3-ARM CALIPER SONDES

LOG APPLICATIONS

• Measurement of borehole diameter and volume

• Location of hard and soft formations

• Location of fissures, fractures, caving, pinching, and casing breaks

• Borehole diameter compensation of other logs

PHYSICAL SPECIFICATIONS

• Length (38mm body) 2.12 metres (Standard), 2.42 metres (Long arms),

• Length (60mm Body) 2.77 metres

• Diameter 38 mm or 60mm

• Pressure rating 3000 PSI

• Temperature rating 0 to 70 or 125 Deg Celsius (depending on specification)

• Power supply 60 – 100 V DC, 100mA

• Typical logging speed 5 m/min

OPERATING RANGES

• Short arms 40 – 300 mm (1.6 – 12 inches)

• Long arms 40 – 710 mm (1.6 – 28 inches)

• Long arms (60mm) 65 – 1000 mm (2.5 – 39 inches)

MEASUREMENTS AND OFFSETS

Channel Description of Sonde Channel Short Long Long

Number measurement Mnemonic 38mm 38mm 60mm
1 Natural Gamma ♣ NGAM 93 124 182
1 Casing Collar Locator ♣ CCL 101 132 168
2 Caliper opening CALP 8 20 31
3 No measurement NULL - -
4 No measurement NULL - -
5 No measurement NULL - -
6 No measurement NULL - -

Note: All measurements are taken from bottom of sonde

♣ Optional
SALES INFORMATION

SONDES

25 030 000 3-Arm Caliper (38mm)

25 030 001 3-Arm Caliper (38mm) with CCL

25 031 000 3-Arm Caliper (38mm) with Natural Gamma

25 031 001 3-Arm Caliper (38mm) with Natural Gamma and 4” Crystal

25 033 000 3-Arm Caliper (60mm)

25 032 000 3-Arm Caliper (60mm) with CCL

25 034 000 3-Arm Caliper (60mm) with Natural Gamma

26 030 000 3-Arm Caliper (38mm) 125DegC rating

ACCESSORIES

20 001 000 / 21 034 000 (38mm/60mm) Centraliser 90-180mm

20 002 000 / 21 035 000 (38mm/60mm) Centraliser 180-260mm

20 003 000 / 21 036 000 (38mm/60mm) Centraliser 260-342mm

20 004 000 / 21 037 000 (38mm/60mm) Centraliser 342-472mm

36 040 002 Replacement caliper arms 38mm (Short)

36 040 003 Replacement caliper arms 38mm (Long)

36 040 005 Replacement caliper arms 60mm

20 070 000 Natural Gamma Test Jig without source

30 010 000 Natural Gamma Test source

SONDE CONNECTIONS

The sonde head connector carries the following signals from surface system:

Pin Number Monocable Four-wire

Communications Communications
1 Power & Comms Uphole Comms
2 Not connected Downhole Comms
3 Not connected Not connected
4 Not connected Sonde power

Note: Pin 1 as adjacent to the polarising keyway, 2, 3 & 4 are numbered clockwise when looking
down from above.
SAFETY NOTICE

This equipment is energised at up to 100 Volts by the surface

system. Ensure that sonde power is switched off before attaching or
detaching the logging cable. Opening the sonde by removing the
outer tube should only be attempted by trained personnel. Hazardous
voltages up to 2KV may be present inside this equipment when
powered from surface system

If the sonde is used in a manner not specified by the manufacturer or his agent, the protection
provided by the equipment may be impaired.

OPERATING PRINCIPLES

CALIPER

Three arms, each with a toothed quadrant at their base, are pivoted in the lower sonde body. A
toothed rack engages with each quadrant, thus constraining the arms to move together. Linear
movement of the rack is converted to opening and closing of the arms. Springs hold the arms open in
the operating position. A motor drive is able to retract the arms, allowing the sonde to be lowered into
the borehole. The rack is coupled to a potentiometer which converts movement into a voltage sensed
by the sonde's microprocessor. While the motor is running to extend or retract the arms there is no
communication with the surface. The motor may run for 60 seconds or longer.

