Casing Collar Locator (CCL) Overview

The earliest collar locators were whisker like devices comprised of stiff wires attached
to the cable with the free ends looking up.  This arrangement could go down the hole
smoothly, but the wires would catch in the gap between joints of pipe at the collars
(couplings) when pulled up.  The operator could detect the collar by the increased
tension on the cable.  This technique is still occasionally used for shallow "poor boy"
shooting operations.  This technology evolved into the sonic collar locator where sound
made by the feeler wires was analyzed.  The operator listened with headphones and
an audio amplifier for the sound change when the feelers crossed the gap at the casing
collars.  The modern magnetic casing collar locator (CCL) was developed in the late
1940's and quickly displaced the earlier methods.  The old royalty structure for the
magnetic CCL was curious; if only a CCL log was run, no royalty fee was due, but if the
CCL was run in conjunction with a perforating gun or nuclear log, then there was a
royalty charge.

While the modern CCL tool is a relatively simple device, it is one of the most important
tools used in cased hole logging.  The CCL is a magnetic device, sensitive to the
increased metal mass at a casing or tubing collar.  It is almost always run with cased
hole logs, and is the primary depth control log.  The CCL can only be effective as a
depth control log if it is accurately tied in to open hole logs, usually using cased
hole gamma ray and/or neutron logs to facilitate the correlation.

Magnetic fields are visualized as lines of flux around a magnet.  When an electrical
conductor moves through lines of magnetic flux, a small current is induced in that
conductor.  If the wire is in the form of a coil so that it crosses the lines of flux many
times, the current generated is increased in direct proportion to the number of turns of
wire in said coil, a classic electrical generator.  Coils of fine magnet wire with
thousands of turns are used in the CCL to obtain a current strong enough to be
detected by the surface equipment.  If the coil of wire is in a magnetic field and the
lines of flux are distorted, current is generated just as if the wire was moved through
the lines of flux.  In the CCL, the increased metal thickness at collars causes just such
a distortion in the lines of flux around the CCL magnets, and thus creates the small
current that ultimately is displayed as the familiar collar "kick" on the log.

The most common current CCL design consists of a coil located between

two magnets.  The magnets are cylindrical with like poles facing each other (north to
north or south to south) to focus the lines of flux outward in a plane perpendicular to the
axis of the CCL tool.  This like-pole facing each other arrangement produces a CCL
more sensitive to small changes in metal mass, creating a better chance of detecting
the small gap in flush joint pipe, or collars in heavily corrosion-encrusted casing.  Many
other CCL designs exist; two coils arranged on either side of a single magnet is
probably the next most common arrangement.  In addition, there are many exotic
designs that have come and gone over the years.  The AnaLog Services,
Inc. collection even includes a bizarre beast with 14 magnets and six coils.

As mentioned above, the CCL log is used for depth control and depth correlation.  In
deeper wells, operators sometimes install one or more short casing "pup joints" as
recognizable depth markers.  Because perforations in casing or tubing can frequently
be detected with a CCL tool, the CCL log is sometimes run for verification or proof of
perforating.  The CCL log will also sometimes "see" damaged casing if there is enough
change in the mass of metal to cause a significant distortion in the magnetic lines of
flux.  Holes in casing can often be identified, and parted casing shows up beautifully.

Logging CCLs are equipped with downhole amplifiers.  Sometimes logging CCLs are
built into tools, and sometimes they are used separately as is the case with most
cement bond tools.  There are good and bad downhole CCL amplifier designs,
and AnaLog frequently replaces and/or upgrades downhole CCL amplifiers for our
customers.  The CCL log is generally displayed between tracks one and two,
sometimes called the depth track, and usually to the right of said depth track, on the
suggested American Petroleum Institute (API) log format.  However, the CCL record is
occasionally displayed elsewhere on certain specialty logs.

Shooting CCLs contain no amplifier and are most commonly run for depth control with
perforating guns.  Because the voltage generated by a shooting CCL presents a
potential, although extremely remote danger when electric blasting caps (detonators)
are located below the CCL, it is often said that the diodes used in the shooting CCL
circuit are there for safety purposes.  In truth, they are used because the old non-
resistorized caps would short out the CCL signal.  Modern resistorized caps probably
do not need said diodes, and it is generally believed that a shooting CCL cannot
accidentally fire a cap.  Nevertheless, it is still a darn good idea to use the blocking
diodes, and have them installed in the proper orientation (they are absolutely
necessary when using non-resistorized caps).  To be able to shoot with both polarities,
a "double diode" is required with the pair in parallel and turned in opposite directions. 
A few designs use pairs of diodes in series frequently called a quad diode, again often
said to be for extra safety, but in actuality probably to prevent clipping of the CCL signal
in cases where it exceeds 0.6 volts (the "turn-on" voltage for a typical silicon diode).
Always check your protection diode device before every shot, and always verify that
the shooting CCL is oriented with the correct end looking at the perforating gun.

Shooting CCL Schematic (See PDF Version)

 Rebuilt 1-7/16 Inch Shooting CCL Showing Shooting / Blocking Diode (Burgener, Illinois)

Rewound Coil in Bell Logging CCL Retrofitted With AnaLog's 106CCL-1 Downhole CCL Amplifier PCB
AnaLog is unsurpassed in servicing CCLs, and we also sell new and reconditioned
ones.  We work on shooting CCLs as well as amplified logging CCLs (both stand alone
logging CCLs and those built into tools).  We can wind all types of CCL coils and
charge all types of CCL magnets; we have coil winders with wire
tensioners and magnet chargers modified especially for CCL work.  We stock parts for
most shooting CCLs ever made, including the hard to find rubber shock absorber ends
for all sizes of GO shooting CCLs and clones thereof.  We use only the finest materials
when rewinding shooting or logging CCL coils and they are guaranteed to stand up to
abuse better than factory original equipment; we even offer a proprietary resin
impregnation process for those extra demanding applications.  We can rework poorly
performing amplified logging CCLs and improve them dramatically; COSMOS
tools, Bell tools and stand alone logging CCLs, and certain early Comprobe logging
CCLs are all prime candidates.  The major logging companies come to us when they
have CCL problems; nobody does CCLs like AnaLog.

See also CCL Coil Trivia, CCL Magnet Trivia, CCL Magnet Wire Trivia, and Downhole
CCL Amplifier Notes.  If you need more information on CCLs, please feel free
to contact us.