Well Logging in Russian Federation: State-of-the-art and Perspectives

Sh.K. Gergedava, Director General of DOAO "Gazpromgeofizika"

 

Dear Colleagues, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen!

 

First I would like to thank you for taking part in the International Well Logging Conference and Exhibition being held at the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas under the initiative and under the aegis of Euroasian Geophysical Society and Society of Professional Well Log Analysts SPWLA.

 

The fact that these conference and exhibition are held in Russia points to attention given by the world geophysical community to our country experiencing deep economical transformations at present. It demonstrates the interest of professional geophysicists to the problems of petroleum branch of the largest world producer of hydrocarbons, the interest and respect of our foreign colleagues to the scientific and engineering capabilities and findings of Russian geophysicists whose achievements have become a property of the world scientific community.

 

I believe that participation of many leading world specialists, including ones from Russia and other CIS countries, will win both the Conference and Exhibition high prestige and make them fruitful, it will bring us new knowledge, creative and personal contacts.

 

Once again I would like to thank all participants of the Conference and Exhibition. I would like to express our common gratitude to the "Gazprom" company, Russian Federation Ministry of Fuel&Energy, Russian Federation Ministry of Natural Resources, Schlumberger company, Oil company of "Sidanko", Gubkin Russian State University of Oil&Gas, and Eurasian Geophysical Society who provided financial support and contributed to organization of the Conference and Exhibition.

 

Russian Oil&Gas Producing Complex: State-of-the-art

Presently, 12% of world oil reserves and more than 35% of natural gas reserves are located in the Russian Federation. More than 143 thousand oil wells and nearly 6000 gas wells have been drilled in Russia. As of January 1, 1998, 138.8 thousand wells, including 102 thousand producing wells, were put into operation on the Russian oil fields.

 

In 1977 296 mln tons of oil and 607 mlrd m3 of gas were produced in Russia, 67.6% of oil and 92.5% of gas were produced in West Siberia.

 

Hydrocarbon resources are produced by the Gazprom company, the largest world gas producer, vertically integrated oil companies Lukoil, Yukos, Surgutneft, Sibneft, Tatneft, Rosneft, and Sidanko - companies, included in the twenty largest world petroleum producers, as well as other companies.

 

Overall nearly 11 mln m of operating, exploration and prospecting oil and gas wells were drilled in Russia in 1997, including 1.6 mln m drilled by organizations of the Russian Federation Ministry of Mineral Resources, 1.2 mln m by Gazprom, and more than 8 mln m by the Russian Federation Ministry of Fuel&Energy.

 

In 1997 the overall footage of deep exploration drilling in the Russian Federation made up 1.56 mln linear meters, it has increased by 220 thousand m as compared to 1996. The footage of stratigraphic and prospecting drilling has increased by 16%. Most of deep exploration drilling was carried out in West Siberia (61.1%) and Ural-Volga region (30.7%).

 

A specific feature of last years is the substantially growing footage of horizontal wells and horizontal side tracks drilled in oil and gas fields and underground gas storages (UGS). In 1997 the footage of horizontal drilling has increased by a factor of more than 1.3 versus 1996.

 

Well Logging in Russia: State-of-the-art and Problems.

 

Logging in Oil and Gas Wells under Drilling

The role of well logging in prospecting and exploration of oil and gas and in production drilling has been traditionally of great importance in Russia. Well logging methods constitute an integral part of well construction technology, they are applied to solve the following problems:

 

Well logging data are applied in the geological and technological studies and controlling well construction, engineering conditions of borehole structure elements, assistance and control of testing pay horizons.

 

Well Logging in Controlling the Development of Oil and Gas Fields

Well logging in operating wells serves as a main source of information in examining, controlling, and optimizing the development of oil and gas fields and operation of underground gas storage facilities. In Russia, latter is given a special attention in the last few years.

 

In Russia, we have devised an advanced small-size combined borehole equipment (wellhead sealing equipment - a parametric series of lubricators), technology for logging wells of various construction, interpretation methodology for controlling technological processes applied in the development of HC targets. Besides automated systems have ben devised allowing the interactive data-processing in the real time scale.

