GAMMA RAY LOGS

Uses
Correlation
Lithology indicator
Evaluation of shale content
Paleo-environmental
indicator
Open or cased hole
Properties
Measures natural gamma
radiation
Random fluctuations

Rock Formations

GR Tool

GAMMA RAY TOOL

The gamma ray tool records
the natural radioactivity of the
formation without regard to the
source

GR API

150

Shale

Sand

The spectral gamma ray tool

identifies the source and gives
the contribution of each
elements (potassium, uranium,
and thorium ) to the overall
spectrum. Also, it is useful in
identifying fractures

Shale
Sand

Shale

NATURAL GR PRINCIPLE

Probability of Emission per Disintegration

Cause
1.46
Unstable isotopes in
formation
Potassium
Isotopes decay
Emit GRs (various energies)

Three main contributors

K40 with half-life 1.3x109 yrs
Th232 with half-life 1.4x1010 yrs
U238 with half-life 4.4x109 yrs

Thorium Series

2.62

Uranium-Radium Series
Sources
K40 feldspar, mica, illite
Th232 heavy minerals, clays
U238 organic material

1.76
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Gamma Ray Energy (MeV)

SOURCES OF PASSIVE
GAMMA RAYS
Clays
Kaolinite (very little K [potassium])
Illite (4-8% K)
Montmorillinite (<1% K)

Sand and Silt

Potassium (K) feldspar
Heavy minerals

Cements
Fracture-filling

GAMMA RAY CORRECTIONS

Gamma ray is corrected for
borehole effects
1. Hole size
2. Mud density
3. Tool position in hole (centering)
4. Casing diameter
5. Casing size and weight
6. Cement thickness

Depth of investigation 12 inches - 90%

from the first 6 inches

EXAMPLE
GAMMA RAY CORRECTION
Gr log = 67 API
Hole size = 8 inches
Mud weight = 16 lbs/gal
Tool is centered
OD of the tool = 3-3/8 inches

C.F=1.8

SOLUTION
GAMMA RAY CORRECTION
GR COR /GR LOG = 1.8
GR COR

= 1.8 * GR

LOG

= 1.8 * 67
= 120.6 API

SHALE WASHOUT

From Dresser Atlas, 1982

WASHOUT

CORRECTED AND
UNCORRECTED
GAMMA RAY
CURVES
IN WASHOUT

From Dresser Atlas, 1982

GR RESPONSE IN COMMON FORMATIONS

Shales often radioactive

Clays
Trace and heavy minerals
Sandstones may be radioactive
Non-clay minerals, e.g., mica,
feldspar
Clays
Units
GR calibrated to standard
Response in mid-continent
shale equals 200 API units
Calibration pits

50

100 API units

Shaly sand
Shale
Very shaly sand
Clean limestone
Dolomite
Shale
Clean sand
Coal
Shaly sand
Anhydrite
Salt
Volcanic ash
Gypsum

BOREHOLE

GAMMA RAY LOG IDENTIFICATION

GR GRmin
Vsh =
GRmax GRmin
Vsh

= Shale volume

GR

= GR log reading

GR (API)

100
GR max

GR min

GRmax = GR log at shale zone

GRmin = GR log at clean sand zone

GR Log:
Lithology identification (Reservoir,
Non-reservoir)
Evaluation of Vshale
Well-to-well correlation

50%
shale

0%
shale

100%
shale

SOME GR APPLICATIONS
Reservoir descrimination

Vsh cutoff
Correlation
Well-to-well
Open hole to cased hole
Core-to-log
Environment
Uses curve shape to infer grain size changes,
sedimentary processes and environments
Fracture detection
Some deposits on fracture faces hot
Depth control
Lithology indicator

ZONATION
Zonation - Defining intervals of similar lithologic and fluid properties to

identify lateral and vertical changes in reservoir properties

Criteria
Lithology (correlation)
Fluids
Porosity and permeability
Lithology - Identify correlation markers
Distinctive shale spikes
Distinctive log patterns
Above and below interval of interest (bracket)
Begin with coarse zonation
Initially, well-to-well correlation of thick (several hundred ft)
sedimentary packages between distinctive markers
Next, correlate finer intervals (100 - 300 ft)
Finally, detailed evaluation of sedimentary facies (5 - 60 ft thick)
Considerations
Subtle lithologic (facies) changes
Fluid changes
Types of logs available

