TEMPERATURE LOGGING

D. R. Peacock
WORTH WELL SURVEYS, INC.

Abstract
The use of new, highly-sensitive and stable temperature logging systems has produced data which correlates with earlier theoretical predictions and has stimulated the application of temperature logging into areas
other than the conventional cement top location.
Innovations lie chiefly in the concepts of combining gradient with
differential logs to get different views of a given temperature anomaly.
Also, the techniques of changing well conditions during a series of logs
are effective in creating temperature anomalies which can reveal considerable information about downhole conditions.
These techniques are particularly effective in producing injectivity
profiles in secondary recovery programs and in evaluating fracturing operations.
Field examples are supplied to illustrate the various procedures.
A.
B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

Introduction
Types of Temperature Logs
1. Solid Line Types
(a). Mercury Thermometer
(b). Mechanical Recording Thermometer
2. Conductor Line Types
(a). Resistance Wire
(b). Semi-Conductor
(c). Differential
Applications
1. Gradient
2. Differential
3. "Delta T" Concept
Temperature Log, After Cementing
1. Locating Cement Tops
2. Locating Squeezed Cement
3. Correlation With Open Hole Caliper Log
Temperature Log in Producing Well
1. Locating Gas-Producing Zone
2. Locating Oil-Producing Zone
3. Locating Gas-Oil Contact
4. Locating Channelling Behind Casing
5. Locating Leaks in Casing
Temperature Log in Open Hole. Locating
Loss of Circulation

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G.

H.

I.
J.

A.

Temperature Logging in Fracturing Operations

1. Theory
(a). Base Log
(b). Fracturing Fluid Temperature
(c). Time Delay for Logging After Fracturing
(d). Fluid Control While Logging
2. Examples
(a). Ambient Temperature Fluid Fracture
(b). Fluid Fracturing
Temperature Log for Injectivity Profile
1. Temperature Profile Log With Heated Fluid
2. Locating Gas Injection Zones With
Temperature Logs
Pressure Equipment
Future of Temperature Logging
1. Formation Logging
2. Tracer Logging

Introduction. Probably the first physical measurement made in an oil

well, other than depth, was the determination of bottom hole temperaThere has been continuing interest and speculation as to the
ture.
significance and usefulness of subsurface temperature data during the
development of the petroleum industry over the past century, but
there seems to have been more theorizing than action in developing
and refining temperature measurement techniques.
It is interesting
to note that in this day of accelerated and sophisticated technology,
where even nuclear instruments and materials have become cormnonplace,
there is a surge of interest in the unexplored potentials of the
"plain vanillaltarea of subsurface temperature.
This revived interest in temperature measurement is a direct result of observed correlation between earlier theoretical predictions
and data recently acquired with new, highly sensitive apparatus and
new concepts in generating downhole temperatures to be measured in
addition to the naturally occurring gradients.

B.

Types of Temperature Logs. In general the temperature measuring systems used in bore hole applications can be grouped in two categories,
(1). those which are operated on solid lines and do not communicate
data to the surface during operation, and (2). those which operate on
conductor cables in order to produce surface recording of continuous
downhole temperature measurements.
1. Solid Line Types.

(4.

Mercury Thermometer. The maximum temperature mercury is the

simplest device in this category.
It was likely the first
type of measurement made downhole and is still widely used
where only bottom hole temperature determinations are necessary.

@I. Mechanical Recording Thermometer.

