Well Logs

Kevin Brewer

Olivet Nazarene University

This activity has been reviewed by 2 review processes

This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process.

This review took place as a part of a faculty professional development workshop where groups of faculty reviewed each others' activities and offered feedback and ideas for improvements. To learn more about the process On the Cutting Edge uses for activity review, see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection

This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are

Scientific Accuracy
Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
Pedagogic Effectiveness
Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

This page first made public: Jul 31, 2007

Summary

This lab is an exercise focused on wells and well logs. In it, the student will examine four well logs, correlate major unit boundaries, and construct three figures: a cross-section diagram, a structure map, and an isopach map. In addition, the student will examine another well electric log and associated drilling chips/cuttings, construct a drill cuttings log, and correlate the electric log with the cuttings log.

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Context

Audience

This activity was originally designed for an undergraduate Paleontology course, but can also be used in an undergraduate Geophysics course. The activity integrates geophysics into a core course in geology.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Some knowledge of well drilling and logging procedures.

How the activity is situated in the course

This activity is a stand-alone exercise in the Paleontology and Geophysics courses.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Content goals include: locating wells, making picks, correlating picks, constructing maps, and creating a drilling log.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Comparing and resolving (possibly) conflicting information from various sources.

Other skills goals for this activity

Making and describing (in writing) observations of geologic material.

Description of the activity/assignment

This activity provides students with three fundamental borehole geophysics experiences using real data -- correlating, mapping, and logging. Students are asked to correlate well logs and construct maps and cross-sections based on that information. Students are also asked to construct a "mud log" from actual drill cuttings and compare their interpretation to that from a borehole geophysics log. This activity as minimal/no quantitative component.