Name: Aryan Naji Saleem

Supervisor: Abdolsalam Daneshvar

3rd stage / 5th Semester

Spontaneous Potential Log (SP)

Introduction
Spontaneous potential log, commonly called the self potential log
or SP log, is a passive measurement taken by oil industry well
loggers to characterise rock formation properties. The log works
by measuring small electric potentials (measured in millivolts)
between depths with in the borehole and a grounded electrode at
the surface. Conductive bore hole fluids are necessary to create a
SP response, so the SP log cannot be used in nonconductive
drilling muds (e.g. oil-based mud) or air filled holes.
The change in voltage through the well bore is caused by a
buildup of charge on the well bore walls. Clays and shales (which
are composed predominantly of clays) will generate one charge
and permeable formations such as sandstone will generate an
opposite one. Spontaneous potentials occur when two aqueous
solutions with different ionic concentrations are placed in contact
through a porous, semi-permeable membrane. In nature, ions
tend to migrate from high to low ionic concentrations. In the case
of SP logging, the two aqueous solutions are the well bore fluid
(drilling mud) and the formation water (connate water). The
potential opposite shales is called the baseline, and typically shifts
only slowly over the depth of the borehole.

1
Spontaneous potential types
Electrokinetic potential: Arise from the movement of electrically
charged ions in the fluid relative to the the fixed rock.

Electrochemical potential: Arise from electrical interactions

between the various chemical constituents of the rocks and fluids.

Electrochemical Potential
Diffusion Potential

• The diffusion potential (sometimes called the liquid-junction

potential).

• This potential exists at the junction between the invaded and

the non-invaded zone, and is the direct result of the difference in
salinity between the mud filtrate and the formation fluid.

Membrane potential

• The membrane potential (sometimes called the shale

potential).
• This potential exists at the junction between the non-
invaded zone and the shale (or other impermeable rock)
sandwiching the permeable bed.
• Na+ ions penetrates through the shale from the saline
formation water to the less saline mud column, a potential is
set up.

Shale wall &Mud Cake potential

The shale wall potential:This potential is the same in origin to
the mud cake potential, but applies to the flow of fluids from
the borehole into shale formations. It is usually very small
because the flow into impermeable shale is small.

2
The mud cake potential:This potential is produced by the
movement of charged ions through the mud cake and invaded
zone in a permeable formation.

Application of SP log
• It is used to find the oil and gas.
• It is used to find the volume of shales.
• Finding leaks in canal embankments.
• Identifying seepage in dams and reservoirs.
• It is used to understand the aquifer level.
• Assessing the effectiveness of water-engineering remedial
measures.
• It is used to find depth.
• Mineral exploration of massive sulphide ore bodies.

3
Conclusion
The present paper presents a theory of the S.P. log which might
serve as a guide for interpretation, and as a foundation for further
discussion on the subject. The static S.P. diagram, which may
seem too abstract at first, has been introduced because it is a
convenient way to represent the emf involved. Some of these emf
are of electrochemical nature, and occur at the boundaries
between the mud and the for- motions, as well as at the
boundaries be- tween the formations themselves. Some others
are due to the electrofiltration phenomena, and occur across the
mud cake. Together they generate S.P. currents which flow in the
ground, and close their path through the mud in the drill hole. In
so doing they produce, in the mud, by ohmic effect, potential
differences which are re- corded to obtain the S.P. log. Some
potential drops by ohmic effect also occur in the formations,
especially when the beds are thin and resistive; as a result the
potential differences recorded on the S.P. log are not always equal
to the total emf involved. The amplitude of a deflection is
therefore not a measure of the total emf, except in the case of
thick and conductive beds. In the general case, the amplitude is
affected by many other factors besides the value of the total emf;
namely, the thick- ness of the beds, their resistivity and that of the
mud, colloidal content of the beds, the diameter of the hole, and
the depth of invasion of the mud filtrate.f the SP response.