 

Based on "well logging - testing" data one can build dynamic models of oil and gas reservoirs, trace the recovery of hydrocarbons HC from particular compartments of reservoir, study the advancement of gas-fluid contacts, water influx and engineering conditions of wells, systems analysis of the development of HC targets to provide a maximum recovery of hydrocarbon reserves. One can provide a permanent monitoring of HC targets and underground gas storage facilities by combining LWD and "Well Logging - Test" cycles.

 

Well Logging in Underground Gas Storage Facilities

Russia holds a world lead in the number and volume of underground gas storages. In the program of Gazprom development a provision is made for construction of underground gas storage facilities in a number of new areas to double the operating volume of facilities in the coming years. This project has called for creation of specific lines in well logging, particularly in the exploration, construction and operation of underground gas storages to produce geological and geophysical information used in the monitoring of storage facilities.

 

In addition to traditional problems being solved in oil and gas fields with the use of well logging, in a case of underground gas storage one can solve a number of other complicated and vital problems:

 

The Gazpromgeofizika company of Gazprom association was a pioneer in providing a full-scale solution of the above-listed problems.

 

Perforation and Stimulation of Formations

In Russia perforation and well stimulation traditionally are included in well logging operations. In addition to perforation and stimulation technologies commonly applied in the western practice, in Russia in a wide use are the methods for thermal treatment of formations by powder gases, combustible acidizing compounds, and various types of hook-wall tubing and external casing explosive packers used in well completion.

 

Structure of Well Logging Operations in Russia

In the recent years the structure of well logging operations in Russia has materially changed. In the past more than half of well logging operations were run in open holes under drilling, whereas presently more than half of well logging operations are run in cased holes in the control of production, control of engineering conditions of wells, and well maintenance.

 

Structure of Well Logging Operations in Russia (%)

Operation

1990

1997

Well logging in open holes

52

23

Well logging in cased holes

25

53

Perforation

11

13

Geological&Technological Investigations (GTI)

6

5

Drill-stem testing

5

3

Other operations

1

1

 

In 1997 organizations of the Russian Federation Ministry of Fuel&Energy carried out well logging in 42800 wells and organizations of Gazprom company - in 1128 wells in gas fields and underground gas storages. In the same year well logging was carried out in less than 6000 open holes under drilling.

 

On the one hand, this situation is owed to a growing value of production control in the latest stages of development of oil and gas fields. On the other hand, this is caused by the need in more effective use of operating wells.

 

Structure of Well Logging Services in Russia

Despite economic problems, production geophysical enterprises of the petroleum branch have retained their potential and scope of operations in 1997. The number of operating teams (field parties) was as much as 1200, including 360 teams dealing with logging in wells under drilling, 110 teams carrying out geological-and-technological studies and mud logging, 620 teams dealing with well logging control, perforation and stimulation operations, and 110 teams involved in the combined and special studies.

 

Economic transformations implemented within the last years have materially changed the organization of well logging in Russia. Presently, the state bodies (Ministry of Fuel & Energy, Ministry of Mineral Resources) control geophysical companies not by direct administrative means, but operating as stockholders and members of Boards of Directors.

 

The organizational and legal forms of geophysical enterprises in Russia have also changed:

  1. Large geophysical enterprises of the former Ministry of Oil Industry and Ministry of Geology were transformed to joint-stock companies and subjected to privatization with the state share of stock capital of no more than 40%.
  2. A number of geophysical enterprises were incorporated into vertically integrated oil companies (Surgutneftegeofizika - into Surgutneftegaz oil company, Noyabrskneftegazgeofizika - into Sibneft oil company, Tomskneftegeofizika - into the Eastern oil company, Tyumeneftegeofizika - into Tyumen oil company, Bashneftegeofizika - into Bashneft Oil Company, and Tatneftegeofizika - into Tatneft oil company).
  3. For the first time in Russia an integrated geophysical company Gazprom was created possessing its own research and instrumentation design base owing to the development of scientific and engineering capabilities of Gazpromgeofizika company.

