A Production Logging Tool With Simultaneous Measurements
Authors: Anderson R.A. , Smolen J.J. , Laverdiere Luc , Davis J.A. 
Published: December 2007

A new tool provides simultaneous recording of measurements from all downhole production-logging sensors used in the analysis of production or injection wells. The system was used to evaluate production-well profiles in the South Swan Hills miscible flood project in Alberta, Canada. The dynamic reservoir picture obtained from the information proved useful in improving reservoir performance.

Introduction

Production logs have been used for many years to Production logs have been used for many years to evaluate producing and injection wells. In the past, when reservoirs with excess capacity were limited by allowables, production logs were used basically to diagnose a problem on an individual well, such as locating a source of water production or defining a mechanical problem such as a packer leak. Today, with the increased demand for oil and the declining capacity of mature reservoirs, combined with more sophisticated recovery schemes, the oil industry is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of improving fieldwide reservoir performance. With this shift in emphasis, the role of production logging has taken on a much wider scope.For the evaluation and management of a reservoir, the reservoir engineer may get the information he needs by running production logs on selected production and injection wells throughout the production and injection wells throughout the reservoir. By repeating this on an appropriate time scale, a dynamic description of the reservoir can be evolved. This information can be integrated with formation evaluation logs, such as the TDT log and the initial openhole logs, to compare actual performance with indicated reservoir potential. performance with indicated reservoir potential. The analysis of producing wells is rarely simple. Downhole flow usually involves different fluids (oil, water, and gas) having different densities and moving at different velocities. Furthermore, these may vary with time because of well instability. Typically, several measurements are needed to resolve the problem. The effect of well instability can be reduced problem. The effect of well instability can be reduced by obtaining the measurements simultaneously. Much has been published in the literature on the use of flowmeter, thermometer, manometer, Gradiomanometer TM and caliper tools to analyze downhole flow. In addition, a casing-collar locator and a gamma-ray log are useful for depth control and correlation with the formation evaluation logs.In this paper we describe a new 1 11/16-in. (42.9-mm) diameter telemetry-based tool - the PLT (TM) (simultaneous production logging tool) - capable of transmitting all these measurements simultaneously during one trip in the well. It is relatively easy to add new sensors to this flexible system. A new dual tracer ejector tool and a high-precision pressure gauge, which have been added to the above family of sensors, also are discussed.This paper presents the results of a 15-well logging program in which the PLT tool was used to evaluate program in which the PLT tool was used to evaluate a miscible flood project in the South Swan Hills pool in Alberta, Canada. While tracer materials were used to monitor the lateral progress of the flood front, production logging was used to monitor the vertical production logging was used to monitor the vertical distribution in both injection and production wells.

JPT

P. 191