NATURAL GAMMA (OPTIONAL)

All rocks contain small quantities of radioactive material. Certain minerals contain trace amounts of
Uranium and Thorium, Potassium-bearing minerals will include traces of a radioactive isotope of
Potassium. All of these emit gamma radiation as they decay with an extremely long half-life. This
radiation is detected by scintillation - the production of a tiny flash of light when gamma rays strike a
crystal of Sodium Iodide. The light is converted into an electrical pulse by a photomultiplier tube -
pulses above a threshold value of 60 KeV are counted by the sonde's microprocessor. The
measurement is useful because the radioactive elements are concentrated in certain rock types e.g.
clay or shale’s, and depleted in others e.g. sandstone or coal.

CASING COLLAR LOCATOR (OPTIONAL)

The CCL comprises two magnets aligned with a coil between them. This is shown schematically
below.
The magnetic field is shown in a steady condition. While the magnetic flux lines are static no current
will be induced in the coil.

If the magnetic field is disturbed then the change in magnetic flux induces a current in the coil. The
induced current flows through a resistance and produces a changing voltage. The sonde electronics
include a voltage to frequency converter, hence changing flux is reported as a variable count rate at
the surface. A voltage offset is applied to give a nominal response of 10000 under static conditions.

In the presence of steel casing of uniform structure the magnetic field will be stable as the sonde is
pulled up the pipe. If the structure of the pipe changes, then the magnetic field will change and the
changing flux through the coil will be logged as a changing count rate at the surface.

In summary, the CCL responds to changes in structure of the surrounding ferromagnetic material. The
CCL will not respond to plastic or aluminium alloy casing.

CALIBRATION

CALIPER

Select the CALP channel from the dialogue box. You will be asked to select the measurement units
you require. Click Continue to move on and choose the number of points which you wish to use -
three is normal for this sonde - and click Continue. The sonde is supplied with a portable calibration
jig, which is a circular plate with a series of holes in the top surface into which the tips of the caliper
arms will fit. This has circles of diameters from 2" to 12", with extension arms for up to 31.5".
Alternatively, it is possible to use pipe sections of known internal diameter. The units required for the
calibration may be specified at this point. Users who require diameter in metric units must apply the
appropriate conversion for the sizes marked on the plate.

In the following procedure it is important to choose sizes appropriate to the logging job in hand,
because errors will be amplified as the measured diameter moves further away from the range of
calibration points chosen. For example, for a well drilled with a 4" bit the points chosen should be 4",
6" and 8".
The next step is to open the caliper arm under programme control (if it is not already open) and
prepare the first calibration point. Place the jig over a wide bucket and stand the sonde upright with its
nose section passing through the jig’s central hole. Set the jig with tips of the arms resting in the holes
marked with the required diameter. You will then be asked to enter the value of the current calibration
point. The first acquisition cycle can then be started by clicking Continue. The system will count for
15 seconds to make an average of the response. Repeat the procedure for the second and third
required openings.

The computation and generation of the calibration coefficient file is entirely automatic. The calibration
file is simply the set of coefficients of a quadratic curve which fits the three data points. The figure
shows the response of a caliper sonde using data gathered during testing.

After the calibration file has been generated, there is the

option to close the arm of the sonde before the utility
terminates, but if the following procedure is followed it is
not advisable to do so. As a quality control check it is
essential to check that the calibration is consistent. Make a
calibrated log in TIME mode with the arm opened in each
hole over the measurement range. Choose a horizontal log
scale that will result in measured diameters lying on the
principal grid lines for ease of interpretation. Check that the
indicated diameter is correct, and repeat the calibration
procedure if it is not.

NATURAL GAMMA

It is possible to calibrate the response of the sonde in API

gamma ray units. The procedure falls into two parts, the primary calibration is performed in a test pit
at RG during manufacture, and the secondary can be performed in the field using the optional
calibration fixture.

The primary calibration uses a test pit manufactured from Uranium-doped concrete which has a
known API activity. An identical pit made with the same concrete mix, but without the Uranium
additive, is used as a background. The increase in count rate above the background is measured, and
this is used to calculate a multiplier which relates the raw count rate to the API count rate.

