Abstract: This invention provides for methods and systems for measuring the dielectric constant of an earth formation. In a preferred embodiment, an alternating current is passed through a portion of the formation and a reference resistor in series with the portion. The capacitance and the dielectric constant of the portion may be determined from the phase difference between the voltage across the reference resistor and the voltage across the portion. This phase difference may be obtained by generating a voltage which is in phase with the voltage across the reference resistor, but which has the magnitude of the voltage across the portion. To obtain the phase difference by an alternate digital method, the voltage across the referenced resistor and the voltage across the portion are each transformed into a square wave signal. The two square wave signals are then compared to obtain the sign and the magnitude of the phase difference between the two square waves.

Abstract: In a subsurface formation, where shaliness affects the results of typical electrical well logging measurements, partial water and partial hydrocarbon saturations are determined from measurements of dielectric constant. The relation between dielectric constant and conductivity due to shaliness in a partially water saturated formation and a relation defining dielectric constant change as a function of partial water saturation are used to determine partial water saturation and partial hydrocarbon saturation of said formation.