Formation Evaluation Fundamentals
أساسيات تقييم الطبقات
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- Available in-house
- Fees from
- —per delegate
- Formats
- In-house training0 sessions
- Duration
- 5 daysCertificate
Overview
Formation evaluation answers some of the most important questions in the oil and gas business: is there hydrocarbon in the rock, how much, and can it flow? Wireline and logging-while-drilling measurements, core data and formation tests are combined to determine lithology, porosity, water saturation, permeability and fluid contacts. These results feed directly into reserves estimates, completion decisions and field development plans. Mistakes in log interpretation can lead to bypassed pay, unnecessary completions or wrong volume estimates, so all members of subsurface teams benefit from a solid understanding of how logs are acquired and interpreted.
This course provides a practical introduction to formation evaluation for geoscientists, engineers and technical staff. Participants learn the principles of the main open hole logging tools, including gamma ray, spontaneous potential, resistivity, density, neutron, sonic and nuclear magnetic resonance logs. The course covers log quality control, environmental corrections, lithology identification, porosity calculation, shale volume estimation and water saturation using Archie and shaly sand models. It also explains formation pressure testing and fluid sampling, the integration of core data, net pay determination and the presentation of results, using real log examples from clastic and carbonate reservoirs.
Objectives
- Explain the principles of the main open hole logging measurements
- Apply log quality control and environmental corrections to log data
- Identify lithology and estimate shale volume from log responses
- Calculate porosity from density, neutron and sonic logs
- Estimate water saturation using Archie and shaly sand equations
- Interpret formation pressure tests and plan fluid sampling programmes
- Integrate core data and determine net pay for reservoir evaluation
Who should attend
Geologists, geophysicists, petroleum, reservoir and drilling engineers, and technical staff who use well log data.
Training methodology
The course combines explanation of logging physics with intensive interpretation exercises on real log data. Participants perform quick-look interpretations by hand, then carry out complete evaluations in spreadsheets, calculating shale volume, porosity, water saturation and net pay for several wells. Formation pressure data is plotted to identify fluid gradients and contacts. Core analysis results are compared with log-derived properties to calibrate interpretations. Case studies of bypassed pay and misinterpreted zones show the value of careful evaluation, and each day ends with a short quiz and review.
Programme outline
Day1Formation Evaluation Basics
- The purpose of formation evaluation and the decisions that depend on its results
- Reservoir rock and fluid properties: porosity, permeability, saturation and lithology
- The borehole environment, mud filtrate invasion and their effect on log readings
- Wireline logging, logging while drilling and the planning of a logging programme
- Log presentation, depth matching and the quality control of acquired log data
- Quick-look interpretation methods used to identify reservoir zones and likely hydrocarbons
- Practical exercise: quick-look interpretation of a log suite from an exploration well
Day2Lithology and Shale Evaluation
- Gamma ray and spectral gamma ray logs and their use in lithology identification
- Spontaneous potential logs and the estimation of formation water resistivity
- Shale volume estimation from gamma ray and other indicators in clastic reservoirs
- Photoelectric factor and crossplots for identifying sandstone, limestone and dolomite
- Carbonate reservoir characteristics and the particular challenges of evaluating them with logs
- Evaporites, coals and other special lithologies and how they appear on logs
- Practical exercise: identifying lithology and calculating shale volume for a well
Day3Porosity Measurements
- Density log principles, matrix and fluid densities and the calculation of porosity
- Neutron log principles and the effect of shale and gas on neutron readings
- Density-neutron crossplots and their use in identifying gas-bearing reservoir intervals
- Sonic logs, transit time and the calculation of porosity and acoustic properties
- Nuclear magnetic resonance logs, pore size distribution and free fluid estimation
- Total versus effective porosity and the correction of porosity for shale content
- Practical exercise: calculating porosity from density and neutron logs in several wells
Day4Resistivity and Water Saturation
- Resistivity tools such as induction, laterolog and array tools and their selection
- Invasion profiles, true resistivity and the correction of resistivity readings
- The Archie equation and the determination of cementation and saturation exponents in practice
- Shaly sand saturation models such as Simandoux and Indonesia and when to use them
- Pickett plots and other methods to determine water resistivity and saturation
- Saturation height functions and the link between capillary pressure and logs
- Practical exercise: calculating water saturation using Archie and shaly sand models
Day5Formation Testing, Core Integration and Net Pay
- Formation pressure testing tools, pressure gradients and the identification of fluid contacts
- Downhole fluid analysis and fluid sampling for PVT and reservoir studies
- Routine and special core analysis and the calibration of log interpretations
- Permeability estimation from logs, cores and pressure tests and its uncertainty
- Net pay cut-offs, summation of results and reporting of reservoir properties
- Group exercise: complete formation evaluation of a well and recommendation for testing
- Final assessment and discussion of evaluation challenges in participants' own reservoirs
Dates and fees
There are no scheduled dates for this course at the moment. Request it as in-house training, or ask us about the next date.
Certificate
Every delegate who attends the full programme receives a Harfard Technology certificate of completion stating the course title, duration, dates and venue.
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