PASSIVE LOG CORRELATION

GR, SP, and CAL

often correlate
different
measurements
different reasons
Correlation helps
GR instead of SP in
OBM
Easier detection of
shales
Facilitates zonation

GR 2.25 FILTER
100 FPM 150

GR 2.25 FILTER
13 FPM 150
0

GR UNFILTERED
13 FPM
150

EFFECTS OF
LOGGING
SPEED AND
FILTER LENGTH
ON GAMMA
RAY LOG
High-resolution logging
for thin bed, .I.e. coal, is usually
done at low speed to
better define bed boundaries
and partings

WHAT IS VSHALE?
Fraction of rock made up of shale
Why calculate Vsh in Sandstone?

Delimit reservoir quality rock

Shale = clays in FE
Clays reduce perm and porosity
Estimates of Sw too large
t
Shales reduce net pay
Vsh definition
matrix (silt + dry clay)
+
fluid (bound water)

sand
silt

Vsh

dry clay
bound water
free water

HC

Unit volume of rock

VOLUME OF SHALE
Gamma Ray Index

I SH

GR GRMIN

GRMAX GRMIN

RELATIONSHIP

EQUATION

Linear

Vsh = Ish

Clavier

Vsh= 1.7-(3.38-(Ish+.7)2 )1/2

Steiber

Vsh= 0.5*(Ish/(1.5-Ish))

Bateman

Vsh= Ish (Ish +GRFactor)

GRFactor =1.2 1.7

CALCULATING CLAY CONTENT

(VSHALE)
GR GRmin
I sh
GRmax GRmin

Calculating Vsh
Numerous models
Always have Vsh < Ish
May only apply locally
Vsh I sh

Vsh I sh /( 2 I sh )
Vsh I sh /( 4 3I sh )
Vsh 0.33(2 2 I sh 1)

GR (API)

GR (max)

100

90 GAPI

GR

Shale
Shaly
sand

48 GAPI
GR Tool

Shale Index

GR 15 GAPI
(min)
90 GAPI

Clean
sand
Shale

V SH RELATIONSHIPS

EXAMPLE PROBLEM
Choose value for
GRmax and GRmin and
compute Vsh in sand
C using linear,
Clavier, and Steiber
methods

SOLUTION

GRmin = 10API
Grlog =50 API

GRmax =132

SOLUTION
GRmin = 10 API
GRmax = 132 API
Choosing a depth in SAND C , say GR = 50 API
Linear

Vsh = 0.327

Clavier Vsh = 0.175

Steiber

Vsh = 0.139

SPECTRAL GAMMA RAY (SGR)

Th, U, and K different energies Output

K, Th, U concents.
Tool measures
Th + K gives CGR
counts
no-uranium GR curve
energies

better measure for Vsh

CGR

Th
K
SGR

SPECTRAL ANALYSIS

Gives the individual quantities of uranium,

potassium, and thorium

Good fracture detector, because uranium tends

to precipitate with fracture-filling minerals

A sharp uranium peak may indicate fractures

SPECTRAL ANALYSIS PRINCIPLE

The radioactivities of the 3 minerals differ, based on the

energy level peaks

SPECTRAL GAMMA RAY LOG

SPECTRAL GAMMA
RESPONSE IN
MESOZOIC
CARBONATES
AND SHALES,
EAST-CENTRAL
TEXAS

From Dresser Atlas, 1982

SOME GR APPLICATIONS
Reservoir descrimination

Vsh cutoff
Correlation
Well-to-well
Open hole to cased hole
Core-to-log
Environment
Uses curve shape to infer grain size changes,
sedimentary processes and environments
Fracture detection
Some deposits on fracture faces hot
Depth control
Lithology indicator