Inversion-based petrophysical interpretation of logging-while-drilling nuclear and resistivity measurements

Abstract

Interpretation of borehole measurements acquired in high-angle (HA) and horizontal (HZ) wells is challenging due to the significant influence of well trajectory and bed geometrical effects. Experience shows that accurate integrated interpretation of well logs acquired in HA/HZ wells requires explicit consideration of 3D measurement physics. The most reliable alternative for interpretation of well logs in HA/HZ wells is with inversion techniques that correct measurements for shoulder-bed, undulating well trajectory, and bed geometrical effects while taking advantage of high data resolution. We discovered an efficient layer-based inversion workflow for combined, quantitative petrophysical and compositional interpretation of logging-while-drilling sector-based nuclear (density, neutron porosity, photoelectric factor, gamma ray) and array propagation resistivity measurements acquired in HA/HZ wells. A challenging synthetic benchmark example confirmed improved formation evaluation with the layer-based inversion workflow across hydrocarbon-bearing zones in HA/HZ wells, where estimated hydrocarbon pore volume and porosity increased by 10% and 15%, respectively, with respect to conventional interpretation methods. Furthermore, application of the inversion-based method to a field example of HZ well across calcite-cemented siltstone layers confirmed its advantage over conventional interpretation techniques.