Estimating Volume of Shale

• Because it is common to find radioactive materials associated with the

clay minerals that constitute shales, it is a commonly accepted practice to
use the relative gamma ray deflection as a clay volume indicator
• The simplest procedure is to rescale the gamma ray between its minimum
(in a clean sand) and its maximum value (in a shale) from 0 to 100%
𝐺𝑅𝑙𝑜𝑔−𝐺𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛
Linear Vshale=
𝐺𝑅𝑚𝑎𝑥−𝐺𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛
• Because the amount of claybound water associated with the clay
constituents of a shale is a function of the depth of burial and
compaction of the shale, this linear scaling does not truly reflect the
fractional clay volume in a given shaly sand
• A number of different relationships have been proposed to relate the
relative gamma ray deflection to the clay content of the formation
Vshale As a Function of The Gamma Ray Index.
• To explain these methods further, the
gamma ray index is defined as a linear
rescaling of the GR log between
GRmin and GRmax such that

𝐺𝑅𝑙𝑜𝑔−𝐺𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛
• GR index(X)=𝐺𝑅 −𝐺𝑅𝑚𝑖𝑛
𝑚𝑎𝑥

• Linear Vshale = X
• Clavier Vshale= 1.7 − 3.38 − 𝑋 + 0.7 2
0.5𝑋
• Steiber Vshale=
1.5−𝑋
• Bateman Vshale=𝑋 (𝑋+𝐺𝑅 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟)
• where the GR factor is a number
chosen to force the result to imitate
the behavior of either the Clavier or
the Stieber (1975) relationship
Exercise
• On the gamma ray log shown
choose values for GRmin and
GRmax and then compute Vshale
in sand E at depths A to E using
the linear, Clavier, and Steiber
methods.
Vsh Vsh Vsh
Depth TVDSS MD GR Linear Clavier Steiber

A -10523 10565 32.11

B -10546 10588 36.23

C -10611 10654 98.52

D -10746 10789 31.97

E -10821 10863 49.35

Solution
GRMin GRMax
30 115
Depth TVDSS MD GR Vsh Linear Vsh Clavier Vsh Steiber
A -10523 10565 32.11 0.02 0.01 0.01
B -10546 10588 36.23 0.07 0.03 0.03
C -10611 10654 98.52 0.81 0.65 0.58
D -10746 10789 31.97 0.02 0.01 0.01
E -10821 10863 49.35 0.23 0.11 0.09
Density Porosity (PhiD, ØD)
• Because the density of a mixture of components is a linear
function of the densities of its individual constituents, it is a
simple matter to calculate the porosity of a porous rock.
• For this purpose, it is useful to consider the bulk-volume
model of a clean formation with water-filled pore spaces
• A unit volume of porous rock consists of a fraction Ø made
up of water and a fraction (1 − Ø) made up of solid rock
matrix. Therefore, the bulk density of the sample can be
written as:𝜌𝑏 = 𝜌𝑚𝑎 1 − 𝜃 + 𝜌𝑓 𝜃
• where 𝜌𝑚𝑎 refers to the matrix density and 𝜌𝑓 refers to the
fluid density.
• Simple rearrangement of the terms leads to an expression
𝜌 −𝜌
for porosity: ∅𝐷 = 𝑚𝑎 𝑏
𝜌𝑚𝑎 −𝜌𝑓
Exercise
• Using matrix density of 2.65 and
1 as fluid density
• Estimate PhiD in Sand E at
depths B and C
Solution
Matrix
Den Fluid Den
2.65 1
Depth TVDSS MD RHOB PhiD
A -10523 10565 2.21 0.27
B -10546 10588 2.21 0.27
C -10611 10654 2.29 0.22
D -10746 10789 2.21 0.27
E -10821 10863 2.21 0.27
 saturation exponent tortuosity factor
Water resistivity
Archie Equation usually from core usually =1
chemistry , SP,
usually= 2 Rwa, Pickett plot

Works well for

clean sand
reservoirs a Rw
Sw  n m 

Can not be used in
some formations
which contain clay
Rt
minerals.
porosity
Clay minerals
sonic, density,
provide an neutron/density
alternative true resistivity
conductive path deep resistivity log
parallel with the preferably invasion corrected
one through the Cementation factor
formation water 1.7- 2 for sandstones.
From core or
calculated from wet
zone
 Cementation
Exponent or Factor
Range of m in Sandstones

Chevron COFRC
LaHabra global
>250 samples
a & m Calculated from Log Inputs
a & m can be back
calculated from logs
assuming we know
zones are wet and we
have good porosity
meas urements. We can
do a fi t to a porosity wet
sand resistivity plot to
determi ne these
coeffic ients

F = a/ m
F= 1.27/ 1.5
Review of controls of m and n
Review of m - cementation exponent- values
 Samples containing intergranular porosity only, tend to have m (m*)
values in the range of 1.7 to 2.1.
Samples with rounded grains as uniform porosity tend to have lower m
values than those with cemented angular grains.
Intraparticle and vug porosity contribute little to conduction but raise
total porosity and therefore m.
 Fractures lower the value of m.
Review of n – saturation exponent- values
 Most homogeneous sandstones have n values in the range of 1.4 to 2.0
.
 Fine scale heterogeneities appear to control the value of n.
 Laminations tend to lower n.
 Carbonates tend to have n values between 1.5 and 2.
There does not seem to be any correlation between m and n in
Chevron data sets.
Formation water resistivity, Rw
•One of the most important
parameters in openhole log
analysis
•Required to calculate fluid or
gas saturation in the reservoir
rock’s pore space

• Cataloged water resistivity information.

• From measured resistivity and temperature of a
produced water sample from the reservoir horizon.
• Chemical analysis of water sample produced from the
reservoir.
• From the SP trace.
• From Rwa (apparent water resistivity).
• From Pickett crossplots (resistivity-porosity plots).
Apparent Water Resistivity, Rwa

• Starting with Archie’s equation

a  Rw
 Rw 
R   m
 SW
n
SW  n t

Rt  m
a
• When Sw = 1.0, Rt = Ro ;define, Rwa as

Ro  m
Rwa 
a

When Sw = 1.0, Rwa = Rw

When Sw < 1.0, Rwa > Rw
Rwa methodology
• Calculate Rwa for several depth zones (in the same interval, or in
close intervals assumed to have the same Rw).
• Pick the lowest value of Rwa as the best estimate of Rw.
• Use that value of Rw in Archie’s equation, or calculate Sw from:
1
 Rwa min imu m  n
Sw   
 Rwa zon eof interest 
• DO NOT use the Rwa calculated in each depth zone in Archie’s
equation to calculate water saturation or you will calculate Sw = 100%
in every depth zone.
Rwa notes
• The Rwa technique assumes that Rdeep = Rt ; invasion must be shallow
enough that the deep resistivity is true resistivity.
• Rw tends to decrease with depth because of temperature and salinity
increases.
• Rw (salinity) is relatively constant in a sand package.
• Lithology and shale effects are negligible.
• Good practice to calculate in several sands and compare
• Rwa has advantages over other sources of Rw .
– If the zone assumed to be water-bearing actually contains hydrocarbons,
the Rw value will be too high, and the zones will have Sw values lower
than calculated.
– Because it is calculated from the same tools in the same environment, the
final saturation will not be subject to errors of a and m.