Temperature data obtained in boreholes serve as critical input to many fields of engineering, exploration, and research in:
well completions,
gas and fluid production engineering,
the exploration for hydrocarbons and ore minerals, and
testing hypotheses concerning the evolution of the Earth's crust and tectonic processes.
Wireline-conveyed maximum-recording thermometers and continuous-reading thermistors are used to measure absolute temperatures, differential temperatures, and temperature gradients at depth. Temperature logs can detect thermal anomalies produced by temperature contrasts between the borehole fluid and the formation fluid or formation (also cement behind casing). A variety of information can be obtained from the identification and interpretation of these anomalies. High-resolution temperature- gradient logs can be used for detailed lithologic identification and correlation, of similar quality to other electric and nuclear well logs. The intent of this paper is to provide a general introduction to the diverse applications of these data.