The downhole mechanical

recording thermometer, commonly known as the "bomb", is an

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integral unit, performing both the temperature measurement

A gasand recording functions within the downhole tool.
filled system senses the temperature variation and mechanically displaces a stylus which records on a clock-driven
The correlation between temperature and depth
chartstrip.
is accomplished by the operator at the surface who must corThis device is very
relate known depth positions with time.
but
has
the
disadvantage
of ofuseful in many applications,
fering only point-to-point rather than continuous data.
2. Conductor Line Types.
Resistance Wire. The temperature logging system which uses a
resistance wire such as platinum in the downhole to sense
temperature and connects by conductor cable to the surface
for a continuous surface recording produces the most complete
data on downhole temperatures. The resistance wire sensor is
fairly responsive and permits logging rates up to 1000 ft/hr.
without loss of accuracy.
Semi-Conductor. A more recent development has replaced the
resistance wire sensor with a semi-conductor, negative coefficient element which has several advantages. The semiconductor element experiences a much greater percentage resistance change per degree temperature change than the resistance wire and therefore greatly increases the sensitivity
of the logging system.
Its relatively small mass also reduces thermal lag and permits logging rates of up to 6000
ft/hr.
The small size of the element has also made possible
the development of downhole tools only 3/4 inch in diameter
for slim hole applications.
Differential. The use of two semi-conductor elements spaced
a short distance apart on the downhole tool and recording on
the surface only the difference between the elements, introduced a new method of detecting minute temperature changes or
anomalies. With the two sensing elements in a balanced electrical circuit and both at the same temperature, the recorded
signal is zero, which is usually represented as a reference
line at the center of the recorder chart. Under this condition of equilibrium, the sensitivity or gain of the logging
system can be greatly increased with the recorded signal remaining at center zero.
However, when equilibrium is upset
by one element experiencing a slight change in temperature,
relatively large recorder deflections result, and the direction of deflection from center zero identifies the nature of
the change. The differential system of measurement in effect
has added a microscopic capability in recording small temperature anomalies.
C.

Applications of Temperature Logs.

1. Gradient. The most
for the purpose of

common usage of the temperature log has been

locating the top of cement after a cementing

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operation. Field examples of this type of log and a detailed discussion of the typical problems are presented later in this paper.
Large gas or fluid movements either in open hole or through tubing
or casing leaks have been successfully analyzed by means of the
gradient types of survey. The gradient type of temperature log is
actuated by the single temperature sensing element downhole, e ither resistance wire or semi-conductor, and surface recording of
One special
the temperature encountered in degrees Fahrenheit.
type of fluid movement problem which has frequently been successfully diagnosed by the gradient temperature log is that of loss of
circulation in drilling.
2.

Differential. In all applications of the gradient temperature log

mentioned above there are occasions when the recorded temperature
anomalies are too small to be interpreted with certainty. In this
event, the differential temperature log, with its ability to detect and amplify the minute anomaly, is found to be very effecThe search for the small anomaly by means of the differentive.
tial method is most likely to occur when small gas or fluid movements are involved through or channelling behind tubing or casing
and when old cement tops or small quantities of squeezed cement
are to be located.

3.

"Delta T" Concept. A new concept in the application of temperature logs has produced significant new data, and is based more on
the new usage of existing gradient and differential temperature
logging systems in combinations rather than the development of new
apparatus or circuitry. The new concept may be summarized in the
It is based
attitude of "if you don't find a delta t, make one".
that
a
single
temperature
log may be
on the practical observation
difficult to interpret, but in combination with a series of logs
run under planned and varied conditions on the same well, the
The situation is analogous to the
downhole picture comes alive.
single still photograph compared with the lapsed time series of
photographs or the motion picture. A typical series of logs would
involve a minimum of three conditions, selected to generate "delThe first log would be run
ta t" at areas of interest in a well.
the
well
having
been shut in for a conunder static conditions,
siderable period of time and with downhole conditions in near normal equilibrium. The second log would run several hours after the
well has been set into a flow condition and the new downhole thermal gradients resulting from the flow have approached equilibrium.
The third log would be run a short time after the well is shut in
and the downhole gradients in the process of returning to the original state of equilibrium.
It is often found that these three curves will reveal areas
of particular interest, and it is common practice to detail those
local areas with the differential temperature log to amplify the
anomalies.

D.

Temperature Log, After Cementing.

