1. n. [Production Logging]

A record of the fractions of different fluids present at different depths in the borehole. Various techniques are used to measure these fractions. The earliest techniques measured the fluid density, using a gradiomanometer or a nuclear fluid densimeter, or the dielectric properties, as in the capacitance or water-cut meter. While these techniques were satisfactory in near-vertical wells with two-phase flow, they were often found to be inadequate in highly deviated and horizontal wells, where flow structures are complex. More recent developments are based on the use of multiple local probes to detect bubbles of gas, oil or water, and on a combination of nuclear techniques usually known as three-phase holdup.

See related terms: flow structure,  gas-holdup log,  nuclear fluid densimeter,  production log,  two-phase flow,  water-cut meter