See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/254528669

Using Resistivity Log Invasion Profiles, Multiple Porosity Logs, Core and Test
Data to Determine Lithology, Porosity and Permeability in Pre-Cambrian
Sandstones of Eastern Siberia...

Article · January 2008

DOI: 10.2118/116853-MS

CITATION READS

1 1,837

4 authors, including:

Bo Tye Timothy Putnam

DeGolyer & MacNaughton Saudi Aramco
58 PUBLICATIONS   1,595 CITATIONS    1 PUBLICATION   1 CITATION   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Training exercises for the Society for Sedimentary geology View project

Stratigraphic interpretation and reservoir characterization View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Bo Tye on 11 May 2015.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

SPE 116853

Using Resistivity Log Invasion Profiles, Multiple Porosity Logs, Core and
Test Data to Determine Lithology, Porosity and Permeability in Pre-
Cambrian Sandstones of Eastern Siberia
Eric M. Prasse, SPE, J.W. Hornbrook, SPE, and R.S. Tye, DeGolyer and MacNaughton; Timothy W. Putnam,
TNK-BP

Copyright 2008, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the 2008 SPE Russian Oil & Gas Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Moscow, Russia, 28–30 October 2008.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents of the paper have not been
reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its
officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to
reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract
The Verkhnechonskoye field was discovered and appraised during the late 1970s and early 1980s. One hundred legacy wells
and three modern wells have been reevaluated and results used to construct a static model that matched test results and was
used to forecast field potential. The Verkhnechonskoye field is currently operated by TNK-BP.

Cores in the three modern wells were studied to determine lithology, depositional facies, and mineralogy. Results were applied
to crossplots of sonic and neutron log data. These crossplots showed six different lithofacies: basement, weathered-basement,
high permeability sand, low permeability sand, salt/anhydrite-cemented sand, and carbonate. Sand was subdivided into
relatively high and relatively low permeability sands using the laterolog and microlaterolog, based on the observation that sand
with microlaterolog values less than 10 ohm-m were observed to be highly productive on test. To calculate porosity, the
neutron, sonic, and core porosity were compared. Preliminary porosity was calculated using a field-wide solution from a
combined crossplot of sonic log values and core data. Well by well analysis indicated that the sonic logs often underestimated
porosity and that neutron logs tended to match core porosity better. Petrographic analysis confirmed that widespread secondary
porosity was not detected by sonic logs. Single-well porosity solutions based on neutron logs were used together with sonic
porosity calculations to finalize porosity estimates. For permeability, high and low trends were calculated for sands using the
microlaterolog to define high permeability and low permeability sands. A relatively high permeability to porosity relationship
was applied to sands with microlalaterolog values less than 10 ohm-m and a relatively low permeability to porosity
relationship was applied to sand with microlaterlog values greather than 10 ohm-m.. A significant number of core permeability
measurements were available and these points were honored after depth-shifting. Finally, log derived permeability was
modified to match average permeability derived from well test results.

Identification of multiple lithologies and calibration of porosity and permeability to core measurements and well test results
signficantly reduced uncertainty in calculated results.

Introduction
Western petrophysicists tasked with evaluating Soviet era (legacy) wells in the Eastern Siberian Basin face a problem
significantly different from workers in Western Siberia. There Western analysts can adapt Russian logs to customary methods
of calculating shale volume, porosity, and water saturation then apply cutoffs to identify reservoir rock and pay. Statistical
methods have been developed to convert Russian logs into Western equivalents (Carlston and Cluff, 2006), with an emphasis
on generating a pseudo-density log, key to most Western petrophysical approaches. This approach is possible because Western
Siberia is not, from a petrophysical standpoint, dissimilar to the moderate porosity shaley-sand setting seen and studied all
over the world.