1. Locating Cement Tops.

The need

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to determine the success of

cementing operation in filling the annulus around casing to a desired level has brought about the widespread usage of the temperature log for this purpose. The exothermic chemical reaction present in the setting cement generates considerable heat over a period of six to twelve hours after the initial mixing, and it is the
temperature rise of the cement behind casing which is readily detected by the temperature log.
In Fig. 1, the sharp break in the
temperature gradient curve at 1880 ft. clearly indicates the top
of the setting cement.
2. Locating Squeezed Cement.

The quantities of cement which are frequently small and the high pressures in squeezing operations very
often do not develop sufficient heat rise in the casing detected
by a gradient temperature log.
It then becomes advisable to use
the differential method.

In Fig. 2, an example is shown where the differential temperature log was used to advantage in squeeze cement problem.
The
perforated interval from 3498' to 3966' was producing an excessive
amount of water.
Approximately 170 sacks of cement were squeezed
into the perforations, and 60 hours later a differential temperature log run showed that the squeeze cement had penetrated a
water sand zone immediately below the oil-producing zone and shut
out the water.
3.

Correlation With Open Hole Caliper Log. In Fig. 1 the curve above
the cement top is straight and records the normal geothermal gradient of temperature increase with depth of about l/2" per lOO_ft.
Below the cement top, the curve shows considerable variation in
temperature because of the non-uniform diameter of the borehole
and the varying cement mass.
A temperature log in casing surrounded by setting cement should correlate closely with an open
hole caliper log of the same section. Failure to correlate may
indicate an unsuccessful cementing job, with channelling or unfilled cavities.
In certain areas where radiation logs cannot be successfully
used, the temperature log made in casing after cementing is used
for depth control in perforating operations.

E.

Temperature Log in Producing Well.

1. Locating Gas-Producing Zone. An example of temperature logging to
locate a gas-producing zone is shown in Fig. 3. This well was dry
drilled and was producing only a half million CFD.
The gradient
temperature log indicated a cool zone which could be a gas-producing zone between 8550' and 9300'. The differential temperature
log confirmed this indication with sharp deflections in the recorded curve, showing more clearly the top and bottom of the producing zone.
2. Locating Oil-Producing Zone. An example of the gradient temperature log method of locating an oil-producing zone is shown in
Fig. 4. The first run was made while the well was flowing and had

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been flowing for several hours. With the temperature tool traveling downward, the log indicated the bottom of the producing zone
to be at 3459' but did not indicate the top of the zone. The well
was then shut down with no flow for one hour and the second run
was made, showing the top of the producing zone to be at 3442'.
This is a typical example of using the "delta t method" of problem
solution by the deliberate creation of temperature changes in a
well by altering well conditions between successive runs. As shown
on Run No. 1, the oil and gas being produced had cooled the bore
hole several hundred feet above the point of entry. Run No. 2 records the increase in temperature above the production zone and
shows clearly the temperature anomaly created with the zone in
production. This method is very successful when the produced fluids or gas moving up the tubing or casing diffuse the temperature
anomaly of the fluids moving horizontally into the borehole.
3. Locating Gas-Oil Contact. The curves shown in Fig. 5 illustrate
the location of gas-oil contact in an open hole section after the
gas-oil contact had been lowered as a result of production. Run
No. 1 with the gradient temperature log indicated the probable location of contact at 5186' and two runs with the differential log
under identical well conditions confirmed this contact point. The
differential logs showed a minor gas-producing zone at 5220' which
was not detected by the gradient run.
4. Locating Channelling Behind Casing. In Fig. 6 the gradient temperature log shows gas moving from the top of a channel behind the
casing at 2320' and migrating downward to the top of the perforations at 2380', creating an excessive gas-oil ratio. A squeeze
cement operation above the perforations successfully sealed the
channel.
5. Locating Leaks in Casing. The detection of a casing leak, shown
in Fig. 7, was accomplished by making all logging runs with the
well shut in. First came the gradient log, which indicated a leak
at 3420'. Two differential logs at different sensitivity settings
confirmed the leak at the same depth.
F.