Once this primary calibration has been performed, it is possible to create a secondary standard which
will give a convenient count rate such as 200 API. This is done by mounting a small source on a rod
which can be clamped over the detector, and then moving the source in or out along the rod until the
activity reaches the required value. At this point a small detent is made in the rod at the correct
position, and the jig is stamped with the API value. If an optional API calibrator is specified by the
customer, all the above procedures will be performed by RG.

Secondary calibration is achieved through the Tools|Calibration menu. Select the NGAM channel
and you will be asked to establish background conditions. Place the sonde horizontally on stands
about 1 metre above the ground. Start acquisition by clicking Continue, which will proceed for 5
minutes (300 seconds). At the end of the first period, attach the calibrator jig to the sonde tube, taking
care that the base of the rod is exactly centred over the detector crystal. This can be determined
experimentally by 'peaking' the count rate in a separate time mode log, or by measurement from the
base of the sonde. Start the second acquisition period. After 5 minutes counting, you will be asked for
the activity of the calibration source (see below). The calibration coefficients will then be computed
and written to file together with the count rates and timestamp. Previous data will be transferred to the
'history' file for reference.
The date of calibration is important because the API value will change as the source decays. The API
value at any time in the future is given by :

where :

= time (years) since the original API calibration.

= API value at time t.

= original API value as stamped on calibrator.

= half-life of isotope.
137 137
The half-life of Cs is approximately 28 years. In a four year period, a Cs source will decay to
approximately 90% of its original value, and to 80% after 10 years.

CASING COLLAR LOCATOR (OPTIONAL)

This measurement is not calibrated. The log is simply a record of the differences in the composition of
the steel casing. The scale limits may have to be adjusted to get a ‘null’ response in the centre of the
log track.

BENCH TESTING SONDE FUNCTIONS

CALIPER

• Ensure the sonde is thoroughly cleaned prior to testing its operation.

• Connect the sonde to the logging cable.

• Start the Micrologger and WinLogger software and choose Standard Six Channel or the
actual tool from the sonde type selection box.

• Turn tool power on.

• Choose the menu item Tools|Test Sonde or use the toolbar icon to start the utility and then
click on Start Test.

• Choose the Open Caliper or Close Caliper command as appropriate and click the CMD
control to send it.

• Remember that the sonde will not send data while the arm-motor is running, and Bad Data
will be reported at this time.

• Monitor the tool current which will increase during the motoring stage, this can be used to
verify that the motor has stopped motoring.

• Once motoring has finished, move the arms carefully by hand and check that the response
changes. Alternatively, make a log in TIME mode. If a calibration file is available the
conversion of sonde response into real units can then also be checked.
 • Close the caliper, turn off the tool power and remove the cable head.

NATURAL GAMMA (OPTIONAL)

• The natural gamma section (when fitted) can be observed on channel 1 and will normally give
a small count rate at surface due to background radiation. Otherwise a small test source of
137
gamma rays can be utilised, e.g. 10µCi Cs.

CASING COLLAR LOCATOR (OPTIONAL)

• The CCL section when fitted can be observed on channel 1. To check for correct operation
monitor the channel output as a steel spanner or screwdriver is rubbed along the outside of
the sonde housing above the CCL section. As the steel passes the CCL section the operator
should feel the magnetic attraction and observe a change in counts from the tool.
OPERATING PROCEDURE

CENTRALISATION

In a deviated hole the weight of the tool body can be sufficient to close the caliper arms. To prevent
this it is recommended to fit RG centralisers to the sonde body when logging highly deviated
boreholes.

RG centralisers work on the bowspring principle, with three or four spring elements depending upon
the diameter and centralisation force required. In the figure, only two of the bowsprings are shown for
clarity.

The bowspring segments are retained by upper and lower two-part

collars comprising an inner bobbin with machined grooves for holding
the springs in alignment, and an outer cup which retains the ends of the
springs. The two parts are held together by two short grub screws. To
separate the two parts for maintenance, or to renew the spring
segments, the grubscrews should be screwed inwards to release the
outer cup. On re-assembly, the grubscrews should be screwed outwards
so that they enter the holes in the outer cup. The collars have internal
diameters which vary for different diameter sonde tubes, so ensure that
the centralisers are the correct diameter for body tubes of the sonde.
Springs with different curvature are used to accommodate varying
borehole diameters.

