Epithermal and thermal pulsed neutron solution

APS Accelerator Porosity Sonde

The APS* accelerator porosity sonde delivers both epithermal and
thermal neutron measurements by using an electronic pulsed neutron
generator (PNG) instead of a conventional radioactive chemical source.
The combination of the large neutron yield from the PNG and detector
shielding incorporated in the tool results in measurements that are
relatively insensitive to the borehole environment and formation
characteristics, such as lithology and salinity.
Five detectors provide accurate information for conducting porosity
evaluation, gas detection, shale evaluation with greater vertical resolution,
and borehole correction. APS measurements can be performed in both
open and cased holes.
Obtain both epithermal and thermal neutron mea-
surements using a high-energy electronic source
for improved measurements and wellsite safety.
APPLICATIONS

Formation evaluation in open
hole and behind casing

Accurate neutron porosity
measurement in environments
with thermal neutron absorbers

Accurate hydrogen index (HI)
measurement

Clay analysis

Gas detection

Identification of thin pay zones
Minitron*
neutron source
Near epithermal
detector
Epithermal array
detectors
Thermal array
detector
Far epithermal
detector
The APS sonde incorporates
an electronic PNG and five detectors.
The lack of contrast in the gamma ray measurement, shown in the depth track, indicates a shaly sand. Despite this challenging formation,
the crossover profiles of both the APS neutron with density (Track 2) and with sonic (Track 1) logs identify all the gas zones in the interval.
THIN BEDS
The greater vertical resolution and lower sensitivity to clay of the APS
porosity measurement improves the identification and evaluation of thin
beds. Run in combination with Rt Scanner* triaxial induction service or
the AIT* array induction imager tool, the APS sonde provides a vertical
resolution of approximately 1 ft [0.3 m]. The thermal neutron formation
capture cross section (sigma) measurement can be used to focus the
vertical resolution of shale evaluation, which is usually obtained from
gamma ray measurements.
SHALY SANDS
Because clay has little effect on the APS HI measurement, any gas
effect in shaly sands is more visible. The greater visibility reduces the
chance of missing a pay zone.
MIXED-LITHOLOGY CARBONATES
The degree of dolomitization in a formation has little influence on the
APS carbonate response. As a result, the APS HI measurement in
carbonates with unknown or variable dolomitization is representative
of true formation porosity.
HIGH-SALINITY FLUIDS
The integration of APS epithermal neutron detection and borehole
shielding minimizes the effects of formation and borehole fluids with
high salinity. For conventional neutron porosity tools, these effects are
much greater and depend on lithology, invasion characteristics, and
hydrocarbon saturation.
ROUGH HOLE CONDITIONS
In rugose hole sections, tool standoff can be corrected using the mea-
surements from the APS epithermal array detectors.
DIFFICULT HOLE CONDITIONS
Because the APS sonde does not use a chemical radioactive source,
the tool can be deployed in wells with difficult conditions and a greater
likelihood of sticking. This eliminates the additional concerns of retriev-
ing the chemical source.
Bulk Density
Gas
Laterolog 4
Laterolog 3
2 . 0
Laterolog 2
2 . 0
2 . 0
ohm.m
Laterolog 1
ohm.m 2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
2,000
Caliper
Bit Size
16 6 in
Compensated Thermal Neutron Porosity
15 . 0 5 4 . 0 ft
3
/ft
3

Bulk density from
Platform Express*
three-detector
lithology density tool
TNPH from APS sonde
TNPH from
Platform Express
highly integrated
gamma ray
neutron sonde
95 . 2 5 9 . 1 g/cm
3

Laterolog 5
2 . 0 ohm.m
2 . 0 ohm.m
ohm.m
Gamma Ray
3,000 0 gAPI
16 6 in
X,X00
Measured
Depth,
ft
X,X50
X,Y00
X,Y50
Bulk Density
APS TNPH
1 . 0 5 4 . 0 ft
3
/ft
3

5 9 . 2 5 9 . 1 g/cm
3

Gas
The APS thermal neutron porosity measurement provides
continuity for comparison with conventional logs while
reducing security and environmental concerns associated
with conventional chemical radioactive neutron sources.
The PNG-derived thermal neutron porosity (TNPH) from the APS sonde in Track 4 is an excellent match to the conventional americium-beryllium (AmBe) TNPH in Track 3.
The APS thermal neutron porosity agrees well with the measured AmBe porosity
over a range of approximately 0 to 30 pu in a Middle East limestone formation. Also
note that the APS thermal neutron porosity produces the expected response in the
anhydrite beds.
In a shaly sand from South America the APS thermal neutron porosity tracks the
measured AmBe porosity for a mixed environment with values spanning a range
of approximately 5 pu to 45 pu.
The APS thermal neutron porosity is also available as a high-resolution output. In
this example of a North American carbonate containing very low-porosity limestone
with some sand and shale, the high-resolution APS thermal neutron porosity agrees
well with the conventional AmBe logs.
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
Thermal neutron porosity, V/V
M
e
a
s
u
r
e
d

d
e
p
t
h
,

f
t

AmBe
Pulsed neutron
Anhydrite
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
Thermal neutron porosity, V/V
M
e
a
s
u
r
e
d

d
e
p
t
h
,

f
t


AmBe
Pulsed neutron
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
280
300
320
Thermal neutron porosity, V/V
M
e
a
s
u
r
e
d

d
e
p
t
h
,

f
t


AmBe
Pulsed neutron
EQUIVALENT THERMAL NEUTRON POROSITY
A proprietary algorithm computes an equivalent thermal neutron poros-
ity from the APS hydrogen index and sigma measurements. Because the
calculation is derived using physics and modeling, it is also free of the
biases typically introduced by empirical techniques. The APS equivalent
thermal neutron porosity represents the measurement that would be
obtained by a traditional thermal neutron tool using an AmBe source.
The APS thermal neutron porosity measurement provides continuity
for comparison with conventional logs while reducing security and
environmental concerns associated with chemical radioactive neutron
sources. In the three log examples shown, the APS thermal neutron
porosity (red dash-dot pattern) compares well with the values derived
from a conventional AmBe radioactive sourcebased tool (black curve).
Both curves use Schlumberger standard corrections for matrix type,
hole size, standoff, mud type and weight, borehole salinity, pressure,
and temperature; no correction is made for formation salinity.
Measurement Specifications
Output Hydrogen index, thermal neutron porosity,
formation sigma
Logging speed Standard: 1,800 ft/h [549 m/h]
High resolution: 900 ft/h [274 m/h]
High speed: 3,600 ft/h [1,097 m/h]
Range of measurement Porosity: 0 to 60 pu [0 to 60% uncorrected porosity]
Vertical resolution 14 in [35.56 cm]
Accuracy <7 pu: 0.5 pu
7 to 30 pu: 7%
30 to 60 pu: 10%
Sigma: 1 cu [0.1/m]
Depth of investigation 7 in [17.78 cm]
Mud type or weight limitations None
Combinability Combinable with most services
If combined with ECS* elemental capture
spectroscopy sonde, the APS sonde must
be run below it
Mechanical Specifications
Temperature rating 350 degF [177 degC]
Pressure rating 20,000 psi [138 MPa]
Borehole sizemin. 4.625 in [11.75 cm]
Borehole sizemax. 21 in [53.34 cm]
Outside diameter 3.625 in [9.21 cm]
Length 13 ft [3.96 m]
Weight 222 lbm [101 kg]
Tension 50,000 lbf [22,410 N]
Compression 23,000 lbf [102,310 N]
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*Mark of Schlumberger
Copyright 2009 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 09-FE-0007