Borehole Models for Nuclear Logging
Authors: Allen L.S. , Caldwell R.L. , Mills W.R. 
Published: December 2007

Borehole models used in the study of nuclear well logging are reviewed and the merit of heterogeneous vs homogeneous formation simulation is discussed. A heterogeneous model for simulating sandstone formations of variable porosity is described. Simulation adequacy was checked by steady-state and pulsed-neutron measurements.

Introduction

In the course of developing new methods of nuclear well logging, the problem of testing new logging instruments under controlled conditions always arises. This testing is usually done in wells of known lithology, porosity and fluid saturation, or in laboratory test facilities which simulate the borehole environment. Although the former approach is possibly more satisfying, it is frequently difficult or inconvenient to find wells with enough variation in the cited parameters for a truly comprehensive study. On the other hand, laboratory test facilities can simulate a wide variety of formation and borehole conditions if care is exercised to maintain adequate simulation under all conditions. Workers concerned with the development of nuclear well logging methods have reported several types of research facilities in the past. Tittle, et al used cubical tanks filled with Ottawa silica sand to study the steady-state behavior of thermal and epithermal neutrons in simulated sandstone logging environments. In addition to the effects of fresh vs salt water, a Wide variety of casing sizes and compositions were investigated. Tittman also used a large tank of Ottawa sand to measure the slowing down length of SiO2; for making the same measurement in CaCO3, however, an assembly of solid Vermont marble blocks was used. More recently a very useful and carefully planned test pit for nuclear logs was constructed under the auspices of the API. This facility consists of three massive limestone sections, each 6-ft thick and more than 5 ft in diameter. The blocks are buried, one on top of the other, in a concrete- lined pit having a total depth of 24 ft. Each section is made of a different limestone to achieve porosity variation, the selection being Carthage (2 per cent), Indiana (19 per cent) and Austin (26 per cent). The blocks are traversed by a 7 7/8-in. diameter borehole and are saturated with fresh water. Great care was taken to insure total saturation of the stone. Homogeneous mixtures and materials have not been used exclusively for simulating earth formations. Tittle, et al 4 showed that a heterogeneous lattice of water and graphite could be used to simulate liquid furfural with very little effect or measured thermal and epithermal neutron distributions. Subsequently, a lattice-type model for simulating limestone earth formations was designed and built by Berry. This limestone model was constructed of 7/8- x 7/8- x 36-in. marble rods glued together with a plastic resin m form a 36-x 42- x 45-in. cube. The cube was honeycombed vertically with 7/8- x 7/8- x 36-in. holes for porosity and had a 11 1/2-in. diameter hole in the center to serve as the borehole. Lower porosities were simulated by placing marble rods in the square holes. The finished cube was used with the borehole vertical and set in a tank to hold liquid for filling the holes in the rock matrix. A second type of heterogeneous borehole model has been proposed by Kukharenko, et al. In this concept the model is composed entirely of solid material. The hydrogen equivalent of formation fluids is simulated by making the model of alternating layers of dense rock and celluloid. Additional hydrogen is included by drilling vertical holes in the rock sections and filling them with solid forms of hydrogeneous material. The volume of the holes is equal to the volume of the celluloid layers, so an axial and radial dispersion of the hydrogeneous material is thus obtained.one such model was composed of alternate 50 mm-thick sand layers and 2 mm-thick celluloid sheets. Approximately 200 appropriately spaced plastic tubes were used in each sand section. The plastic tubes were filled with paraffin for additional hydrogen concentration. This arrangement yielded a model with a water-equivalent hydrogen concentration of 10 per cent.

SPEJ

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