Resistivity Logging

Total October 2003

Resistance
Resistance is the opposition to flow of electrical
current offered by a material of certain shape
and dimensions.
Ohms Law:

V=IR

Resistance, R
Current, I
Voltage, V

Total October 2003

Resistivity
Resistivity is the opposition to flow of electrical
current offered by a material of unit length and
unit cross sectional area. It is a property of the
material itself, not of its shape or dimensions.
Unit length, L
Unit area, A

Current, I
Voltage, V

Total October 2003

Resistance and Resistivity

Ohms Law: V = I R

Resistance, R = r (L / A)
Therefore V = I r (L / A)
So r = (V / I) (A / L)
Let k = A / L
(Geometric Factor)
So, r = (V / I) k
Total October 2003

Conductance and Conductivity

Conductance is the reciprocal of resistance. It
represents the ease with which current flows through a
given circuit.
Conductivity is the reciprocal of resistivity. It represents
the ease with which current flows through a certain
material. It is a property of the material itself.

Resistance unit:
Resistivity unit:
Conductance unit :
Conductivity unit:

Total October 2003

ohm ()
ohm-meter (m2/m, or m)
siemens or mho
siemens/meter or mho/meter.

Resistivity Logging
There are two types of resistivity logging tools:
Laterolog tools send a current from electrodes on the
logging tool, through the formation, to a return
electrode located either at surface or downhole.
Laterolog tools need a conductive path between the logging
tool and the formation

Induction tools generate current loops in the formation

and measure the strength of the electromagnetic signal
created by these current loops.
Induction tools do not require a conductive path in the borehole.
They work in oil-base muds and air-filled holes.

Total October 2003

Basic Resistivity tool types

Laterolog Logging Tools

Total October 2003

Induction Logging Tools

Laterolog vs. Induction Current Path

Borehole

Invaded
Zone

Logging Tool

Laterolog Response

Uninvaded
Zone

Induction Response

Total October 2003

Induction Resistivity
Logging

Total October 2003

Induction Logging Principles

The signal generator feeding the transmitter coil induces a magnetic

field in the conductive transformer core. The changing magnetic
field in the core induces a voltage in the receiving coil.

Total October 2003

10

Induction Logging Principles

Receiver coil

Current
Transmitter current

Transmitter coil

Time

Primary magnetic field

created by the transmitter coil

Total October 2003

11

Induction Logging Principles

Receiver coil

Current
Ground loop current

Ground current loop

Transmitter coil

Time

Primary magnetic field

created by the transmitter coil

Total October 2003

12

Induction Logging Principles

Secondary magnetic field
created by the ground loop
Receiver coil

Current
Ground loop current

Ground current loop

Transmitter coil

Total October 2003

Time

13

Induction Logging Principles

Secondary magnetic field
created by the ground loop
Receiver coil

Current
Receiver coil current

Ground current loop

Transmitter coil

Total October 2003

Time

14

Induction Logging Principles

Signal Contribution

Receiver

The formation behaves like an

infinite number of current loops.
The contribution to the receiver
signal of each loop is a function of
the geometrical relationship
between transmitter, receiver and
the loop itself.

rR
L
r

Transmitter

Total October 2003

rT
Ground loop

15

Induction Logging Principles

The formation around the tool can be divided into

individual loops called ground loops. An example
loop is shown in this diagram.
Total October 2003

16

Induction Logging Principles

For a given axial plane, there is an
infinite number of loops in the
radial direction.

For a given radius, there is an

infinite number of loops in the
axial direction.

The response of each loop and each element of the loop is a

function of the distance between the loop and the coils (Tx and Rx).

Total October 2003

17

Induction Logging Principles

We can represent each loop by using one element from the loop.

Total October 2003

18

Induction Logging Principles

The response of each loop and each element is shown as the

height above the plane. (This can be positive or negative.) There is
a Born Response for each transmitter-to-receiver distance.
Total October 2003

19

Hardware Focussing
The 6FF40 sonde has three
transmitter and three receiver coils.
The output resistivity is a
combination of the signals
measured at the three receiver
coils. This configuration achieves
some focussing, but it is fixed.

T3

R1
R2

T2
T1

Depth of investigation varies with

formation conductivity.
R3

Total October 2003

20

Induction Logging 6FF40

Total October 2003

21

Induction Log Borehole Correction

Borehole Signal
= 5.5 mS/m

Rm = 0.35 ohm-m

Hole Diameter = 14.6 in.

Total October 2003

Chart Rcor-4a
22

Induction Log Borehole Correction

Given:
Rm = 0.35 ohm-m @ Bottomhole Temperature
Hole Diameter = 14.6 inches
Measured Rt = 25 ohm-m
Sought:
Borehole Signal
Corrected Rt
Use Chart Rcor-4a

Total October 2003

23

Induction Log Borehole Correction

Borehole Signal = 5.5 mS/m
Measured Resistivity = 25 ohm-m
Measured Conductivity = 40 mS/m (= 1000 / 25)
Corrected Conductivity = 40 5.5 = 34.5 mS/m
Corrected Resistivity = 1000 / 34.5 = 29.0 ohm-m

Total October 2003

24

Software Focusing
The area of investigation of a two-coil induction logging sonde
changes with transmitter-receiver spacing.

Total October 2003

25

Software Focusing

Total October 2003

26

Software Focusing
By combining deep, lowvertical-resolution
measurements with
shallow, high-verticalresolution measurements at
various depths, we can
create deep measurements
with high vertical resolution.

Total October 2003

100

50

27

Software Focusing
The log forming process is illustrated for the 10-inch and the
90-inch outputs of the AIT array induction logging tool.

Total October 2003

28

AIT Integrated Radial Response

Total October 2003

29

Induction Logging AIT

Total October 2003

30

Induction Logging AIT

Three sets of curves are computed with three different
vertical resolutions: one foot, two feet and four feet.
The curve names start with the letters AO, AT and AF.
Each set has five resistivity curves with median depth
of investigation (integrated radial geometrical factor) of
10, 20, 30, 60 and 90 inches. The last two characters
of the curve name represents this value.

Total October 2003

31

Induction Logging: AIT vs. DIL

Array Induction

Total October 2003

Dual Induction

32

Induction Logging AIT

A8

Transmitter
A1
A2
A3
A4

AIT-H

A5
A6

A7

AIT-B
A5

A7

A3
A1

Transmitter
A2
A8

A4

A6

Total October 2003

33

Display of AIT Raw Data

Total October 2003

34

Display of AIT Raw Data

Total October 2003

35

Induction Logging AIT

Total October 2003

36

Display of AIT Resistivity Logs

Total October 2003

37

Logarithmic Resistivity Scale

0.2

2.0
1.0

Total October 2003

20
10

38

Logarithmic Resistivity Scale

Read resistivity values of the three marks below:

Total October 2003

39

Logarithmic Resistivity Scale

Back-up curve on logarithmic scale

Total October 2003

40

Logarithmic Resistivity Scale

Tunu TN-P16 AIT-GR-AMS log recorded October 1,
1998, 2002.
Read resistivity values for the AO90 at the following
depths: 3975, 3985.5, 4014, 4544.

Total October 2003

41

Induction Resistivity:
Some Interpretation Issues

Total October 2003

42

Induction Resistivity in Deviated Wells

Shallow Resistivity
Deep Resistivity

Relative dip angle

low relative high relative

dip angle
dip angle

Total October 2003

43

Induction
Resistivity in
Deviated Wells
Resistivity
Modelling

Total October 2003

44