TAGRAS: Upgraded High-Tech Equipment for Reservoir Evaluation
Specialists from the TAGRAS geophysical division have successfully modernized a Chinese high-tech well logging (WL) system, optimizing the equipment’s specifications to meet current research needs. This initiative enabled the company to save over 300 million rubles.
Replacing the Old System
The Chinese-made system had been in operation since 2011. It allowed for detailed analysis of reservoir porosity, lithology, and structure, as well as evaluation of fracture height and orientation following hydraulic fracturing operations.
After more than a decade of active use, the equipment had become outdated and unreliable. However, the demand for downhole studies using such tools remained unchanged. Acquiring a new system would have cost the holding company over 300 million rubles. Instead, engineers from the Scientific and Technical Directorate proposed a cost-effective alternative — restoring and upgrading the existing equipment to meet modern technical standards.
Scope of Work Completed
The team assessed the condition of the MPAL acoustic cross-dipole logging tool and the MCI electrical scanner. Based on the findings, they developed a modernization concept, procured all necessary components, and began the upgrade.
In collaboration with Chinese partners, the system was upgraded from version 6620 to 6621 within a few months. This included replacing electronic boards, faulty components, and the surface recording unit. The system was also equipped with new software.
The upgraded tools now operate within a temperature range of -25°C to +150°C and withstand external pressures up to 100 MPa. After successful calibration at the geophysical division’s metrology center, the system was tested in a control well with full data recording.
Today, the modernized complex is already being used effectively in real well operations.
