Detecting a boundary in a formation
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorErik Jan Banning-Geertsma
Life of this patent
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AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorErik Jan Banning-Geertsma
Estimating the term…
Detecting in an earth formation (51) a boundary (56) between first and second formation regions (54, 55) having different resistivities, wherein the first formation region (54) is traversed by a wellbore, using a logging tool (60) provided with a number of electrodes (61, 62, 63) including a monitoring electrode (63), the method comprising: a) selecting a location (65) of the logging tool (60) in the wellbore (57); b) assuming a position of the boundary (56) relative to the selected location (65), selecting outside the wellbore (57) a target point (67) relative to the selected location (65), and selecting a target value for a selected parameter in the target point (67); c) assuming a model wherein the logging tool (60) in the wellbore is surrounded by a homogeneous formation having the resistivity of the first formation region (54), and determining how two of the electrodes (61, 62, 63) have to be energized in order that in the target point (67) the selected parameter has the target value; d) selecting a monitoring parameter at the monitoring electrode (63); e) placing the logging tool (60) at the selected location (65) in the wellbore (57); f) determining a detection value of the monitoring parameter resulting from energizing the two electrodes (61, 62, 63) as determined in step; c) and g) interpreting the detection value of the monitoring parameter in order to detect the boundary (56).
Method of detecting in an earth formation a boundary between a first formation region having a known resistivity and a second formation region having a different resistivity, wherein the first formation region is traversed by a wellbore filled with a fluid of known resistivity, using a logging tool provided with a number of electrodes including a monitoring electrode, which method comprises the steps of:
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the boundary is substantially a plane, and wherein one target point is selected at substantially the position of the mirror image of the monitoring electrode of the logging tool at its selected location, with respect to the assumed position of the plane.
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the selected parameter at one of the target points is the potential.
Method according to any one of the previous claims, wherein a number of detection values of the monitoring parameter are determined, at different locations of the logging tool or for different assumed positions of the boundary, wherein the method further comprises interpreting the detection values of the monitoring parameter in order to estimate the resistivity of the second formation region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.