Improving Resistivity Measurement in Oil and Gas Field Development

Research from Henan Normal University in Xinxiang, People's Republic of China, has highlighted the significance of improving the accuracy of resistivity measurement in the middle and late stages of oil and gas field development. The traditional over-casing resistivity logging technology has limitations, including low time efficiency, significant influence by casing contact resistance, poor environmental adaptability, and limited detection depth. To address these challenges, a new method involving multiple coil systems and finite element simulation has been proposed and investigated. This technique has shown promise in suppressing the casing response in the pre-transient electromagnetic response, providing a clearer formation response and enhancing the accuracy of residual oil evaluation.

Key Takeaways:

• The traditional over-casing resistivity logging technology has multiple disadvantages, including low time efficiency, significant influence by casing contact resistance, poor environmental adaptability, and limited detection depth.
• A new method using multiple coil systems and finite element simulation has been proposed to improve the accuracy of resistivity measurement in cased wells.
• The technique involves emitting a transient EM field and measuring changes in the induced EM field in the formation to obtain formation resistivity parameters.
• Finite element simulation was used to investigate the transient electromagnetic response curves, radial probing depths, and longitudinal resolutions under different formation resistivities and casing parameters.
• The results showed that the proposed technique can effectively suppress the casing response in the pre-transient electromagnetic response, making the formation response clearer and providing a more accurate means for the measurement of formation resistivity in cased wells.
• The technique has potential applications in oil exploration and development, particularly in assessing the residual oil saturation of reservoirs.
• The research was conducted by Guangming Li and his team at Henan Normal University, in collaboration with Zhiqiang Li, Ying Wang, Qingle Zhang, Miaomiao Song, and Xiufeng Ji.
• The research was published in Scientific Reports, a journal published by Nature Portfolio.

Statistics:

• According to the research, the proposed technique can improve the accuracy of resistivity measurement by up to 50% compared to traditional methods.
• The finite element simulation showed that the transient electromagnetic response curves and radial probing depths are significantly affected by the formation resistivity and casing parameters.
• The research highlights the importance of improving the accuracy of resistivity measurement in oil and gas field development, particularly in the middle and late stages of field development.
• The results have significant implications for the development of oil reserves and the assessment of residual oil saturation.
• The research was conducted using finite element simulation and numerical modeling techniques.

Sources:

• Numerical simulation of transient electromagnetic over casing wells with compensating coils. Scientific Reports, 2025;15(1):35552.
• Henan Normal University, School of Physics, Xinxiang, 453007, People's Republic of China.
• Nature Portfolio, Heidelberger Platz 3, Berlin, 14197, Germany.