Abstract: Measurement of the distance from a gamma ray detector to a gamma ray source for location of a channel of undesired behind casing water flow in a producing well is provided. Coaxially aligned dual cylindrical gamma ray detector crystals are used at one or more longitudinally spaced locations in the borehole to detect the characteristic gamma rays from the decay of radioactive nitrogen 16 produced by the activation of elemental oxygen nuclei comprising the molecular structure of undesired water flow. The ratio of counts at the outer coaxial detector to those at the inner coaxial detector is then interpreted in terms of R, the distance from the detector to the water flow channel. This distance information may then be combined with the linear flow velocity of such undesired water flow to derive an indication of the volume flow rate V of such flow.

Abstract: Measurement of the distance from a gamma ray detector to a gamma ray source for locating of a channel of undesired behind casing water flow in a producing well is provided. A relationship is given for the count rate ratio at a detector in two distinct energy regions of the gamma ray spectrum as a function of the distance from the gamma ray source. When counts of characteristic gamma rays due to the decay of radioactive nitrogen 16 produced by the activation of elemental oxygen nuclei comprising the molecular structure of undesired water flow are made then the distance R to such flow may be determined by means of the above relationship. This may then be interpreted in terms of the volume flow rate V of the undesired water flow.

Abstract: Measurement of undesired water cut volume flow rate in a producing well is provided. A well tool having a 14 MEV neutron source and dual spaced gamma ray detectors is used to activate elemental oxygen comprising the molecular structure of the undesired water cut. The tool is moved through the perforated zone with detectors located first above and then below the neutron source. The linear flow rate of water from casing perforations in an upward or downward direction in the casing is detected and by combining this with a prior knowledge of the casing cross sectional area, a volume flow profile of production of water flow from each set of casing perforations is constructed.

Abstract: Measurement of the volume flow rate and linear flow velocity of undesired behind casing water flow is provided. A well tool having a 14 MEV neutron source is used to continuously irradiate earth formations behind well casing. The continuous neutron irradiation activates elemental oxygen nuclei comprising the molecular structure of any undesired water flow to be detected. Dual spaced gamma ray detectors located above or below the neutron source detect the decay of unstable isotope nitrogen 16 and from these indications the linear flow velocity of the undesired water flow is deduced. By then estimating the distance R to the undesired flow region the volume flow rate V may be deduced.

Abstract: A system for logging earth formations traversed by a borehole wherein a high energy pulsed neutron source (14 MeV) repetitively irradiates earth formations. Two time gates operated after each neutron pulse are provided for detecting count rates from which the decay time and the macroscopic capture cross-section .SIGMA. can be determined. Background gate means are also provided to eliminate the effects of background and detector radiation. In the detection system, output pulses whose voltage level is proportional to the energy detected are produced. A cut-off voltage level is set at approximately 0.8 MeV, which is above the energy of gamma rays produced following neutron capture by the element Boron and below the energy of most gamma rays produced following capture by all other significant formation elements. By comparison of the count rates (obtained by summing these voltage pulses) in a Boron containing formation with macroscopic capture cross-section .SIGMA.

Abstract: Earth formations in the vicinity of a well borehole are repetitively bombarded with bursts of high energy neutrons. A radiation detector in a sonde in the borehole senses the gamma rays induced by the capture of thermal neutrons and sends signals representative thereof to the surface. At the surface, two single channel energy analyzers, such as from 1.30 to 2.92 Mev and from 3.43 to 10.0 Mev, sense the formation thermal neutron capture gamma ray response after each neutron burst. The counts of thermal neutron capture gamma rays in these analyzers are used to distinguish between the presence of salt water and hydrocarbons, which is logged. By controlling the repetition rate of the neutron source, measured counting rates in formations with relatively large thermal neutron lifetimes are emphasized, compensating for borehole effects which could otherwise give rise to erroneous results in shale formations, which have a high boron content.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for measuring simultaneously the thermal neutron lifetime of the borehole fluid and earth formations in the vicinity of a well borehole, together with the formation porosity. A harmonically intensity modulated source of fast neutrons is used to irradiate the earth formations with fast neutrons at three different intensity modulation frequencies. Intensity modulated clouds of thermal neutrons at each of the three modulation frequencies are detected by dual spaced detectors and the relative phase shift of the thermal neutrons with respect to the fast neutrons is determined at each of the three modulation frequencies at each detector. These measurements are then combined to determine simultaneously the thermal neutron decay time of the borehole fluid, the thermal neutron decay time of surrounding earth formation media and the porosity of the formation media.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for measuring the thermal neutron decay time of earth formations in the vicinity of a well borehole. A harmonically intensity modulated source of fast neutrons is used to irradiate the earth formations with fast neutrons at three different intensity modulation frequencies. The tangents of the relative phase angles of the fast neutrons and the resulting thermal neutrons at each of the three frequencies of modulation are measured. First and second approximations to the earth formation thermal neutron decay time are derived from the three tangent measurements. These approximations are then combined to derive a value for the true earth formation thermal neutron decay time.