How To Easily Read A Well Log in 5 Minutes or Less Using These 'Six Ko Ko Rules'

As a petrophysicist, I look at the well log patterns, recognize the trends, and then turn those patterns
into scientifically quantifiable reservoir knowledge.

It's not art. It's not magic. It's just science.

It all began about 10 years ago when I had my first mentor. His name is Ko Ko Kyi. He taught me how to
read and interpret well logs from recognizing well log patterns.

After almost a decade of looking at and interpreting well logs from different reservoirs all over the world,
I can say that what Ko Ko taught me still works, especially for clean sandstone and carbonate reservoirs.
For a complex or an unconventional reservoir, it may or may not work.

I used them every day as a starting point for any quantitative petrophysical evaluations.

Today, I want to share how you can interpret a well log in minutes just by looking at the well log patterns
- a technique I called "The Ko Ko Rules".

There's nothing fancy about it, nor does it deserved to be patented. It's just a common sense, step-by-
step approach in interpreting any well logs. But the results are magical.

And I know that it will be useful to you.

Enter 'The Ko Ko Rules'

What you need:

1. Plot triple combo logs in this sequence GR, Resistivity, Density-Neutron. Plot GR in the first track and
Resistivity in the second track. Both curves should be plotted in increasing values from the left to the
right. Plot Density-Neutron together on the same track. The values should be decreasing as we go from
the left to the right.

(image: Oilfield Review, Spring 2011)

2. Plot Density-Neutron in lithology compatible scale: Sandstone or Limestone scales. We will be able to
tell the reservoir types, the fluid types and estimate porosity right away.

For example, this is Density-Neutron scale for sandstone.

3. Look at the directions of GR, Resistivity, Density and Neutron curves deflections, either to the right or
to the left.

4. By combinating the patterns of each curve deflections, we can tell the difference between reservoir
and non reservoir and/or the fluid types (oil vs gas vs water).

Follow the Ko Ko Rules:

1. Look at the directions of the curve deflections (whether to the right or to the left) in these following
sequence: GR-Res-Density-Neutron.

1. Tight non-reservoir: Right-Right-Right-Right.

GR-Res-Density-Neutron all deflect to the right.

Why it works: If we are not in a reservoir zone, GR is higher due to larger natural radioactivity from U, Th,
K contents. Resistivity is higher due to tightness. Density and Neutron read low porosity.

2. Shale: Right-Right-Right-Left.

GR, Res-Den deflect to the right. Only Neutron deflects to the left.

Why it works: GR is higher due to larger natural radioactivity from U, Th, K contents. Resistivity is higher
due to tightness. Density read low porosity. Neutron falsely responds to the clay bound water resulting
to higher apparent porosity. You will see a reversed Density-Neutron crossover.

Sometimes, the resistivity could deflect to the left as well, depending on the properties of the shale
itself. So it could read, Right-Left-Right-Left.

Note: You might see a reversed Density-Neutron crossover in dolomite. Over a dolomitic zone, GR reads
lower.
3. Low porosity (tight) reservoir: Left-Right-Right-Right.

GR deflects to the left, GR-Res-Density-Neutron deflect to the right.

Why it works: GR reads lower due to lower radioactivity of Th, K and U. Resistivity, Density-Neutron
respond to the tightness of the reservoir (rock quality), rather than to the fluid types.

4. Water bearing reservoir: Left-Left-Left-Left.

GR-Res-Density-Neutron all deflect to the left.

Why it works: GR reads lower due to lower radioactivity of Th, K and U. Resistivity responds to saline
formation water. Density-Neutron reads higher porosity in reservoir.
5. Oil bearing reservoir: Left-Right-Left-Left.

GR and Density-Neutron all deflect to the left. Only resistivity deflects to the right.

Why it works: GR reads lower due to lower radioactivity of Th, K and U. Resistivity responds to non
conducive hydrocarbon, giving higher resistivity. Density-Neutron reads higher porosity in reservoir.

6. Gas reservoir: Left-Right-Left-Right.

GR deflects to the left; Resistivity, right; Density left; and Neutron, right.

Why it works: GR reads lower due to lower radioactivity of Th, K and U. Resistivity responds to non
conducive hydrocarbon, giving higher resistivity. Density gives lower bulk density due to lower gas
density. Neutron reads low apparent low porosity in gas zone due to lower neutron-hydrogen
interactions in gas as compared to neutron-hydrogen interactions in water.
So, there you go - the six Ko Ko Rules in well log interpretation.

It goes without saying that the rules won't work all the time. They are just rules, not a law. Even for
gravity, it works on earth, but not so well in space. When it doesn't work, ignore these rules.

It may not work for freshwater environment, low resistivity pay zones, hot sands, and for unconventional
reservoirs.

It may not even work for you next well that's half a mile away because the reservoir quality could change
abruptly. That's just how nature works.

It's a good starting point for any well log evaluations.

The next step would be to look at all the available logs curves and other well data so you can do a proper
quantitative log analysis. That's when petrophysics gets really interesting.

In any case, thanks Ko Ko, you rule!