Log Evaluation of Low - Resistivity Sandstone Reservoirs

Abstract

Abstract A careful examination of the mud log and sidewall cores in certain interval of hydrocarbon anomaly, dry oil from low resistivity sands was surprisingly discoverded and confirmed afterward by well testing results. The problem with these sands is that the resistivity logs indicate high water saturation, but water free hydrocarbon will be produced. This paper discusses the different reasons sandstone reservoirs can have low resistivity. The mechanisms resposibles for low resistivity phenomenon are described as being caused by the inclusion of clay or pyrite minerals and as being due to microporosity. Clean bearing sandstone has high resistivity, but when this rock contains clay, or heavy minerals such as pyrite, the resistivity can become low. Pyrite shows a good electrical conductivity, that is usually comparable to or even higher than the conductivity of formation water, and can therefore have a larger effect than shale. In this work, different shaly sand models will be discussed and applied in two field examples to correct the calculated water saturation from shale effect to get the true water saturation level. The contribution of NMR log in solving problems of low resistivity microporisity sandstone reservoirs was iluustrated by a third field example.