ABSTRACT: Application of the Six Arm Dipmeter in the Michigan Basin

Douglas J. Seifert, Chris H. Johnson

Description of the subsurface stratigraphy in Michigan has always relied heavily upon the dipmeter. Previous dipmeter tools, especially four arm dipmeters, have proven themselves to be very useful, but these tools have demonstrated shortcomings. Problems encountered have been deviated holes, extremely highly resistive formations, saturated brine drilling fluids, borehole rugosity, and the need for fast, detailed, wellsite computations. The six arm dipmeter has been very successful in reducing the severity of these problems. The six arm dipmeter makes use of an advanced mechanical design and electronic circuitry along with a computation technique that makes optimal use of the systematic redundancy.

Applications for the six arm dipmeter in Michigan are structural dip, stratigraphic dip, fracture detection, and for the location of reefs.

The six arm dipmeter hardware is described and its applications are shown by field examples for the Niagran, Trenton, Prairie Du Chien, and Antrim.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90998 AAPG Eastern Section Meeting, London, Ontario, Canada, September 10-12, 1990