Temnerature Log:in Onen Hole. Locating Loss of Circulation.

In Fig. 8 the gradient temperature log shows the bottom of the
thief zone in a loss of circulation problem well to be at 8623', and
the sudden return to the normal geothermal gradient temperature as
the logging tool passed below the thief zone.

G.

Temperature Logging in Fracturing Operation.

1. Theory. Closely related to the principles used in locating a zone
of circulation loss is the use of temperature logs to locate zones
which take or receive fluids in fracturing operations. Determining where the fracturing fluids go is essential in evaluating the
success of the fracturing operation. Temperature logging has been
shown to be very successful in locating the fracture zones if certain requirements are met prior to fracturing.
These are:

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a. a base log "before frac" temperature log; b. that the fracturing fluid temperature is sufficiently higher or lower than the
zone to be fractured; c. that a proper selection of time delay after fracturing is completed, to run the "after frac" log; d. that
proper pressure control equipment is used while running log if
well has surface pressures.
(a). Base Log.
A temperature log should be run just prior to fracturing and used
as a base log, providing no previous logs have been run in the
same fie.ldor area, or providing cementing operations have recently been made on well.
(b). Fracturing Fluid Temperature.
During fracturing operations there is a considerable amount of
heat transfer between the fluid being injected and the formations
surrounding the borehole, and formations which break down and accept fluid experience a greater temperature change than the adjacent formations which do not break down.
Field experience has
shown that best results are obtained when there is a temperature
differential of 35F between the injection fluid and the surface
temperature of the well.
This temperature may be higher or lower
than the formation.
Computation of the anomaly amplitude can be
made from the rate of injection, type of fluid, volume of fluid,
depth of injection and temperature of fluid and formation. These
computations will not be discussed in this paper.
(c). Time Delay for Logging After Fracturing.
For the proper evaluation of a fracture operation, the time for
running a temperature log is at the point when the temperature
gradient above the fractured zone has approached near-thermal equilibrium and the temperature at the fracture has remained abnormal. This time occurs between 3 to 8 hours after fracturing operations are completed. An early time should be selected if no previous logs have been recorded.
(d). Fluid Control While Logging.
Fluid disturbance due to fluid loss at the lubricator pack-off
should be avoided. Movement of the fluid inside the borehole can
result in an incorrect evaluation of the fracturing operation.
2. Examples.
(a). Ambient Temperature Fluid Fracture.
Figure 9 is a typical "after frac" temperature log across a Devonian formation in Midland County, Texas. The top of fracture is
indicated by the sharp decrease in temperature at 11868'. The bottom of the fracture is shown on the log at 12027'. Largest percentage of the fluid has entered the zone at 12000'. Notice should
be taken of the fact that the entire perforated interval was not
fractured. Temperature of the fracturing fluids at the surface was
approximately 90"F, while the formation temperature was approximately 190F.

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(b). Fluid Fracturing.

Fig. 10 shows two temperature logs, one before and one after fracture of a well in the San Andres formation of Crane County, Texas.
This well was perforated with single plane notches at 3322' and
3404'. Comparing the "after frac" log to the "before frac" log
indicates the top zone to be fractured from 3288' to 3355'. Top
of the fracture on the lower zone was at 3397' with no communication to the upper zone. Temperature of the fracture fluids at the
surface was 130'F. Formation temperature was 88'F.
H.

Temperature Log for Injectivity Profile.