The Eastern Siberian Basin, in contrast, offers an unusual and challenging combination of geology, drilling practices, and
technology. To get the best possible results for each well, a unique approach has been developed to integrate all available data
into a comprehensive answer.
2 SPE 116853

Setting
The Pre-Cambrian Lower Vendian sandstone pay horizons were deposited in a complex series of alluvial fan, alluvial plain,
fluvial, and tidal-flat environments (Tye et al., this volume). These sandstones underlie a thick Paleozoic sequence of
carbonates and evaporates (Ulmishek, 2001) and have been heavily altered by diagenesis. Sandstones are frequently heavily
cemented by salt or anhydrite, and secondary porosity is common. Wells were drilled with natural mud systems, resulting in
salt saturated mud filtrates with minimal fluid loss control. Porosity log technology and core handling procedures of the era
contributed to measurement uncertainties that are well documented and important in the analysis of Russian logs (Harrison,
1995; Tingey et al., 1995, Wiltgen, 1994).

Database
The Verkhnechonskoye field had been appraised with 100 wells drilled on a 5-kilometer grid mostly during the 1980s.
Both digital log data and hard-copies of original log interpretations were available for these older legacy wells. Three recent
appraisal wells were also logged. Well-curve data were spliced and named systematically using transliterations of standard
Russian curve mnemonics. The basic set of logs in the legacy wells included a gamma ray (GK), a caliper (KV), a laterolog
(BK), a micro-laterolog (MBK), an asymmetrical lateral resistivity (KS), a sonic (AK), and an uncompensated neutron (NGK).
The new wells included these logs in addition to density (GGK) and array induction (VIKIZ) logs. Because of the salt-
saturated mud system, the lateral, normal, and induction resistivities commonly used in Western Siberia were not available.
Coring was extensive and thorough during original field appraisal, with core present in 94 of the legacy wells and all 3 of the
new wells. Log data were generally available and of good quality over the interval of interest in the legacy wells, allowing a
complete interpretation of 94 of the 100 legacy wells.

Log data were depth tied, with the NGK/GK combination treated as the base log. NGK was generally on-depth with the GK
apart from minor digitizing errors, since these were run together. All other logs were run separately in the legacy wells. Logs
were depth-matched to NGK based on similarity of porosity, lithology, and fluid effects. First AK was tied to NGK using
general shapes. Then the resistivity and KV logs were depth-tied to the AK.

The depth-tying of core porosity was exceptionally difficult. Comparison of the NKG porosity log to core porosity on a point
by point basis suggested inconsistent depth control of the core measurements. Data had to be shifted on a meter by meter or at
times a point by point basis. Also, irregular sampling of the core did not always permit core to log calibration over short
intervals.

For optimal porosity calculation, core porosity (CPOR) data were depth-tied in multiple passes. The final depth-tie of core was
based on a match of shape to the NGK and AK logs, consideriation of the permeability (CK) match to permeability indicators
on logs and the descriptions of core lithology from the original interpretations. Where no match of core data to the shape of the
NGK or AK was seen, depth control errors within the core were assumed. In this situation, core points were depth-tied in small
groups or individually.

Normalizations
Three logs were used for quantitative calculations: AK, BK, and NGK. NGK was used in a series of unique solutions based on
core data, but the AK and BK were methodically evaluated and normalized prior to calculations using uniform parameters.
Most wells had logs over both high and low porosity reference lithologies. For the high porosity reference, a porous algal shale
was used that was located between the base of the overlying carbonate and the first sandstone. For the low porosity reference,
the nonporous granitic basement was used, which was located at the base of most wells. (Figure 1). Conventional histogram
comparison techniques were used for normalization of AK and BK. Forty-five of 99 AK logs were normalized. Thirty-five of
97 BK logs were normalized.