 

The problem of sustainable development of Gazprom company has called for creation of a new geophysical service association in the gas industry. Such association should be capable of implementing all kinds of field well logging operations - from exploration to monitoring and the entire innovative cycle - from Research & Design to wide field implementation of research and engineering advances. Such the geophysical service association was formed under the guidance of Gazprom administration on the base of Gazpromgeofizika company by including leading Russian research institutions dealing with well logging, construction and completion of wells, and evaluation of HC reserves: Research Center Tvergeofizika, VNIPIvzryvgeofizika, and seismic exploration company Kostromageofizika.

 

Geophysical Market in Russia

The transition of Russia to a market economy has materially changed situation in the market of geophysical services in Russia.

As a result the Russian well logging service faced the necessity of meeting the requirements of world well logging standards.

 

The conformity of Russian computer well logging technologies to world standards was verified for many times in the comparative tests made by Russian and leading world geophysical companies in various regions of Russia: West Siberia, European North, Ural-Volga region, and Tengiz (Kazakhstan).

 

All those tests have demonstrated the high efficiency of Russian technologies and the compliance of geological results with those produced by leading geophysical world companies.

 

The results of those tests have allowed Russian companies to win a number of tenders for servicing western oil companies - operators and their joint ventures in Russia, particularly, for providing well logging, VSP, and petrophysical analyses to such companies as Conaco, Exxon, Timan-Pechora Company (TPC), etc. and successfully accomplish these servicing projects.

 

The efficiency of Russian technologies for assessing HC reserves from well logging data was verified by the results of international audit of reserves made for a number of oil and gas fields of Gazprom and Lukoil.

 

It should be emphasized that all well logging operations made by Russian companies are based on Russian technologies and domestic software systems, logging tools and equipment developed in Russia and manufactured in Russia and other CIS countries.

 

Research, Engineering, Methodical, and Human Resources of Russian Geophysics

 

Innovative Activities

The competitiveness of Russian well logging companies is owed to the fact that despite difficulties caused by the reformation of national economy, leading research and design enterprises have retained their potential and proceeded with their innovative activities.

 

The recent years are characterized by a concentration of most of resear4ch and design in well logging in companies known for their long-term traditions and high scientific and engineering potential in these fields. These companies usually provide a full innovative circle: research and design, development of pilot units, organization of quantity production, and implementation into practice.

 

Among such companies one should first of all mention as follows: Gazpromgeofizika, VNIIgeosystem, VNIIYaGG, VNIIgeofizika, research & production company Neftegeofizpribor (Krasnodar), Tyumen design & technological bureau Geotron, and research & production company Geofit (Tomsk).

 

In addition there exist a number of new small-size companies involved in the active innovative process.

 

One should also emphasize the concentration of production enterprises manufacturing well logging tools and equipment.

 

In the recent years Russian organizations have managed to develop and start the production of tools and equipment and designed computer technologies for all the types of well logging operations.

 

Computer Technologies for Logging in Wells Under Drilling

Computer well logging systems include as follows:

In addition to traditional logs widely applied in the Russian practice of mass studies, the new computer well logging technologies include compensated versions of neutron and acoustic logs, formation litho-density log, C/O log, spectral gamma-ray log, and multispacing and multifrequency electromagnetic imagers (IKZ and VIKIZ).

 

Computer Technologies for Geological-and-Technological Study of Wells under Drilling (GTI-studies)

GTI units include as follows:

 

Available is a parametric series of GTI workstations of various purpose, equipped with diverse software-hardware tools designed for all types of wells.

 

The equipment and software of GTI workstations allow one to monitor and control the borehole cementing jobs.

 

Computer Technologies for Logging in Horizontal Wells

In Russia, in the period of mass drilling of cluster inclined-directional wells original technologies for autonomous logging in such wells were devised (VNIIGIS, Gazpromgeofizika, R&P company Geofizika) in order to make use of specific features of geological sections and drilling technologies.

