Invasion Profile: Transition Zone

This post is an elaboration of the "Mud Invasion Profile"

slide which I share in my previous post [CLICK HERE]. This
explanation will fit the best if you want to present the  "Mud
Invasion Profile" slide at page 5 until 6.

Please download the FREE slide in my previous post [CLICK

HERE] to get the whole analysis, colorful demonstration, and
easier understanding.

Introduction

When we see a wellbore design, the hole diameter of the

borehole is translated as the outside diameter of the drill bit.
Unfortunately, the borehole diameter can be larger or smaller
than the diameter of the drill bit and it is quite tricky to be
measured. It might changes because of wash-out and/or collapse
of the shale, poor cementation in porous rocks, or the thick mud
cake on porous and permeable formations. The solution for real
hole size diameter is by using the caliper log.
 Caliper log (source)

While drilling, there’s always drilling mud inside the borehole,

except special case like underbalance drilling or the worst of all,
kick and blow out. Drilling mud helps move cutting of boreholes,
lubricate and cool the drill bit, drill and maintain the excess
pressure on the formation pressure, keep the wellbore stability,
keep the drill cutting sustain when the drilling stops, and in mud
motor, it can move the drill bit.

Mud density is kept high so that the hydrostatic pressure of the

mud column is always greater than the formation pressure. This
pressure difference pushes some mud seeping into the formation.
But when the mud seep into the formation, solid particles stuck
on the side of the hole and form a mud cake. They block the
pores so no further seepage can go into the formation. The
failure of mud cake to block more seepage of mud fluid will lead
into mud loss, which will start well kick if not treated properly.
 (mud cake formed when mud flow through filter paper. mud cake will
prevent further seepage)

The mud fluid into the formation called mud filtrate (mud
filtrate).  Small seepage of mud fluid will separate the formation
condition into 2 zones. A zone infiltrated by mud filtrate is
called invaded zone. Invaded zone consists of Transition/Anulus
Zone and Flushed Zone. The zone that is not contaminated by
mud filtrate is called uninvaded zone. It is only saturated by
formation water, oil, or gas. Water saturation in this zone is very
important, because it is used to determine the hydrocarbon
saturation in the reservoir.

Invaded Zone Profile

Flushed zone is only a few inches from the borehole, this zone
is usually cleared of formation water. All moveable formation
fluid has been replaced by drilling mud. If there is oil, the
invasion of mud filtrate can be determined from the difference
between the water saturation in this zone versus the water
saturation in uninvaded zone. Usually about 70-95% of oil
moved. 

Transition or Annulus Zone appears when formation fluid and

mud filtrate mixed. Transition zone occurs between the flushed
zone and uninvaded zone.
Ideally, there are three types of fluid invasion distribution in the
borehole.

The shape of transition Zone

We will see how the distribution of seepage in the invaded and

uninvaded zone and its relationship with the relative resistivity.

 Step Profile, mud filtrate is distributed as a cylinder around the

borehole. In the outer diameter of flushed zone, we can see a
sudden contact with uninvaded zone, which is mud filtrate free.
Uninvaded zone occupied by formation water or hydrocarbon. In
this example uninvaded zone filled with 100% water (no
hydrocarbon) so the resistivity reading is low. Thus, we see that
there’s no transition zone, since mud filtrate doesn’t go to
uninvaded zone partially.

(from George Asquith & Charles Gibson)

  
Transition Profile, This is the most realistic models. Distribution
is still a cylinder, but the invasion of mud filtrate reduced
gradually (gradation) in transition zone, then connect with
uninvaded zone at the outer part. At Flushed Zone, pores filled
mud filtrate, and the resistivity measurement will be high. On the
Transition Zone pores filled with mud filtrate, formation water
and, if any, residual hydrocarbons. At Uninvaded Zone, water
filled pore formation, and if there is, hydrocarbon (in this
diagram hydrocarbons does not appear since the resistivity
measurement is low at uninvaded zone).
 (from George Asquith & Charles Gibson)

Annulus Profile, describes the temporary fluid distribution when

the logging operation is stopped for a moment (not recorded in
the log). Annular profile describes the fluid presence between
invaded and uninvaded zone. It is a sign of the hydrocarbons
presence. This profile can only be detected by induction log (ILD
or ILM) as soon as the well is drilled and show high resistivity
measurement. When the mud filtrate seep into the zone,
formation water is pushed out, then the pushed formation water
form a ring (annular ring) on the invaded zone boundary, this
profile can only occur at the hydrocarbon bearing zone. At the
Flushed Zone, pores are filled by mud filtrate and residual
hydrocarbons, so the value of resistivity is high. On Transition
Zone, pores are filled with mixture of mud filtrate, formation
water, and residual hydrocarbons. Outside those zone is the
Annulus Zone, where the pores are filled with formation water
and hydrocarbons. At the time of the annulus profile appear, the
resistivity will suddenly decreased on the outer boundary of
invaded zone, due to the high concentration of formation water.
Formation water seepage is pushed out by mud filtrate into the
annulus zone. This leads to the temporary absence of
hydrocarbons in annulus zone. Basically, most of the
hydrocarbon bearing rock is water wet, and the relative
permeability of the oil is higher than the water. That’s why it is
easier to remove the oil in annulus zone because the mud filtrate
pushes the formation water to annulus zone. It is temporary
because at the later time the hydrocarbon will push back the
formation water to create balance.  The formation water
resistivity measured in annulus profile zone will be higher than in
real condition because it is affected by high resistivity
hydrocarbon.
 (from George Asquith & Charles Gibson)

Transition of Resistivity Profile

Whether the resistivity shown in invaded zone is higher or lower

than the uninvaded zone will depend on the drilling mud being
used in the wellbore and the formation fluid detected in the
penetrated zone.

When using fresh water drilling muds, in water bearing zone,

the mud filtrate resistivity will be lower than that of formation
water. That’s why the transition zone will have lower resistivity
than the flushed one, lower and lower until the uninvaded zone.

 Using the salt water drilling mud, the resistivity of mud and
formation water in this zone will not have significant difference.
Invaded zone, flushed zone and uninvaded zone will have low
resistivity result.
 resistivity transition through water bearing zone; upper: using
fresh water mud. Lower: Using salt water mud (from George
Asquith & Charles Gibson)

The drilling somehow will penetrate the hydrocarbon bearing

zone (water saturation less than 60%). Using fresh water mud,
the resistivity of flushed zone is high, since fresh water have
higher resistivity than the formation water. In transition zone,
typically the resistivity is still high, since it contains mud filtrate
and hydrocarbon, even though some portion of formation water
would be there. In uninvaded zone, there’s no portion of mud
filtrate and more portion of formation zone. Thus, the resistivity
is lower.

If we use the salt water drilling mud, which is low in resistivity,

we can see that in flushed zone the resistivity is low, then the
transition zone have higher resistivity since hydrocarbon has
appeared in this zone, and the uninvaded zone will have the
highest resistivity since the hydrocarbon saturation in uninvaded
zone is the original hydrocarbon saturation.
resistivity transition through hydrocarbon bearing zone; upper:
using fresh water mud. Lower: Using salt water mud (from
George Asquith &