10 GEOPHYSICAL WELL LOGGING

BOREHOLE GEOPHYSICS FOR HYDROGEOLOGICAL STUDIES:

PRINCIPLES AND APPLICATIONS

MIROSLAV KOBR1, STANISLAV MAREŠ1, and FREDERICK PAILLET2

1
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Natural Sciences,
Institute of Hydrogeology, Engineering Geology and Applied Geophysics,
Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic
2
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA

10.1 Introduction

Borehole geophysics includes all methods for making continuous profiles or point
measurements at discrete depth stations in a borehole. These measurements are made
by lowering different types of probes into a borehole and electrically transmitting data
in the form of either analog or digital signals to the surface, where they are recorded as
a function of depth or distance along the borehole. The measurements are related to the
physical and chemical properties of the rocks surrounding the borehole, the properties
of the fluid saturating the pore spaces in the formation, the properties of fluid in the
borehole, the construction of the well, or some combination of these factors.

Many geophysical logging techniques were developed in the petroleum industry. Most
of the textbooks and published reports are written about petroleum applications, which
differ markedly from groundwater and environmental applications. In addition, the
characteristics (probe weight and diameter, pressure rating, and sensor configuration) of
the equipment used for nonpetroleum logging is generally different from that used to
log oil and gas wells. This chapter addresses the application of borehole geophysics to
the discipline of hydrogeology, including such topics as groundwater resource
development, aquifer characterization, water-quality sampling and assessment, and
aquifer remediation. Additional background on specific borehole geophysical
techniques and geophysical log data processing can be obtained by consulting Hearst et
al. (2000), Hurst et al. (1992; 1993), and Doveton (1994).

10.1.1 LOGGING METHODS

One of the most important attributes of geophysical well logs is the ability to make
several different physical (nuclear, acoustic, electrical, etc.) measurements in a
borehole. This is the so-called synergistic property of borehole geophysics described by
Keys (1997). Logging methods are summarized in Table 10.1 for the most widely used
logs.

291
Y. Rubin and S. S. Hubbard (eds.), Hydrogeophysics, 291–331.
© 2005 Springer. Printed in the Netherlands.
292 M. Kobr, S. Mareš & F.L. Paillet

Table 10.1. The most widely used logs in water wells (adapted after Keys, 1997)
Type of Log Potential Uses Borehole Limitations
Conditions
Required
Spontaneous Lithology, correlation, Uncased, mud filled Needs contrast in
potential water quality only solutes in borehole
SP versus formation

Normal and/or lateral Lithology, correlation, Uncased, fluid filled Influenced by fluid
resistivity logs water quality only resistivity and bed
Ra boundaries

Conductively Lithology, correlation, Uncased, fluid filled Removes some but

focused-current logs, water quality, only not all fluid and bed
micro-focused logs monitoring formation boundary effects
LL, MLL fluid conductivity
Inductively focused- Lithology, correlation, Uncased or cased Poor response in
current logs water quality, with PVC or massive resistive
IL monitoring formation fiberglass, air or formations
fluid conductivity fluid filled
Gamma-ray log GR Lithology, correlation Most conditions Unusual lithology
interpretations in
arkose and
phosphate sands
Gamma-gamma log Bulk density, porosity, Wide range Mineralogy may
GGL-D moisture, lithology, influence calibration
correlation, well through Z effect
construction
Neutron log Saturated porosity, Wide range, Ineffective porosity
NNL moisture, lithology, preferably in small of clay minerals
correlation holes, fresh or included in total
brackish fluid filled porosity
Elastic wave Saturated porosity, Uncased, fluid filled Measures primary or
propagation log AL lithology, correlation only matrix porosity
rather than total
porosity

Cement bond log Bonding to casing and Cased, fluid filled Response gives a
CBL formations only circumferential
average of bonding;
may not detect
channels
Acoustic televiewer Character and Uncased, fluid filled, Fracture
AT orientation of water or mud interpretation may be
fractures, fractures affected by drilling
openings, and bedding damage to borehole
wall
Borehole television Well construction, Uncased or cased, air No information in
BTV secondary porosity, or clear fluid opaque fluid; dark
lost objects mineral bands mimic
fractures