 

As far as it was impossible to maintain a hydraulic communication channel "wellhead-bottomhole" through mud fluids being used at that time, more than 25 years ago VNIIGIS has devised and widely implemented the technology for drilling and logging inclined-directional wells with the use of electromagnetic communication channel. Later on the same technology was applied by western companies.

 

The same technology was later widely applied in horizontal drilling. At present the domestic and foreign devices with hydraulic communication channel have been devised.

 

Besides the technology for horizontal drilling with hydraulic and electromagnetic communication channels "bottomhole-wellhead", in Russia we developed and implemented new, original horizontal logging technologies:

 

The instrumentation-methodical unit "AMAK-OB" is transported by drill pipes, it allows to implement a full set of well logging methods, much like in vertical wells, yet, with autonomous recording of logging data in a built-in memory unit.

The two technologies last mentioned are implemented with the use of computer workstations providing G&T studies (GTI) and well logging operations.

 

Owing to the application of computerized well logging and GTI technologies one gets the following benefits:

 

Computerized Technologies and equipment for Well Logging in Operating Oil and Gas Wells

Computerized well logging units designed for operating oil and gas wells include the set of high sensitive detectors (for measuring production rate, temperature, pressure, fluid composition, gamma-rays, acoustic noise; collar locators, etc.). These sensors are modular, they have a unified interface and surface instrumentation and methodical unit equipped with portable computer systems (manufactors: Gazpromgeofizika, Special Design Bureau Geotron, and R&P company Geofizika).

 

Computerized well logging units designed for operating gas wells (Gazpromgeofizika) are supplied with a series of special lubricators and optional surface equipment.

 

The set of tools designed for operating wells includes a small-size pulsed neutron generator which is run in through tubing (VNIIYAGG, Tatneftegeofizika).

 

Hoist Equipment for Well Logging Operations

Such equipment basically includes well logging hoists with a mechanical drive, mounted on trucks manufactured in Russia and CIS countries. These hoists are equipped with new-generation transducers providing the application of computer technologies. Production of truck hoists with a hydraulic drive is in progress.

 

Well Logging Cable

Well logging cable previously produced in the Tashkent cable plant, presently is manufactured in Perm' and Magnitogorsk cable plants and special enterprise Pskovgeofizkabel'.

 

The amounts of tools, equipment, and cable produced nowadays in Russia as applied to up-to-date well logging technologies completely satisfy the demands of geophysical production enterprises of Russia and other CIS countries. The yield of such production can be increased based on existing production capacities if needed.

 

Perforation and Explosive Devices and Equipment

Equipment, perforators and jet charges of various types have been developed by VNIPIvzryvgeofizika, affiliate of Gazpromgeofizika - the sole research center in the CIS countries (including Russia) as applied to specific geological and thermal conditions.

 

Perforation and explosive devices and equipment which were previously produced by enterprises of military industrial complex are now manufactured by VNIPIvzryvgeofizika (affiliate of Gazpromgeofizika) and Perfotekh company using advanced technologies.

 

Human Resources for Geophysical Operations

In Russia specialists with higher education have been trained for well logging in oil-and-gas fields in Gubkin Russian State University (former name - MINKh), Lomonosov Moscow State University, Technical Universities of Kazan, Irkutsk, Tomsk, Tyumen, Ufa, and Ukhta, Saint-Petersburg and Ekaterinburg Mining Technical Universities, and Moscow Geological Survey Academy (former name - MGRI). Specialists with secondary special education are trained in a number of petroleum colleges.

 

High level of the Russian specialists training is attested by the great demand for graduates of Russian higher schools existing in world geophysical companies.

 

Metrological Systems and Certification in Well Logging

All the well logging methods and tools applied in Russia have metrological supporting systems providing quantitative measurements. The certification of well logging tools, technologies and companies is conducted now by Eurasian Geophysical Society.

