Cart

OF-02-15 Evaluation of Bottom-Hole Temperatures in the Denver and San Juan Basins of Colorado

$0.00

This file contains bottom-hole temperature (BHT) data from the Denver and San Juan Basins. The intent of the database is to create a BHT database of factors related to each sample, examine the reliability of that data, and determine what geologic trends, if any, can be mapped using this data. Digital ZIP download. OF-02-15D

From the Author’s Notes:

The maximum recorded temperature or bottom-hole temperature (BHT) has been an important piece of data to drillers for managing the wellbore, to geologists for prospecting, and to reservoir analysts for calculating reserves. Much has been written about the many factors that influence the BHT such as well depth, circulation rates and duration, hole radius, specific heat capacity of the formation rock, density of the formation rock, thermal conductivity, and surface temperature. Edwardson, and others (1962) and Middleton (1982) describe complex methods of using BHTs to calculate true formation temperatures. Fertl and Wichmann (1977) and Fertl (1978, 1985) describe simpler methods of estimating formation temperatures. A great deal has been published about using BHTs for calculation purposes, but little has been published about the use of raw BHT data on its own because of the questionable reliability of the data due to many of the influences mentioned above.

The purpose of this study is not to determine true formation temperature. Instead, three other purposes are addressed in this report:

1. To create a bottom-hole temperature database

2. To look at the reliability of the raw BHT data and what factors not mentioned above might influence the temperatures

3. To determine what geologic trends, if any, can be mapped using bottom-hole temperatures.