ABSTRACT

SP Log records weak electrical currents that flow

naturally in the rock next to the wellbore. The log
shows the boundaries and thickness of each layers
of the rock especially permeable (sandstone) and
impermeable (shale). Because SP Log is so
simple to obtain and provide such a basic
information, it is the most common log.

Saud Qadir Khan

2015-PET-17

Pet-E-313L Well Logging

SP LOG
Purpose and Its Working Principle
Pet-E-313L Well Logging 2015-PET-17

SP LOG
Spontaneous Potential (SP) is also known as the self-potential.The SP log was one of the first
logs run by the Schlumberger Brothers in the 1930s. Spontaneous Potential are usually caused
by charge separation in clay or other minerals, due to the presence of semi permeable interface
hindering the diffusion of ions through the pore space of the rocks, or by the natural flow of a
conduction fluid through the rocks.

Working Principle of SP Log

SP is formed usually by combined effect of the two potentials which are:
• Electro-chemical Potential
Sodium chloride is usually present in both the formation and the drilling mud. When
drilling fluid enters in the pores of the formation (sandstone), sodium chloride separates
into charged ions i.e. sodium and chloride ions (Na+ & Cl-). This separation of ions forms
an electro-chemical potential.
o Liquid-Junction Potential (Elj)
Na+ & Cl- ions are free to move but Cl- ions are small and have greater mobility
than Na+. So, the net diffusion of ions from the more-concentrated formation
water to the less-concentrated mud filtrate includes a greater number of Cl– ions
than Na+ ions. The current flowing across the junction between solutions of
different salinity is driven by an EMF called the liquid-junction potential. The
magnitude of the liquid-junction potential is only approximately one-fifth of the
membrane potential.
o Membrane Potential (Em)
Shales are permeable to cations(Na+) but not so permeable to anions(Cl-). Sodium
chloride, which is usually present in both the formation water and the drilling mud,
separates into charged ions (Na+ and Cl–) in solution in water. The Na+ and Cl– ions
tend to migrate from a more-concentrated to a less-concentrated solution, but
because the intervening shale is a cationic membrane, impervious to Cl– ions, only
the Na+ ions can migrate. If, as usual, the formation water is a more concentrated
NaCl solution than the mud, there is a net flow of positive ions through the shale
from the sandstone to the borehole. This corresponds to a positive electric current
in the same direction (indicated by the curved arrow) driven by an electric potential,
or electromotive force (EMF), across the shale. Because the shale acts as an ion-
selective membrane, the electric potential is known as the membrane potential.
• Electro-kinetic Potential (Ek)
Electro-kinetic potential exists due to the flow of an electrolyte through a nonconductive
medium mud cake. This flow exists because of the differential pressure between the mud
column and the formation. Electro-kinetic potential is normally very small and will stop as
soon as the mud cake becomes impermeable.

Purpose of SP Log
SP Log is used for determining
❖ Bed thickness: As a formation thins (i.e. < 10 feet thick) the SP measured in the
borehole will record an SP value less than SSP. The SP curve can be corrected by chart
for the effects of bed thickness. Generally, whenever the SP curve is narrow and pointed
in shape, the SP should be corrected for bed thickness.
Pet-E-313L Well Logging 2015-PET-17

❖ Bed resistivity: High resistivity reduce the deflection of the SP curves. And we can
estimate the resistivity of bed.
❖ Shale content: The presence of shale in a permeable formation reduces the SP
deflection. In water-bearing zones the amount of SP reduction is proportional to the
amount of shale in the formation. In hydrocarbon-bearing zones the amount of SP
reduction is greater than the volume of shale and is called “hydrocarbon suppression”.
The SP log can be used to calculate the volume of shale in a permeable zone by the
following formula:
PSP
VShale  1.0 
SSP
Where:
Vshale = Volume of clay or shale
PSP = Pseudo Static Potential (corrected w.r.t. SBL)
SSP = Static Spontaneous Potential (corrected w.r.t. SBL)
❖ Calculation of Water resistivity:
▪ Identify a zone on the logs that is clean, wet and permeable. Pick the
maximum value of SP in the zone.
▪ Calculate formation temperature at the depth of SP value
𝐵𝐻𝑇 − 𝐴𝑀𝑆𝑇
𝑇𝑓 = ( ×𝐹𝐷) + 𝐴𝑀𝑆𝑇
𝑇𝐷
Where:
AMST= Annual Mean Surface Temperature
BHT= Bottom Hole Temperature
FD= Formation Depth
Tf = Formation Temperature
▪ Convert Rmf from surface temperature to formation temperature.
𝑅𝑚𝑓 (𝑇𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓 + 6.77)
𝑅𝑚𝑓 =
𝑇𝑓 + 6.77
Where:
Rmf = Resistivity at formation temperature
Rmfsurf = Resistivity at measured temperature
Tsurf = Measured temperature of Rmf
▪ Find the equivalent formation water resistivity, Rwe (equivalent Rw) ,
from the SP and Rmf.
𝑅𝑤𝑒 = 𝑅𝑚𝑓 ×10𝑆𝑃/(61+0.133×𝐵𝐻𝑇)
▪ Convert Rwe to Rw (this value is at formation temperature)
1
( 𝐵𝐻𝑇 )−2
log⁡( 19.9 )
𝑅𝑤𝑒 + 0.131×10
𝑅𝑤 =
0.0426
( 𝐵𝐻𝑇 )
log⁡( 50.8 )
−0.5×𝑅𝑤𝑒 + 10
The SP response of shales is relatively constant and follows a straight line called a shale
baseline. SP curve deflections are measured from this shale baseline.
Permeable zones are indicated where there is SP deflection from the shale baseline.