Methods of identifying high neutron capture cross section doped proppant in induced subterranean formation fractures

Methods for determining the locations/heights of fractures in a subterranean formation use a post-fracture log obtained with a compensated neutron or pulsed neutron logging tool. Utilizing predetermined relationships between tool count rates and associated near/far count rate ratios, the methods det...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors DUENCKEL ROBERT, SMITH MICHAEL P, SMITH, JR. HARRY D
Format Patent
LanguageEnglish
Published 31.07.2012
Subjects
DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS
EARTH DRILLING
EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING
FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
GEOPHYSICS
GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS
MEASURING
MINING
OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
PHYSICS
TESTING
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Summary:Methods for determining the locations/heights of fractures in a subterranean formation use a post-fracture log obtained with a compensated neutron or pulsed neutron logging tool. Utilizing predetermined relationships between tool count rates and associated near/far count rate ratios, the methods detect the presence of proppant containing high thermal neutron capture cross-section material, substantially eliminating proppant determination uncertainty resulting from changes in formation hydrogen index. In an interval of a well with given borehole and formation conditions, and not containing proppant, a relationship is developed between detector count rate and near/far ratio. This relationship is used to compute count rate from the ratio in intervals of the well possibly containing proppant and which have similar formation and borehole conditions. The count rate computed from the ratio is compared with the observed detector count rate, with proppant indicated from suppression in observed count rate relative to count rate computed from the ratio.
Bibliography:Application Number: US20100820576