Lithology
When the gamma ray is compared to the lithology observations from core descriptions, the unreliability of the GK for
lithology determination is clear (Figure 2). The spontaneous potential (PS) log is absent due to the salt-saturated mud and the
shallow resistivity logs strongly affected by fluid content and permeability. Because of these problems, a quantitative
calculation of shale could not be made. Instead, lithology was interpreted on a well-by-well basis from core descriptions,
resistivity logs, and porosity logs. A qualitatively interpreted log for lithology (LITH) was created and used to guide later
calculations.

Lithology was described in detail from the core in the modern wells (Tye et al., this volume). An accurate depth-tie of the core
was possible because a core gamma ray was available. The detailed sedimentology logs were compared to electric logs to
devise the lighology model. Lithologies interpreted included shale, low MBK resistivity sandstone, high MBK resistivity
sandstone, salt/anhydrite-cemented sandstone, carbonate, weathered crust, and solid crust/basement.
SPE 116853 3

The interpretation relied primarily on the NGK and AK logs with secondary input from MBK and BK. First, shale was
interpreted, defined primarily as high porosity on NGK and AK together with shale-like values (8 to 10 ohm-m) on the BK.
This role for the BK prevented misidentifying high porosity, low resistivity, and wet sandstone as shale. After removing shale,
crossplots of AK to NGK were analyzed. Lithology in the modern cored wells was used to see how the AK and NGK porosity
logs responded to different lithologies. GGK was not used because it was available in only five wells. This method is
comparable to the classic crossplot approaches long used in Western petrophysics (Burke et al., 1969). Figure 3 shows the
crossplot of AKN to NGK from a modern cored well where the color of the point indicates the lithology. Shale has been
excluded from the crossplot. Basement, tight salt/anhydrite, and carbonate intervals appear in distinct regions of the plot. The
sandstones were categorized by MBK resistivity for later use in permeability calculations, but this categorization did not show
on the AK/NGK cross plot . Neither does the weathered crust distinguish from sandstone on this plot. Similar crossplots were
made for all wells where AK and NGK were both available, and these patterns were used to interpret lithology throughout the
field. MBK and BK were used to define the bed edges of the different lithologies, taking advantage of the superior vertical
resolution of these logs. The KV was also used to distinguish small borehole enlargement in shales from high porosity
sandstones. The lithology interpreted from logs was compared and in places refined to match the extensive core descriptions
available on the legacy wells. The final result was a digital LITH flag used later to guide porosity, permeability, and water
saturation calculations. LITH was also distributed as a property in the static model.

Porosity
For the goal for porosity calculation (PHIE) was set to achieve the best overall match by histogram of core porosity (CPOR) to
PHIE. Because of the Pre-Cambrian age, the strong cementation and the depth of burial of the sandstones, no overburden
correction to CPOR was made. Description of the modern cored wells generally showed sharp boundaries between medium
bedded (10-30cm) sandstones and shales. The Verkhnechyonskoye reservoir, alluvial plain depositonal environment, does not
exhibit the thinly bedded shaley-sand mixture commonly seen in delta-front and turbiditic environments. Shales within the
reservoir lithofacies are compacted, much lower porosity than the overlying algal shale, and do not show the profound effect
on porosity calculations seen in younger rocks and other environments. These factors together with the inability to quantify
shale justified the assumption that log total porosity is equivalent to effective porosity without correction. Porosity was
calculated both from AK (PHIAK) using a field-wide solution based on CPOR and from multiple empirical solutions based on
CPOR using NGK (PHIN).

For the AK, an empirical, field-wide solution was derived from a multiwall crossplot of AK to CPOR (Figure 4). The
calculation of porosity from the sonic log was complicated by of the unpredictable presence of secondary porosity (Tye et al,
this volume) ,halite, and uncertainties in gas-oil contacts. NGK logs respond to both secondary and primary porosity while the
AK logs respond only to primary porosity. PHIAK calculates too low where secondary porosity is present. Figure 5 shows a
well with extensive secondary porosity and a difference of up to 10 porosity units between PHIAK and CPOR. To detect
secondary porosity, the NGK was required.

