Combining Gamma Ray Logs with Boring Logs

By: Leonard Billingsley Frank Vernon

Oklahoma Corporation Commission Petroleum Storage Tank Division

What Does the Gamma Ray Tool Detect?

Natural Gamma Rays
Energetic form of electromagnetic radiation produced by radioactive decay*
*Wikipedia

What Produces Gamma Rays?

Most common sources:
Potassium Thorium Uranium - Radium

Where Are These Elements Found?

In zones containing potassium feldspars (i.e. granites, feldspathic sands) Volcanic and igneous rocks Sands containing volcanic ash Clays

The Gamma Logging Tool: What Does It Do?

Detector is a thallium-doped sodiumiodide crystal Crystal emits light when it absorbs a Gamma Ray Light emissions are counted and ultimately displayed as counts per second (CPS) vs. depth on a graph This graph is then referred to as a Gamma Ray Log

What you really need to know

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic Arthur C. Clark The Gamma Ray log is magic The larger the Gamma Ray CPS, the larger the clay contentthe smaller the CPS, the smaller the clay content Thus:
High CPS = Clay Low CPS = Sand

Gamma Ray Log

Applications of Combining Gamma Ray Logs and Boring Logs

Zone identification Zone correlation Zone content Seal identification Boring log interpretation Potential transport zone identification Potential source zone identification

Assumptions:
Unconsolidated formation (can split-spoon) Sand and clay sequence Have field screening values Have cut-off values (OVM value between source and non-source interval) Contaminants are volatile organics Only natural radioactive sources are present Bentonite has a high K content Other exceptions

Zone Identification

Seal Sand Clay

Zone Identifications
Sample descriptions similar to the Gamma Ray log

Zone Identifications
Sample descriptions dissimilar from the Gamma Ray log

Zone Identifications
Overlay of Gamma Ray curves for boring logs with similar descriptions

Potential Transport Zones

Lower CPS zones

Potential Source Zones

Lower CPS zones with high OVM values Medium CPS zone with high OVM values

Non-Source Zones
When dealing with risk assessments, non-source zones are:
High CPS zones with high OVM values Zones with low OVM values

Semi-Quantitative Analysis for Combined Gamma Ray and Boring Logs

1. Identify bentonite seal 2. Identify the range without the bentontite seal 3. Identify potential transport intervals 4. Identify potential source intervals

1: Bentonite Seal Identification

Gamma Ray log with bentonite seal Gamma Ray log without bentonite seal Gamma Ray log with bentonite seal erroneously reported

Gamma Ray With Bentonite Seal

Gamma Ray Without Bentonite Seal

Gamma Ray Log With Bentonite Seal Erroneously Reported

2: Identify the Range

3: Identify the Intervals (20% and 50%)

4: Identify Potential Transport and Source Intervals

Semi-Quantitative Transport and Continuing Source Zone

Potential transport zone isopach map Potential source zone isopach map Combined transport and source isopach map

Potential Transport Zone Isopach Map

Potential Source Zone Isopach Map

Combined Transport and Source Isopach Map

What does this map do for you? Where do you put your effort?

Conclusions: Combining Gamma Ray and Boring Log Data

Allows mapping of potential contaminant zones Allows mapping of potential transport zones Identifies contaminant source zones for maps and cross-sections Leads to 3-D delineation models idenitifying the area of concern

Questions???

Thank you
Leonard Billingsley
405-521-3504 l.billingsley@occemail.com

Frank Vernon
405-521-6719 f.vernon@occemail.com