Abstract: Fracture Identification and Evaluation Using Borehole Imaging and Full Wave Form Logs in the Permian Basin

Lee Sanders

The borehole imaging and acoustic full wave form logs provide an excellent means for identifying and evaluating naturally occurring fractures. The natural fractures can provide the porosity and permeability essential for a productive reservoir. The detection of these fractures may be accomplished by two types of wireline logging tools: borehole imaging devices and acoustic full wave form tools. The borehole imaging tools produce images based upon the electromagnetic or the acoustic properties of the borehole wall. Fractures will appear as darker images that are distinct from the nonfracture formation. These images are coupled with a reference azimuth that allows for the determination of the orientation of the fracture image. The acoustic full wave form logs are used to detect fracture by analyzing various acoustic properties of the formation. The travel time, amplitude, and frequency responses of fractured formations differ remarkably from the responses of nonfractured formations because of the reduction of the acoustic energy in the fractures. The various field examples from the Queen sandstone to the Ellenburger formation demonstrate the advantages and disadvantages unique to the borehole imaging and the acoustic full wave form devices. Within this geologic framework, comparisons are made among the data extracted from whole cores, borehole imaging devices, and the acoustic full wave form tools in establishing a systematic approach for the identification and evaluation of fractures.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90980©1994 AAPG Southwest Section Meeting, Ruidoso, New Mexico, April 24-26, 1994