The NGK is not pre-calibrated to porosity like the neutron porosity logs in used elsewhere. The NGK is similar to the gamma
neutron tool of the 1950s, a single detector without borehole compensation. Starting with the premises that CPOR is reliable
and that depth-tie errors were relatively small, it became necessary to make numerous porosity solutions for individual wells or
multiple zones within each well. Borehole enlargements and the effect of gas on the NGK were considered during this process.
Empirical relationships were derived from crossplots made well by well or zone by zone of log10(CPOR) to NGK. Figure 6
shows a typical well, with two distinct trends caused by variations in rock and fluid properties. In this well, four distinct
intervals were calculated with two trends, where a difference of 9 porosity units was seen between the two trends.

The NGK has a pronounced gas effect towards lower porosity. In general, PHIAK was used in gas zones. Minimal gas effect
on the AK was seen due to the high degree of cementation of these sandstones. To represent secondary porosity in gas zones
where CPOR requires it, CPOR was interpolated into the PHIAK calculation.

The final porosity PHIE used for modeling and further calculations was based on the AK in 49 wells, the NGK with a single
solution per well in 28 wells, the NGK with multiple solutions per well in 28 wells, a mixture of both AK and NGK in 5 wells,
and interpolated core porosity in 1 well. The overall fit of log to core porosity is shown on Figure 7.

Permeability
No logs directly measuring permeability were available in the wells studied, although core permeability measurements were
available in 96 of the 103 wells. Figure 8 shows the overall crossplot of core porosity (CPOR) to core permeability (CK). For a
given porosity, there are up to four orders of magnitude of variation in permeability. To assess the significance of this
variation, histograms of CK were made within specific ranges of porosity. Figure 9 shows CK where 8 < CPOR < 10. Lines
are drawn corresponding to cumulative frequency distribution values of 5, 32, 50, 68, and 95 percent. Over a normal
distribution, these values should represent -2 standard deviations (σ), -1σ, the mean, +1σ and +2σ. Thus, if a regression
derived from the entire distribution were used to calculate permeability from porosity, the mean value of permeability for the 8
4 SPE 116853

to 10 percent range of porosity would be 4 md. The uncertainty would be from 0.57 md to 13 md at 1σ (a ratio of 23) and from
0.1 md to 101 md at 2σ (a ratio of 1,010). The extremes of the distribution are .03 md to 700 md. Figure 10 shows CK where
16 < CPOR < 18. Here the mean value of permeability is 210 md, with the permeability ranging from 90 md to 570 md at 1σ
(a ratio of 6.3) and from 2.5 md to 2,900 md at 2σ (a ratio of 1,160). The extremes of the distribution are 2 md to 6,300 md.

To reduce the uncertainty in the permeability calculation, many factors were studied. Porosity-permeability trends were
examined for variation considering areal distributions, stratigraphic divisions, and log indicators. The defining criterion
separating low from high permeability trend rock was a cutoff of 10 ohm-m in sandstones on the MBK log, which correlated
well with test results. CPOR/CK relationships were evaluated on a well-by-well basis. Figure 11 compares two wells, one
showing a relatively low trend of CK to CPOR while the other shows a relatively high trend of CK to CPOR. These trends
were found to be consistent throughout the field. Forty-nine wells showed only a high trend, 30 wells showed only a low trend,
12 wells showed both trends and 3 well could not be determined due to lack of core data.

Analysis results for a typical high flow rate well (Figure 12) demonstrate how the cutoff of 10 ohm-m on the MBK
distinguishes relatively high from relatively low permeability sandstones. Interpolated core permeability (CKINTERP) is
overlain by MBK in the sixth track from the left. Intervals where the MBK log is less than 10 ohm-m correlate well to high
permeability in core, and also to good test rates. The rapid changes in the MBK further show the complexity of the
interbedding of thin high and low permeability beds.

