just prior to the neutron ~~ -
~~ -- -- :~ r--- - -~ ~- . ---- --=- :._-__
t~ ~_ ~ ~~ ~
burst. Figure 2 is a short section of a 35o/o
:=~~-~-:- -~: ~~ c- ~ ~ i= - :~- ~= --~ . -
porosity sand containing both oil and water 1- . --. 1-r-
~~ r-~ - ~ ~ -~~ -~

that was logged at 4 feet per minute with . ~~ ... --:-1-··-~-=~~

this prototype instrument. Figure 2: 14
'
1.6 1.8 2.0
C/0 Ratio

The commercial stationary C/O instruments provide all the background of experience
on which our interpretation data base is predicated. The same phenomena that
produces the unique 4.43 Mev inelastic carbon gamma ray also produces a 6.1 Mev
inelastic oxygen gamma ray. The surface calibrator is comprised of a conventional
chemical neutron source inside its carrying container. This container is made of wax
with an outer iron casing. This assemblage of material in proximity to a conventional
neutron source insures the presence of 7.6 Mev iron, the 4.43 carbon and 2.22 Mev
hydrogen gamma rays. Figure 3 shows the typical spectrum of a surface calibration of
this device. The most prominent peaks of gamma ray energy apparent from this
illustration are the inelastic photo peak of carbon and its two escape peaks at 4.43
Mev, 3.92 Mev and 3.41 Mev respectively, and the hydrogen capture peak at 2.2 Mev.
Also identifiable in this calibration spectrum are the iron capture peak and its two
escape peaks at 7.64 Mev, 7.13 Mev and 6.62 Mev, respectively.

Other gamma rays are present but not particularly prominent in this surface
calibration. The typical locations of each of these gamma ray peaks on the 256
channel analyzer are summarized in Table I.

TABLE I

Identifying Gamma Ray Energy-Mev Channel Number

Silicon Inelastic 1.78 51

Calcium capture 1.96 57
Hydrogen capture 2.2 64
Carbon 2nd escape 3.41 99
Carbon lst escape 3.92 113
Carbon photo peak 4.43 128
Iron 2nd escape 6.62 189
Iron lst escape 7.13 204
Iron capture peak 7.64 218

This surface calibration has always been easily maintained downhole as we have
consistently been able to identify at least three elements on a continuous basis as the
measurements are being made. Iron is always present in both the instrument housing
and the casing, the hydrogen capture peak is always prominent, and either silicon or
calcium, depending on the major rock type present, have also been consistently in
evidence.

In field operation the two detector gates are chosen to encompass the more prominent
escape peaks of both the 4.43 Mev carbon and the 6.13 Mev oxygen inelastic reactions.
2
 The reason for this is apparent in Figure 3, which shows the lower energy escape
gamma rays to be more numerous than are the gamma rays in the original photo peaks.
In operation, the total.number of counts in each of these two gates are cumulated with
the carbon total divided by the oxygen total. This is illustrated with the typical
inelastic spectrum shown in Figure 4. The shaded areas represent the carbon and
oxygen gates. The taped data may also be displayed in the tabular form illustrated in
Table II.

Hydrogen Capture
2.2 MEV· CH. 64

2nd Escape ea Iron

1st Escape Peak Iron
: Photo Peak Iron
... 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240
Channel Number
20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240

