WRRCTMR No.1 Electric Well Logging Parameters and Equipment

Abstract

In spite of its almost universal application in oil exploration and growing application on the mainland in ground-water exploration (Pirson, 1963; Guyod, 1957), electric well logging has not to date been used in Hawaii. Because of the peculiarities of Hawaiian geology and hydrology (Stearns, 1946; Cox, 1954), it may be expected that the parameters and methods of application found useful here will differ somewhat from those in continental areas, and only experience will indicate what will be of value. These notes have been compiled in the review of equipment for possible acquisition by the WRRC for a research program on electric well-logging applications, with the particular immediate goal of logging parameters in wells of the Mokuleia area, Oahu, in conjunction with studies of apparent resistivity by surface methods. Leonard Palmer of the WRRC, Daniel Lum of the Hawaii Division of Water and Land Development, and Tom Moses of the U. S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park have contributed to this development. The notes are duplicated to facilitate review and criticism by the several interested members of the staff of the WRRC, HIG, UOOS, and DWALD. In the proposed WRRC research program, three criteria of importance in judging equipment are versatility, portability, and simplicity. Speed of operation is of small importance and capacity for great depth (>1500 feet) is of no value. Compromises will be necessary, because versatility is, to some extent, incompatible with portability and simplicity. Following some notes on stock loggers available, a variety of electric well logging parameters and compatible functions are discussed below indivisually, with regard first to their general application to groundwater work, second to their possible applicability in Hawaii, and third to stock equipment availability. Information on availability of equipment is based largely on standard catalogs from the WIDCO, Neltronic and Industrial Instrument companies, but additional data is being sought from these companies and others.