A typical low rate well is shown on Figure 13. There is very little sandstone below 10 ohm-m on the MBK or above 10 md on
CK. Most of the low resistivity on the MBK is in shale. The low flow rates are consistent with the lithology interpretation and
support the idea of high and low permeability trends.

The explanation for the MBK/BK/permeability relationship requires an understanding both of how mud filtrate invades the
formation during drilling and also of drilling practices applied to legacy wells. For the legacy wells, natural fresh-water mud
systems were used with drilled rock, and in particular, drilled and eroded salt beds, used to supplement the mud system. The
result of this approach was a salt-saturated mud with very high fluid loss. The fluid loss contributes to the high skin, deep
invasion, and generally strong evidence of formation damage common in these wells. From the petrophysical standpoint, this
means that the shallow reading resistivity curves (MBK) always read much lower than the relatively deeper reading curves
(BK) where high permeability sandstone is present.

Core porosity to permeability relationships were reevaluated considering the 10 ohmm MBK division. Trends were defined for
two distinct porosity to permeability relationships and applied to calculations of permeability from porosity on a point by point
basis depending on whether the MBK put a sandstone into the high or the low permeability trend.

The high trend was defined as:

3 2
CK = 10 ( +4.798 E − 04CPOR − 2.639 E − 02CPOR + 5.532 E − 01CPOR −1.768)

The low trend was defined as:

3 2
CK = 10 ( +5.084 E − 04CPOR −1.6398 E − 02CPOR + 2.5946 E − 01CPOR −1.4856)
Where:
CK = Core Permeability (millidarcys)
CPOR = Core Porosity (percent)

Figures 14 and 15 show how the subdivision of the sandstones into high and low permeability trends reduces uncertainty in
the permeability calculation. Histograms in Figure 14 show CK in high and low permeability sandstones for the 16- to 18-
percent range of porosity. Rock classified as high permeability sandstone averages 300 md, while rock classified as low
permeability sandstone averages 180 md. Using only a single porosity / permeability relationship would result in a single
relationship with an average permeability of 210 md. Similarly, Figure 15 shows histograms of CK over the 8- to 10-percent
range of porosity. Rock classified as high permeability sandstone averages 7 md while low permeability sandstone
demonstrates an average value of 3 md. Using a single relationship would result in an average sandstone permeability of 4
md. The application of two permeability trends results in improved permeability estimates.
SPE 116853 5

These two relationships were then used to calculate permeability from porosity and lithology (KLITH) using log calculations
of PHIE and lithology. Figure 16 shows a crossplot of KLITH to CK. Overall, the match is good but with much noise and
somewhat pessimistic in the 0.1- to 1-md range.

Two further steps were used to finalize permeability for the static model. First, KLITH was improved by inserting CK and
recalculating adjacent samples as the geometric average of the CK value and the next value of KLITH. The result was then
compared to test KH over intervals. Where test KH differed significantly from KLITH, the latter was adjusted with a
multiplicative factor to create absolute permeability, KABS. Absolute permeability was then distributed in the static model.

To assess the significance of the calibration of log permeability to test, geometric averages of each permeability in each well
were calculated. Figure 17 compares KABS to KLITH, showing that calibration to test KH had a large increase in the average
in 15 wells, a large decrease in 3 wells, and a small increase to no change in the rest. Without calibration of log to test
permeability, results would be unacceptable in 18 of the 97 wells.

Application of Results
Results were used for properties in a full field geological model. This model was subsequently used for field development
planning. The analysis of the legacy wells was key to the decision to sanction development and to forecasting production.

Conclusions
Understanding lithology is key to evaluating wells logged with Russian standard technology during the 1980’s in Eastern
Siberia. Extensive use must be made of core descriptions and porosity measurements to properly calculate porosity. The effect
of invasion on the different resistivity logs must be understood and used appropriately to identify lithology and improve
calculations of permeability. The permeability calculated from logs should always be calibrated to well test results.