t
Scale Change
Figure 4

Figure 3

TABLE II
DATA FR0/'1 CARBON-OXYGEN LOG RUN

CHANNEL NO. 3 4 5 6 8 9 18

0 e. e. 0. 0. a. 0. B. I. 2. 5.
10 9. 80. 367. ?669. 26815. 23181. 13947. 11348. 10059. 9111.
20 8082. 7335. 6633. ?!317. 7271. 5408. 4738. 4483. 4265. 3876.
30 3634. 3360. 320?. 3194. 3141. 3015. 2?60. 2660. 2518. 2435.
40 2385. 227?. 2069. 2080. 1929. 1850. 1797. 1766. 1798. 1777.
50 1865. 1?6?. 1615. 1433. 1410. 138?. 1343. 1282. 131'il. 1266.
60 1183. 1121. 1123. 1166. 1141. 1039. 1019. 993. 970. 920.
?B 884. 913. 913. 869. 913. 822. 838. 825. 806. 794.
80 841. 783. 717. 697. 682. 70 I. 687. 659. 663. 655.
90 628. ?BEl. 589. 625. 589. 589. 552. 585. 556. 521.
10B 513. 532. 510. 543. 536. 525. 519. 4?0. 472. 487.
liB 446. 4B8. 424. 451. 406. 451. 419. 3?6. 39?. 375.
120 365. 354. 351. 343. 360. 371. 36?. 342. 31'3. 354.
138 368. '345. 327. 386. 340. 326. 326. 322. 2?4. 318.
14B 322. 292. 343. 357. 345. 355. 347. 321. 318. 334.
150 316. 345. 303. 2?4. 28El. 290. 273. 299. 331. 310.
160 353. 335. 277. 297. 267. 268. 244. 282. 2513. 256.
I 713 229. 265. 2?9. 280. 2?6. 252. 247. 215. 195. 1~1.
180 186. 201. 19?. 168. 143. 154. 1?8. 163. 143. 132.
19B 137. 142. 13B. 133. 124. 105. 98. 107. 95. II?.
200 91. 67. 88. 79. 71. 63. 63. 57. 56. 52.
210 ?3. 58. 55. 47. 45. 54. 43. 42. 37. 54.
220 46. 42. 4":> 38. 32. 40. 31. 28. 39. 30.
230 33. 31. 23. 28. 34. 18. 32. 31. 28. 213.
2413 2'3. 18. 16. 18. 13. 22. 26. 19. 16. 12.
250 15. 14, 16. 11. 20.

**'"'*****"'"'"'"'"'**"'"'"'"'*"'"'*"'*"'"'*"'"'"'"'*"'****"'*"'*"'"'*"'"'"'"'*"'"'"'****"'"'"'"'"'"'"'"'*"'"'"'"'"'**"'"'"'*"'****************************************************
RUH NUMBER DEPTH(fT) CAL CHI EN! CAL CH2 EN2 TIME<SEC)

0.08 64.88 2.22 206.88 7.13 388

I.JINDOW I= 3.27- 4.24 MEV' WINDOW 2= 4.98- 5.87 MEV'

LOWER CHANNEL UPPER CHANNEL SUM ST DEll LOWER CHANNEL UPPER CHANNEL SUM ST DEll RATIO ERROR TOTAL COUNTS

94. 122. 13996. 118.38 141. 169. 8928. 94.49 I • 568 8 • 821 28487 I •
94.3? 122.42 13914. 13 11? .96 141.51 169.56 8988.89 94.38 I . 562 8. 821 28487 I •

TEST RESULTS

These carbon-oxygen (C/O) ratio numbers have proven to be quite significant in

defining the fluid content of known rock types, regardless of the salinity of the
connate water in the system.
3
Test pit and test barrel results illustrate the stability, repeatability, and consistency of
the numbers. First, 55-gallon drums containing loosely paGked clean beach sand --
porosity 40o/o-- were fitted with a 4" 0.0. pipe through their axial centers. Each of
three such sand-filled drums were saturated with kerosine, alcohol (C H 0H) and fresh
2 5
tap water. The C/0 ratios measured in these three barrels are summarized in Table
III.

TABLE III

Fluid C/O Ratio

Kerosine barrel 1.86

Alcohol barrel 1.70
Water barrel 1.61

Subsequent field measurements of clean or shaly (but non-carbonaceous) 100°/o water

bearing sands have consistently recorded C/0 values of 1.57 to 1.61. As the
percentage of bulk volume of oil increases, the C/O ratio has consistently increased in
approximately the same proportion that one would predict from these simple sand
barrel tests illustrated in Table III.

A typical saturation calibration curve--

from a California sand sequence with an
1.72

~
,
1.70
average porosity of 30°/o--illustrates this California Example
~
simple linear relationship in Figure 5. 1.68
C/0 versus Sw
~

~
v
v
1.66
0
i=
<(
1.64 _J_
a:

~V
0
u

v
1.62

1.60

1.58 /
1.56 /
100 80 60 40 20
Water Saturation %
Figure 5
When non-carbonanceous sands are the TABLE IV
rule, interpretation is just that simple. Core Analysis
High C/O values indicate a large bulk Depth C/0 Si/Ca ¢ Oil Water
volume of oil and low values show water. 785 1.61 1.65 31.3 0.0 78.4
1.61 34.5 0.0 81..7
Table IV summarizes some C/O data from a
759 1.60 1.67 32.4 26.9 70.0
non-carbonaceous heavy oil bearing sand 1.61 32.3 23.8 76.4
and compares it to a core analysis of the 31.5 16.4 82.0
same interval. Each logged station was 740 1.63 1.66 29.5 22.2 71.2
repeated with the C/O measurement and 1.64 27.2 21.5 71.5
30.1 34.3 55.2
multiple core analysis measurements were
723 1.66 1.69 31.4 42.5 57.1
also made. 1.67 32.8 42.3 55.1
31.7 43.9 53.5
702 1.56 1.44 Shale
1.57
683 1.68 1.64 32.5 54.6 41.0
1.68 31.5 53.8 45.1
31.2 47.4 46.2
647 1.69 1.60 31.1 60.2 39.0
1.68 30.2 57.6 41.9
30.7 60.2 38.7
4
Besides the increasing C/O ratio with increasing oil saturation, please pay special
attention to the C/0 number in the shale at 702 feet. The close agreement of this
value to those in lOQ% water bearin·g non-carbonaceous sands is the reason that the
measurement is so useful in shaly sands as well as those containing fresh to brackish
formation water. Non-carbonaceous shales have been consistent in exhibiting
responses on this order of magnitude.

