Production Logging Tools, Principles, Limitations and Applications

Production logging tools, principles,
limitations and applications

PRODUCTION LOGGING
After casing is set in place, wireline surveys are often run to evaluate the
integrity of the completion. Such surveys include production logs and mechanical
integrity instruments. Production logs are used to evaluate fluid production and
movement both inside and outside of the casing downhole. The production
logging tools are small in diameter and are run through tubing for evaluation of
the well as it is producing. Mechanical integrity logs, which assess the condition of
the casing or cement around it, are generally larger in diameter. These surveys
are run before the tubing is in place, or else it must be removed and the well
shut-in.
Production logs:
The main applications of the production logs include-
 Locating sources downhole of undesired fluid phase production such as

water entries.
 Isolating mechanical problems such as leaking pipes, leaking packers, and

fluid movement in cement channels behind pipe.
 Evaluating the effectiveness of well treatment or workover operations by

comparing the before and after job surveys.
 In EOR projects, maintaining injection efficiency by evaluating the injection

profiles of individual wells in a field.
Production logs include-
(1) Those designed to detect flow in and around pipes (temperature, noise,
radioactive tracer, flow meter, and fluid identification logs) and
(2) Those designed to evaluate flow quantitatively.
Often combinations of these logs are required to be effective.

1. Flow detection in and around pipe-
(a) Temperature-Logging Tool:

The tool includes a cage, which is open to the wellbore fluid, at the tool’s
bottom end. Inside the cage is a thermistor that senses the surrounding fluid
temperature. The preferred sensor is a platinum element because the electrical
resistance of the sensor varies linearly with temperature over a wide range and is
stable over time. The circuitry of the tool is designed so that the voltage across
the sensor is proportional to the sensor’s electrical resistance.
Temperature surveys are the most common surveys to locate fluid movement
downhole. Small entries and even flow in channels behind pipe can be detected.
Generally, if a well is not flowing, the temperature of the fluid in the borehole will
eventually approach the formation temperature, called the geothermal gradient.
When a well is produced, formation fluids enter the borehole and move uphole.
Gasses typically cool when entering the borehole while liquids do not. In either
case, their movement uphole is easily detected by deviations of the borehole
temperature from the geothermal gradient. Figure-1 illustrates a typical
temperature survey response to two gas entries into a well.
Figure-1: Temperature survey showing two gas entries and the geothermal
gradient.
(b) Noise-Logging Tool:

This tool "listens" passively to downhole noise, for example, from gas bubbling
up through liquid in the wellbore. Behind pipe, a channeling flow often passes
through cramped spaces and constrictions. These "tight spots" cause high
velocities, sudden pressure reductions, and significant flow turbulence. The noise
tool listens to the noise associated with the turbulence. Consequently, noise
logging is an inexpensive way to investigate whether there is channeling in
injection or production wells.
The tool includes piezoelectric crystals (transducers) which convert the
oscillating pressure of wellbore sound to a corresponding oscillating voltage.
Noise logs are also used to evaluate fluid movement downhole. Unlike
temperature surveys, noise logs are not run continuously across the interval of
interest. Instead, a number of stationary readings are taken at different depths
downhole. The movement of fluids, especially gasses, generates turbulence or
noise, which gets louder as the flow rate or pressure drop increases. Figure-2
shows how a noise log can be effective at detecting movement downhole. In this
schematic diagram, a source, sink, and restriction to flow are the noise sources.
The frequency spectrum of the noise is also observed to further improve the
understanding of flow downhole.
Figure-2: Noise log responses to fluid movement downhole
(c) Radioactive Tracer-Logging Tool:

Radioactive tracer surveys use a tool composed of an ejector capable of
ejecting shots of radioactive tracer material into the flow stream, usually of an
injection well. Such an instrument has either one or two gamma ray detectors
spaced below the ejector. By various techniques, the operator chases the ejected
radioactive material as it moves with the injected fluid. By noting the position,
time, and size of the tracer signal, an accurate overview of the injection profile
can be established. Special techniques are also available to detect injected fluid
channeling through the cement to undesirable zones. A schematic diagram of a
tracer tool is shown in Figure-3.
Figure-3: Tracer velocity shot technique and injection profile.
2. Quantitative flow evaluation:

Quantitative evaluation of flow profiles in injection or producing wells is
common. Injection wells are most often evaluated with radioactive tracer
techniques, while producing wells, where multiphase flow may be encountered,
are evaluated using flowmeters with fluid identification devices.
The most effective technique with radioactive tracers is the velocity shot
technique, illustrated in Figure-3. The tool is stationary during such a test, and the
gamma count rate is recorded at the surface. In Figure-3, tests were made above,
between, and below the perforations, and the surface recordings are shown to
the right of the well sketch. The highest velocity and flow rate are recorded above
the perforations, while zero flow is detected in the lowest interval. By
measurement of the travel time between detectors, Δt, and using the known
spacing between detectors D1 and D2, the flow rates can be calculated and an
injection profile constructed, as shown on the right of the figure.
In producing wells, spinner flowmeters are used to measure the bulk flow rate,
even in multiphase flow conditions. Two such flowmeters are shown in Figure-4.
The full bore flowmeter in Figure-4(a) is run continuously across the interval of
interest, while the basket type flowmeter in Figure-4(b) uses stationary
measurements. Although these devices can determine the bulk flow rate, fluid
identification tools are required to evaluate the kinds of fluids present in the flow.
These fluid identification instruments measure the pressure gradient, bulk
density, or capacitance of the flowing mixture. The flowmeter and fluid
identification devices are usually run as a combination on the same tool string.
Results typical of such a tool string are shown in Figure-5. In this example, zone A
produces water, while the zones above it are all gas producers. A plug set
between zones A and B will be effective at eliminating the water production in
this example.
Figure-4: Two types of flowmeters, (a) Full bore flowmeter, (b) Diverting basket
type flowmeter.
Figure-5: Row profile in a producing well.
Mechanical integrity logs:
The well mechanical integrity survey logs include two groups. The first group,
cement evaluation surveys, assess the degree of cement fill around the casing and
can be effective at locating potential channels for fluid movement. The second
group is the casing inspection surveys, in which acoustic, mechanical, and
electromagnetic measurements are used to evaluate internal and external casing
conditions.
1. Cement evaluation:
Cement evaluations are primarily done with cement bond logs or

pulse-echo cement evaluation tools. These are acoustic devices whose
main objectives are the measurement of cement annular fill around the
casing.
The cement bond log (CBL) measures the degree to which cement
contacting the pipe on the outside attenuates an acoustic signal
traveling along the pipe. Figure-6 illustrates how the acoustic signal is
affected by the presence of cement. The initial portion of the acoustic
signal or signature indicates the amplitude of the signal traveling along
the pipe. The amplitude curve records the amplitude of this initial
portion or pipe signal. Low amplitude indicates good bond, while very
high signal amplitude shows free pipe. This amplitude measurement
can be converted to percent annular fill of cement. The variable density
log (VDL) at the far right of Figure-6 is a contour map of the received
wave train signature as it changes with depth.
Figure-6: CBL logs and their response to various cement conditions.
The pulse-echo cement evaluation tool (CET) operates in an entirely different

acoustic mode than does the CBL. The pulse-echo tool is effective at measuring
the compressive strength of cement behind pipe, as well as detecting the
presence of liquid or gas behind pipe. The main presentation of the pulse-echo
tool is the cement map shown on the right of Figure-7. The dark areas correspond
to cement, and the white areas indicate the lack of it. With such a cement map,
likely channels can be readily detected.
Figure-7: Pulse-echo cement bond log showing cement top and channel on the
cement map presentations.
2. Casing inspection:
The pulse-echo tool is also an effective acoustic casing inspection device,
providing such information as internal diameter and wall thickness. Mechanical
calipers, having 40 to 80 feelers, are excellent at inspecting the inside of the
casing for small- or large-scale damage. Electromagnetic devices are useful in
inspecting for pipe damage on either the inside or outside of the casing and can
be useful in examining the outer concentric strings of pipe.

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Production logging tools, principles,

limitations and applications

 Locating sources downhole of undesired fluid phase production such as

 Isolating mechanical problems such as leaking pipes, leaking packers, and

 Evaluating the effectiveness of well treatment or workover operations by

 In EOR projects, maintaining injection efficiency by evaluating the injection

Production logs include-

(2) Those designed to evaluate flow quantitatively.

Often combinations of these logs are required to be effective.

(a) Temperature-Logging Tool:

(b) Noise-Logging Tool:

(c) Radioactive Tracer-Logging Tool:

Figure-3: Tracer velocity shot technique and injection profile.

2. Quantitative flow evaluation:

Cement evaluations are primarily done with cement bond logs or

The pulse-echo cement evaluation tool (CET) operates in an entirely different

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