References

1. Carlstrom, C. and Cluff, R. Western Analysis of Russian Log Data, Transactions of the SPWLA 44th Annual Logging Symposium,
Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts, Houston, Texas, 2003, Paper L
2. Tye R.S., Hornbrook J.W., Prasse E.M., Robinson G.C., Lowe D.R. and Morozov V.V., 2008 Russian Oil and Gas Technical
Conference and Exhibition, Moscow, 28-30 October, SPE-116859
3. Ulmishek, G.F. , Petroleum Geology and Resources of the Nepa-Botuoba High, Angara-Lena Terrace, and Cis-Patom Foredeep,
southeastern Siberian craton, Russia: U.S.G.S. Bulletin 2201-C,2001
4. Harrison, B, Russian Style Formation Evaluation, London Petrophysical Society, London, 1995, Ch 4-5
5. Tingey, J.C., Nelson, R.J. and Newman, G.H., Comprehensive Analysis of Russian Petrophysical Methods, Transactions of the
SPWLA 36th Annual Logging Symposium, Society of Petrophysicists and Well Log Analysts, Houston, Texas, 1995, Paper S
6. Wiltgen, N.A. The Essentials of Basic Russian Well Logs and Analysis Techniques, Transactions of the SPWLA 35th Annual
Loggin Symposium, Tulsa, United States, June 1994, Paper II
7. Burke, Campbell and Schmidt (1969), The Litho Porosity Cross Plot: a New Concept For Determining Porosity and Lithology
From Logging Methods, Transactions of the SPWLA 10th Annual Logging Symposium, Society of Professional Well Log
Analysts, Houston, Texas, 1969, Paper Y
6 SPE 116853

Figure 1: High porosity algal shale and low porosity basement lithologies used for AK and BK log normalization.

Figure 2: Poor correlation between GK and lithlology

Figure 3: Sonic / Neutron crossplot of a well with core lithology showing different log response in different lithologies
SPE 116853 7

Figure 4: Cross plot of AK to CPOR illustrating field-wide solution for sonic porosity PHITAK

Figure 5: Extreme secondary porosity shown by comparison of sonic porosity PHIAK to neutron porosity PHIN and also illustration
of the relationship between deep invasion on the microlaterolog MBK and high permeability in core permeability CK.
8 SPE 116853

Figure 6; Crossplot of core porosity CPOR to neutron NGK showing two distinct trend relationships between NGK and CPOR in a
single well.

Figure 7: Histogram illustrating agreement between core and final log porosity
SPE 116853 9

Figure 8: Overall cross plot of core porosity to core permeability

Figure 9: Histogram showing variability in permeability between 8 and 10 % porosity, with an average value of 4 mD

Figure 10: Histogram showing variability in permeability between 16 and 18 % porosity, with an average value of 210 mD
10 SPE 116853

Figure 11: Cross plot comparing core porosity to permeability in a well dominantly low permeability trend rock to a well dominantly
high permeability trend rock

Figure 12: Typical high rate well showing most of the sandstone in the high permeability trend, defined by MBK <10
SPE 116853 11

Figure 13: Typical low rate well showing most of the sandstone in the low permeability trend, defined as MBK>=10

Figure 14: Histograms showing the reduction in uncertainty in permeability calculation in the range of 16-18% porosity, where low
trend rock averages 180 mD and high trend rock averages 300 mD.
12 SPE 116853

Figure 15: Histograms showing the reduction in uncertainty in permeability calculation in the range of 8-10% porosity, where low
trend rock averages 3 mD and high trend rock averages 7 mD.

Figure 16: Comparison of permeability calculated from porosity using two equations based on an 10 ohmm MBK cutoff (KLITH) to
core permeability (CK)
SPE 116853 13

Figure 17: Comparison of originally calculated permeability from logs KLITH to absolute permeability calibrated to match test KABS.

View publication stats