 

Legal Rules and Standards in Well Logging

As a response to the "Russian Federation Law on Underground Resources", "Statue on Licensing the Use of Underground Resources", "Statue on Licensing Specific Activity in Studying the Underground Resources" the Ministry of Fuel & Energy and Ministry of Mineral Resources of Russian Federation have initiated the development of basic legal documents regulating well logging operations in Russia. The development of "Rules for Well Logging Operations in Oil and Gas Wells" and Technical Instruction for for Well Logging, Geological & Technological Studies, Perforation & Explosive Operations, and Formation Drill-Stem Testing" is in progress. These documents, destined for up-to-date technologies, are to be entered in 1999. All Operators and Customers of well logging services operating in Russia should obligatory follow these documents.

 

Integrated Interpretation of Well Logging Data and Core Analyses in Assessing Parameters of Oil and Gas Reservoirs in Russia

Specific features of Russian approach to assessing the parameters of geological models of oil and gas reservoirs (effective thickness, porosity, oil saturation) from well logging data, core analyses and test data are owed to specific organization of land use in Russia and, also, application of original algorithms which are sometimes different from ones proposed by western companies. The reserves of oil and gas fields shall be subject to the state expertise prior to inclusion in the state directory. Authors of Reserves Assessment Reports should prove the validity and reliability of models and calculations. That is why Reserves Assessment Reports shall include all geological and geophysical information involved in the reserves assessment. The list of such information and requirements to its presentation are set up by regulation standards. All those who have a mining license without regard to a property form should obligatory follow these standards.

 

When building a geological model and assessing the commercial reserves one could not use generalized models and a similarity based approach - for each of fields one should independently validate algorithms for assessing the model parameters and specific core analyses should be used. For the majority of oil and gas fields being explored and put into development these requirements can be successfully fulfilled with the use of well logging systems including proprietary Russian logging tools, interpretation techniques and software.

 

In Russia a number of automated systems providing operational and integrated interpretation of well logging data are available: GINTEL (Tvergeofizika), ASOIGIS (Central Geophysical Expedition), Log Tools (Tvergeofizika), etc.

 

The efficiency of Russian interpretation methods, software and engineering tools in the reserves assessment has been validated by the results of international audit of proved HC reserves made for a number of targets belonging to Gazprom and Lukoil.

 

Geological, Geophysical, and Hydrodynamic Modeling

Integrated interpretation of field geophysics, well logs, core analyses, test data, results of well logging control of HC targets is applied for building geological, geophysical, and hydrodynamic models of explored and developed HC fields and underground gas storage facilities.

 

Modeling of targets under exploration allow one optimize exploration operations, produce source data for drawing a field construction and development program, and optimize production drilling. Modeling of oil-and-gas field, underground gas storage, and their particular compartments is applied to predict the production and control technological processes.

 

Up-to-date Well Logging Technologies Created in Russia

Specific conditions and traditions of scientific schools are the main reasons responsible for the original development of Russian geophysics, they allowed (much like in the case of pulsed neutron generator, hydrodynamic logging, logging through tubing, VSP, and etc.) to devise a number of new technologies being of much interest to the world engineering community.

 

Some of these technologies (horizontal well logging, geological & technological studies, etc.) were already mentioned above. We would like to note a technology for determining the initial and current oil saturation of reservoir rocks from the analysis of various types of acoustic waves in the acoustic multiwave logging. This technology being the first alternative to Archie method was devised and introduced in the Russian State University of Oil & Gas (Gubkin University). Of particular value this technology may be in cased holes when applied in combination with C/O log and other methods to analyzing the development of oil and gas fields. To implement this technology multiwave acoustic logging tools were specially designed by Tvergeofizika, affiliate of Gazpromgeofizika.

 

Another technology being of much interest to the post-recovery of residual oil and gas reserves is a promising technology for studying spatial heterogeneity of oil and gas reservoirs based on the integrated processing of well logging data (proposed by Gubkin University).

 

Problems and Prospects of Well Logging in Russia

 

New Geological Problems

Future advancement of Russian oil-and-gas complex calls for involving new, promising deposits featuring complicated reservoirs types and fluid systems in the exploration and development.