The locking collars are used to retain the centraliser assembly on the
sonde tube. They are of three-part construction. The two body parts are
threaded so that one part will screw into the other and compress a tapered, circular wedge which
grips the sonde tube. The body parts have blind holes drilled at 60 degree intervals around the
circumference, which are used for tightening with a pair of pin-spanners (supplied with the centraliser
kit).

To attach the centralisers to the sonde, pass one collar over the sonde tube, then one or two locking
collars (see below) before the other end of the centraliser is passed over the tube. Slide the
centraliser to the mid-point of the sonde tube and tighten the locking collar, or collars.

To tighten the locking collars it is necessary to pass the pin-spanners

between the bowspring segments. Take care and protect your hands since the
spring segments can become sharpened at their edges due to borehole
contact when in use.

It is only strictly necessary to fit one locking collar to retain the centraliser, since the maximum travel
of the centraliser along the sonde tube is less than the length of the tube. For security it is better to fit
two locking collars.

For reduced borehole diameters it is possible to position the locking collars so that the bowsprings are
in tension. Do not attempt to compress the bowsprings and increase their diameter by placing
the locking collars on the outside of the centraliser. If the centraliser becomes stuck then there is
no way that the bowsprings can compress to pass over the obstruction, and if sufficient tension is
applied to the logging cable the bowsprings may snap and create a very effective snagging device.
DEPTH SETUP

All sonde measurements are offset from the

bottom of the tool. When performing an uplog if
the top of the tool is aligned with your logging
datum on surface you would initialize the depth to
be the length of the tool. If performing a downlog
then when the top of the tool is aligned with the
logging datum then you would initialize the depth
to be zero. Therefore if a downlog is performed
from surface and then an uplog performed, the
depth system must be changed once at the
bottom by adding on the length of the tool. If you
wish to use ground level for your datum then you
must subtract the height H from the length of the
tool. The preferred method of logging is to record
in an upwards direction as this provides better
depth control of the sonde.

Never perform a downlog with the caliper open as this will damage the caliper
arms and could cause the tool to become stuck downhole.

Example: Tool length = 2.7m, Casing 50cm above ground. Case 1. Align top of tool with casing.
Initialize depth to be -0.5m. Record down until depth reads 100m. Stop log, reset depth to 102.7m.
Record uplog. Case 2. Align top of tool with casing. Initialize depth to be 2.2m run down to required
depth and log up.

LOGGING PROCEDURE

These instructions should be used in conjunction with the full or quick reference guide to logging with
your surface system. Ensure that sonde power is turned off

• Connect the sonde to the logging cable

• Test caliper operation at surface before placing the sonde into the borehole

• Run into the hole until the bottom of the required section is reached. Avoid resting the tool in
the mud at the bottom of the borehole as this can clog the mechanism and prevent the caliper
arms opening or closing correctly.

• Open the caliper arms and monitor the current or use the Tools|Test Sonde utility to ensure
motoring has finished.

• Start the log File | New Log.

• Winch uphole and observe the data to ensure the sonde is operating correctly.

• Typical logging speeds are 5 – 8 m/min however Natural Gamma response is improved for
slower speeds.
 • Once completed the logging interval close the caliper arms and monitor the current or use the
Tools|Test Sonde utility to ensure motoring has finished.

• When at surface turn off sonde power and remove sonde from the borehole. Clean the sonde
with low-pressure fresh water paying particular attention to the caliper linkage.

MAINTENANCE

The arm-linkage mechanism is prone to clogging with dirt. Detach one arm at a time by loosening its
grub-screw and pushing out the fixing pin. Clean the rack and toothed quadrant with a suitable
pointed instrument or brush. Blow, or wash out as much loose material as possible. Lubrication is not
necessary, though a light coat of water-repellent spray may be applied. Reassembly is the reverse of
the above procedure. Ensure that there is freedom of movement throughout the operating range of
the arms.

DO NOT detach all the arms at the same time as this will result in loss of
registration with the rack mechanism and improper opening and closing.
SONDE SCHEMATIC