ADDITIONAL LOG DATA

The C/O measurement uses data that is recorded only while the neutron source is
active. For the station measurement instrument, this represents only a little more
than 3°/o of the total time. Between pulses, a large number of gamma rays of thermal
capture are present. These can be very useful in defining key elements, notably silicon
and calcium, that type the actual rock matrix. To take advantage of this capture
phenomena the other half of the 512 channel analyzer is used to accumulate gamma
rays between the neutron pulses.

Figure 6 represents idealized capture gam- 4.0

~I
ma ray spectra for both a limestone and a I I
- Limestone
sandstone. Note that the major silicon
~I - - - Sandstone
peaks (the dotted curve) occur in roughly tl 3.0
the same part of the spectrum as do the c0 :I

inelastic gamma rays resulting from car- >ca \ (.)

a: 2.0
bon. Conversely, the calcium peaks are
most prevalent in the area where the ca~E
inelastic oxygen gamma rays are measured. (!) 1.0 ~
In a similar manner to the _C/O ratio
measurement, a Si/Ca ratio is also taken as
a stationary reading. Because of the larger 0
'~
--
~ ~...... M
"- 8
number of counts available, this measure- 2 4 6
Gamma Ray Energy - MeV
ment may also be recorded continuously as
a litho logy indicator. Figure 7 shows such Figure 6
a continuous log of the silicon and calcium
curves and their ratio correlated to an
electrolog. Also included on the log is the
trace of the source monitor. Our proce-
dures are flexible with this data and either
the total capture gamma ray counts or the
inelastic gamma ray counts may also be
recorded. These records have also been
useful in helping to define the presence of
gas.
Electrolog Si/Ca Capture Si

\.{ l{ ~ }
'/ J -........... Ca ... ~
t \) \

'I'
i \
,r
N
g:........,,_,...-:;~-~~~
( ( c
1) ~ )
\ ')
r '-...... ~

""
_l ~
"\
r } <'
0 I 1<.. J
))
., ~ """" )
.r ~~
')
)
I ~
~
+---t--~~
I <.. ~~---~......,,......-+__....._,_--+~
.........
Figure 7 ...___~.---.....__,8 l \t \ c
c..__---.....~ _ ____.._ ____._--1

5
 SIMPLIFIED FIELD INTERPRETATION
1.8 •
Where carbonates and tighter limey sands
occur in proximity to productive non- • -
carbonaceous sands, both C/O and Si/Ca
••
data must be used to define the productive i=
0 1.7 • ~

ill •
<(
intervals. Lock and Hoyer proposed a a: • 4. ~

simple pattern recognition technique to 0

accomplish this interpretation. Figur-e 8 u 1.6 • -".
•
represents their plot of C/0 and Si/Ca data •
from an East Texas well. The circular
symbols represent known gas sands in the 1.5
area. Gas, with its lower concentration of 1.8 1.9 2.0
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1. 7
carbon per _unit volume of hydrocarbon
Si/Ca RATIO
material, yields values of the C/O ratio Figure 8
between those of oil and water bearing
rocks. Based on test data and known
production, Figure 9 was then sectioned
into areas of likely production characteris-
tics that are quite accurate for this specif-
ic area. As the lithology becomes more 0 1.1 1---+--~-+--F.--~~L.!....!....!--'i...L
complex and water salinities change (gam- i=<(
ma rays of capture for chlorine occur at cc
0
coincident peaks with the calcium) the --u 1 .6 'H+H+ffhl.ff+ftf+H+ffhl.ff+fffffl+f'f-r'+H-1.
interpretation becomes more complex and
computer techniques and additional logs
that are described elsewhere must be used.
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.1

Figure 9 Si/Ca RATIO

CONCLUSIONS

The C/O log is an important new technical development in the search for hydrocarbons
that are already cased off. It also provides for a direct measurement of the key
element carbon, making the salinity of the connate water a much less critical
parameter in cased hole log analysis. Development of this instrumentation has been
continuous and the currently available stationary measurement will soon be giving way
to tools that will be capable of continuous logging.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors must acknowledge the work of a number of Dresser Atlas employees, but
most particularly that of R. B. Culver and R. A. Bergan, who were most responsible
for the instrumentation and neutron source development that are the heart of this
logging system.