 

Among such deposits are as follows:

 

Of crucial value is the development of methods for quantitative examination of HC reservoirs with complicated and mixed composition of fluid components (gas with high, subcritical content of condensate; condensate; oil). Such complicated characteristics are specific for large amounts of liquid hydrocarbons enclosed in the reservoirs of Achimov series in West Siberia, reservoirs of deep-seated deposits of Caspian basin, etc. To solve this problem one has to apply advanced well logging methods and techniques.

 

Of much promise is the application of nuclear magnetic logging in artificial physical fields, imagers and scanners based on various physical principles, and geochemical (mud) logging.

 

In our opinion, the major conceptual problem of well logging is a more sophisticated, theoretical and experimental understanding of physical principles of particular well logging methods and their functional relations with specific characteristics of rocks and fluids, synergetic application of these relations in constructing an adequate geological model.

 

New Technological Problems

In the last years, new technologies and structures have been in use in well construction in oil and gas fields and underground gas storages.

 

Among those innovations are as follows:

 

All the above-mentioned technologies and structures when applied in well construction call for using tools and well logging technologies being appropriate in conditions and geometry of horizontal wells.

 

Integration of Research Methods

Considerable promises appear due to combining and integration of various well logging methods and creation of integrated computerized units allowing to solve urgent geological and technological problems.

 

Among such integrated units being designed in Russia are as follows:

 

Role of Well Logging Data in Constructing the Information and Control Systems

In all geophysical organizations, without regard to their departmental belonging, computer technologies are widely applied in the processing of raw well logging data with the use of hardware-software systems providing acquisition and processing of data, compilation of local, regional, and departmental data bases and data banks of geological and geophysical information.

 

Basic research centers of Gazpromgeofizika (Gazpromgeofizika company), Major Computer Center (GLAVNIVTs), Russian Federation Ministry of Mineral Resources, Central Geophysical Expedition (TsGE), Russian Federation Ministry of Fuel & Energy participate in the development and implementation of information-measuring systems and software following a hierarchical order. Such projects are implemented in order to form information computer centers destined for the storage of geological and geophysical information (G&GI) to be frequently used in estimating and updating of HC reserves, planning the production control, monitoring of HC targets and operation of underground gas storages.

 

The following types of information shall be collected: exploration geophysics; well logging; geological, geochemical, gas-hydrodynamic, and hydrogeological downhole studies of wells, formations, HC reservoirs, and underground gas storages; information about the production and economic activities of companies involved in the above studies.

 

Basic functions of of geophysical information computer centers are as follows:

 

The creation of unified information computer network is based on the hierarchical concept of organization of computer networks assuming the following levels: local, regional, and departmental.

 

Formation of departmental geological and geophysical information centers is aimed at organization of future Federal Center of the State Fuel and Energy System.

 

XXI century will be the century of computer networks and wide application of information technologies for predicting and control of technological processes taking place in large-scale systems and optimizing production technologies. Well logging data have a crucial value in solving the problems of the petroleum industry.

 

Prospects of Russian Well Logging Services

The primary objective of Russian well logging services is to complete its global technical retooling and switch over to original Russian computer technologies.

 

National well logging services will survive and develop mostly based on the domestic research and engineering advances, yet, with the use of achievements of the world geophysical community.

 

In future, for particular economic and organizational reasons, most of well logging throughout the Russia territory will be carried out for various Customers by Russian geophysicists with the required quality of engineering operations and high efficiency.

 

However, the integration with western geophysical companies both in designing new well logging tools and technologies and in joint well logging servicing in Russia and abroad seems quite promising. The examples of such cooperation are known to all of us.

 

I believe that these International Conference and Exhibition well facilitate future progress in science and engineering and strengthen the cooperation of various states and geophysical organizations in prospecting, exploration and production of hydrocarbon resources necessary for prosperity of all nations and maintaining the peace and mutual understanding of people all over the world.

 

Thank you.

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