ECORD Summer School 2021

What is petrophysics and downhole logging?

Petrophysics is the study of the physical (and chemical) properties of rocks and their interactions with fluids. Petrophysical data acquisition operates principally by sending tools below the seafloor. In the borehole, logging tools measure a range of properties, capturing continuous data under in situ conditions.

Capturing the in situ information, relevant to the formation and the fluid it contains, is important for generating and ground-truthing geological models. Well log data provide a resolution at the 0.1-100 metre scale and are widely used to link core through physical properties measured on the core itself to seismic profiles.

There is a petrophysics skills shortage within IODP and within the geoscience industry. The Summer School aimed to address this through the provision of accessible and affordable training to geoscientists who wished to understand more about petrophysics in order to make greater use of downhole log and physical property data in their research.

The key aim of the Summer School was to equip course attendees with a working knowledge of downhole logging and core physical properties data. This meant developing the skills to assess data quality and usability in any given geological interpretation/setting and an understanding of how to analyse the data to enhance their research.

The schedule

The 5-day Summer School (13 to the 17 September 2021) encompassed 30 hours of CPD-accredited training in petrophysics. The school offered synchronous as well as asynchronous online sessions to facilitate participation from a wide range of time zones every day. The school included a mixture of interactive lectures, workshops and practicals exploring different aspects of scientific downhole logging within IODP and beyond.