REFERENCES

l. Hoyer, W. A., and Rumble, R. C., "Field Experience in Measuring Oil Content,
Lithology and Porosity with a High Energy Neutron-Induced Spectral Logging
System", Journal Petroleum Technology, July, 1975,p. 801.

2. Caldwell, R. L., Mills, W. R. Jr., and Hichman, J. B. Jr., "Gamma Radiation From
Inelastic Scattering of 14-Mev Neutrons by the Common Earth Elements", Nuclear
Science and Engineering (1960), Vol. 8, p. 173.
6
 3. Lawson, B. L., and Cook, C. F., and Owen, J. D., "A Theoretical and Laboratory
Evaluation", presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the SPE of AIME, Houston,
Texas (October 4-7, 1970).

4. Lock, G. A. and Hoyer, W. A., "Carbon-Oxygen (C/O) Log: Use and Interpreta-
tion", Journal of Petroleum Technology, (Sept. 1974), p. 1044.

5. Schultz, W. E. and Smith, H. D., Jr., "Laboratory and Field Evaluation of a

Carbon/Oxygen (C/0) Well Logging System", Journal of Petroleum Technology,
(Oct. 1975), Vol. XXVI.

6. Smith, H. W. and Schultz, W. E., "Field Experience in Determining Oil Saturations

from Continuous C/0 and Ca/Si Logs Independent of Salinity and Shaliness",
Transactions of SPWLA Fifteenth Annual Logging Symposium, June 2-5, 1974,
McAllen, Texas.

7. Culver, R. B., Hopkinson, E. C. and Youmans, A. H., "Carbon/Oxygen (C/O)

Logging Instrumentation", SPE Journal, Vol. 14, No. 5, Oct. 1974.

8. Vercellino, W. C., Skaggs, L. L., Bishop, W. D., DeVries, M. R., McWhirter, V. C.,
and Wichmann, P. A., "Clastic Formation Evaluation Program in Cased Holes for
Both Fresh and Saline Formation Waters to Determine Hydrocarbon Content", SPE
Fall Meeting, Dallas, 1975, SPE 5508.

9. McWhirter, V. C., "Introduction to Carbon Logging", SPE Regional, Casper, 1976,

SPE 5906.

BIOGRAPHIES

P.A. WICHMANN V.C. McWHIRTER E.C. HOPKINSON

P. A. WICHMANN
Mr. P. A. Wichmann ·is the Manager of Log Analysis for Dresser Atlas in Houston. A
1958 honors graduate Petroleum Engineer from the Colorado School of Mines, he
worked for the Shell Oil Company from that date until 1965 in a variety of positions,
including Petrophysical Engineer. At that time he went to work for Dresser as a
Research Log Analyst for Lane-Wells. In 1968 he became Chief Log Analyst for
Dresser Atlas and assumed his present duties early in 1975.
Mr. Wichmann has been active in the SPWLA for a number of years, and was recently
on the National Board of Directors. He has authored or co-authored over 30 technical
papers, including 16 that have appeared in SPWLA publications. He has also spoken at
numerous international and local SPWLA and SPE meetings. Besides the SPWLA, he is
a member of the CWLS, the SPE of AIME, Tau Beta Pi, and is a Registered Engineer in
the State of Texas.

V. C. McWHIRTER
Mr. Vernie C. McWhirter is Senior Projects Engineer in the Research and Engineering
Department of Dresser Atlas. He has been associated with Dresser Atlas and its
predecessors since 1951.
7
He has had extensive field experience in nuclear logging techniques and has written
several papers on nuclear logging techniques.

He attended Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas.

E. C. HOPKINSON

Mr. Eric C. Hopkinson is Manager of Pulsed Neutron Logging Systems in the Research
and Engineering Department of Dresser Atlas.

He has been associated with nuclear logging research since 1952 when he joined Well
Surveys, Inc. which later became a part of Dresser Industries. Mr. Hopkinson has had
an important part in the development of a number of Dresser Atlas nuclear
innovations, including the .Neutron Lifetime Log®and the C/O Log.

He graduated from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, Canada with a BSc in

Engineering Physics in 1950. From that time until he joined Well Surveys, he worked
for the Canadian Government Department of National Defense.