The chief value of temperature logs for injectivity profiles is in
the ability to indicate horizontal penetration of injected fluids.
This is made possible by virtue of the fact that fluids injected into
a formation can alter the normal temperature of that formation for a
considerable distance from the borehole, and the process is reversible after the injection is stopped. For example, hot fluid injected
into a permeable zone can store up a considerable heat mass several
After injection, borehole formations which
feet from the borehole.
did not absorb fluids will return to normal geothermal temperatures
much more rapidly than the formation which did absorb the hot fluids.
The receiving formations become reservoirs of heat in a reversible
process and will show on "after-injection" logs as hot zones long after the other borehole formations have returned to equilibrium. The
relative persistence of this hot zone is an indication of horizontal
penetration of the injection fluid.
A significant characteristic of the fluid injection-temperature
log procedure is that it is a reversible process where a formation is
a receiver of fluids during injection but becomes a transmitter of
acquired heat after injection pressures are relieved.
It is further significant to realize that injection fluids may
move away from the borehole in extremely small channels and fissures
in devious configurations, but the heat transmitted back toward the
borehole tends to travel by conduction in a straight line. Therefore,
the actual mass of an extensive receiving zone at some distance from
the borehole will show up on the temperature log as a large hot zone
and the exact location of the fissure through which injection occurred will be obscured.
Radioactive tracers currently in use tend to show only where tracer materials leave the borehole and are not effective in detecting
radioactivity any appreciable distance from the borehole.
1. Temperature Profile Log With Heated Fluid.
Fig. 11 is a temperature log showing the injectivity profile of
heated fluids being injected into four sets of perforations. Run
No. 1 was run while ambient temperature fluids were being injectRun No. 2 was run while injecting 130' fluid. Run No. 3 was
ed.
run 8 hours after closing in and shows the profile of the injected hot fluid in the receiving formations. Injection rate into the
well was 475 barrels per day. Total injection of heated fluid was

-8-

1400 barrels.
2. Locating Gas Injection Zones With Temperature Logs.
Fig. 12 shows a temperature gradient (Run No. 1) and a differential temperature log (Run No. 2) across the Devonian formation.
Both logs were run while injecting 2.1 million CFPD of natural
gas.
The temperature logs clearly show the zones creating large
temperature anomalies with the differential temperature log amplifying the smaller anomalies. These logs can be effectively applied to any injection well where a relative quantitative analysis
is adequate.
I.

Pressure Equipment.
The correct use and proper selection of pressure control equipment
is of prime importance in running temperature logs in wells having
any surface pressure. In addition to the safety factor, which should
be considered, is the importance of being able to completely "shut
off" or prevent any blow-by of gas or fluids past the cable pack-off
This is especially important while the temperature log is
system.
being run where static thermal equilibrium is desired.
The most effective method for pressure control is the hydraulic controlled packoff in which grease is used to hold back well fluids and gas.
Gas
wells with well head pressure up to 5000 PSI have been successfully
controlled with this system.

J.

Future of Temperature Logging.

Temperature logging tools, techniques and interpretation have
steadily been improved since its first conception in the late 1800's.
It is recognized, however, that new interest and recognition of unexplored potential is spreading throughout the petroleum and geophysical sciences in temperature logging.
1. Formation Logging.
It has been known for Years that there is a conduction of heat
from the core of earth to its surface.
It isfurther known that
the rate of heat transfer is dependent on the thermal conductivity
of the formations above the core.
It is also known that this
thermal conductivity can be correlated to specify types of formations. A temperature logging device is now being developed which
it is felt will be able to log and identify formations by their
thermal characteristics.
Further investigation could reveal the
presence of oil, gas, or water, since each has its own thermal
conductivity.
2. Tracer Logging.
Newly recognized capabilities of temperature logging techniques
and apparatus indicate that the temperature log can possibly extend and supplement the effectiveness of the currently popular radioactive tracer logs. The increased activity in secondary recovery operations demands more and more information on injection
zones, and it is believed that temperature logging has much to offer in this special field.

-9-

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- 14-

ZONES

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- 15-

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- 16-

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-17-

INJECTED FLUIDS

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FIG. 12

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-18-

_A.._^

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