Eliminating Diffusion Effects from NMR Logging Data for Enhanced Carbonate Pore Typing

Transverse relaxation (T2) times measured by multi-frequency, multi-gradient nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging tools are affected by diffusion-induced enhanced relaxation which reduces the sensitivity to pore size in slow-relaxing formations such as macroporous carbonates and complicates the integration with zero-gradient core NMR data. We propose a solution for eliminating the diffusion-related uncertainties using intrinsic T2 distributions, obtained by a new inversion-forward modeling-inversion (IFMI) method, for carbonate pore typing applications. The NMR logs presented in this paper are based on data measured at five frequencies where the static magnetic field gradient varies from 26 to 55 G/cm. The high-quality echo signals are processed using a three-step IFMI differential signal analysis approach which nullifies diffusion effects due to the tool gradient and the potentially present internal gradient caused by paramagnetic minerals in the formation. The resulting diffusion-free intrinsic T2 distribution accentuates fine pore size variations and allows better discernment of micro-, meso-, and macropore systems of complex carbonate reservoirs. Multi-frequency NMR data, acquired in multiple wells, were processed and analyzed in several ways. First, apparent T2 distributions were obtained separately for individual frequencies. Discrepancies between the results of different frequencies clearly indicated that in macro- and mesoporous carbonates the diffusion effect is significant even with TE=0.3ms. This leads a peak broadening observed in the apparent T2 spectrum from conventional NMR processing, where echo trains from different frequencies are averaged in time-domain prior to the inversion. With the IFMI processing, individual-frequency echo trains are first pre-processed using a 2D NMR inversion whose results are used to forward model a diffusion-free echo train without prior assumptions on reservoir fluid diffusivity D. A second inversion, applied on the diffusion-free echo train, yields the intrinsic T2 distribution. The intrinsic T2 distribution has a noticeably higher spectral resolution in carbonate formations where diffusion effect is significant. The intrinsic T2 logs are expected to be more consistent with other gradient-free NMR measurements such as core NMR or LWD NMR data sets.