Lecture #2:

Mud Logging
 Introduction
• Mud logging is a set of data that is observed and
gathered from hydrocarbon analysis, combined with
the drilling rate, cutting description and recorded as
the depth function.
• Mud logging curve consists of; ROP (Rate of
penetration), WOB (weight on bits), RPM (rotation per
minute), SPM (Strokes per minute), depth, bit type, gas
type, total gas, fluorescence, rock description with
figure notation and so on…
• Hydrocarbon bearing reservoirs, type of fluid (gas/ oil/
water),seal and waster zone.
 Cutting Analysis
• Cutting : rock fragments that resulted during drilling process.
• Cutting carried to surface by drilling fluid and being
analyzed to know the hydrocarbon content and lithology.
• Generally, sampling interval is depend on the rate of
penetration, consumer needs, and so on (varies from 5’ to
100’).
• The captured sample is described by using microscope to
determine the lithology, and being put under UV light to
check the presence of oil or gas.
• Generally the description stresses on the:
– The lithology description
– Oil/gas showing
– Formation evaluation
 Lithology Description
• Principal lithology
• Color
• Grain and crystal size
• Particle shape
• Sorting
• Degree of consolidation
• Principal lithologic modifiers
• Matrix or cement
• Lithology remark
• Porosity
• Hydrocarbon shows
 Hydrocarbon Shows
• Stain quality and color. Example: good light brown
oil stain.
• Sample fluorescence quality and color. Example: slight
light yellow sample fluorescence.
• Cut quality, color and type. Example: slight light brown
crush cut.
• Cut fluorescence, speed, quality, color and type.
Example: fair bluish-white slow streaming cut
fluorescence.
• Residue description and remarks. Example: light brown
residue of light oil.
Procedure:

The clean cutting put on a plate inside a box that is equipped

with ultraviolet light.
If hydrocarbon is present then it will fluoresce.

If cuttings do not fluoresce, and we suspect there is hydrocarbon

on that cutting, then we need to add organic solvent such as
tetracloride, cloroethane. This solvent can reach hydrocarbon in
the rock’s slits until the sample fluoresces, and known as “cut”

Some minerals and gems stone also fluoresces. Therefore it is

necessary to conduct fluorescence test and cut.
 Fluorescence
• Generally, fluorescence color from drilling sample depend on the
fluid density.
• Dry gas on big scale will not have fluoresces fluid.
• Condensate fluid will shows pale blue color and gone after 1-5
minutes if the sands not tight.
• Along with the increase of the condensate content, then the blue
fluorescence color become more bright and sometime become silver
blue.
• The duration of fluoresces will help on the fluid determination. If
the density drop to 45 API, fluorescence color change from blue
to yellow.
• Below 35 API, fluorescence color become yellower. Yellow color
commonly associated with the asphaltic oil.
 Fluorescence
• Oil or gas under ultraviolet will reflect fluoresces.
 Fluorescence Cont…
• Fluorescence percentage will help on hydrocarbon
shows evaluation.
• Especially if the amount of sand is a lot in the
sample, and the percentage of the fluorescence low
indicate the presence of salt water.
• Fluorescence general description:
- Color: golden, light yellow, straw, light blue
- Degree: excellent, good, fair, poor
- Uniform, scattered, spotted, scattered and
spotted
 Type of fluorescence
• Oil shows bright blue fluorescence, bluish yellow,
yellow or gold.
• For heavy gas, the reading from chromatograph needs to
be attached. If on the chromatograph there is heavy gas,
and in the cutting there is no show, this indicate that
presence of tight sandstone filled by oil or water with oil
residual. Chromatograph instrument can give error in the
reading because of pore variation, therefore there is the
need to equip it with ultraviolet light to differentiate
hydrocarbon shows on samples.
• Gas condensate shows pale blue to bright silver blue
fluorescence color, and will drop the intensity when the
sample put on room temperature.
 Cuttings
• If the cutting is cleaned with solvent fluid
(tricloroethane) under ultraviolet light, it will give
significant contribution.
• Give the geologist information about the formation
lithology needed for geologic correlation, the
mineral composition for marker beds, input for the
petrophysicist or log analyst, and, in some cases,
enough hydrocarbon to allow some oil-quality
measurements to be performed.
• Cuttings are also a source for microfossils used in
biostratigraphy.
• Calibrating log data.
 Example of cutting description
with abbreviation.
• Sandstone: buff to white, fine grained, sub rounded to sub
angular, poorly sorted, well consolidated, silty, calcareous
cement, traces of pyrite, slightly interparticle porosity, slight
light brown oil stain, bright yellow sampel fluorescence, slow
light brown crush cut, light yellow crush cut fluorescence,
light brown residue of light oil.
Ss: bf-wh, fgr, sbrd-sbang, p srtd, w consol, slty, calc cmt, tr
pyr, sl X por, sl lt brn o stn, bri yel spl flor, slo lt brn crsh
ct, lt yel crsh ct flor, lt brn resd lt o.
 Cutting Transportation…
• Time that is needed for cutting to reach surface
being measured and used for several purposes.
This time is known as “lag time”
• Lag time has an important rule in determination
of cutting sources, from which formation.
E. R. (Ross) Crain, P.Eng
Prep
 Prepared by:
Jhonny S.T., M.Sc
Department of Petroleum Engineering
E. R. (Ross)
Faculty of Engineering, Technology Crain,
and Built P.Eng
Environment,
UCSI University
 Conclusion
• Cutting data can be used as cross check
and validation of logging data.
• If there is a formation, that you suspect
contains only water from the logs (GR, SP,
and resistivity), but that formation produced
oil, then we are dealing with low resistivity
formation.
1: Very Good, ITB, 2009
2: Good,
3:Medium Prepared by:
4:Poor
 `

Thank You