Well and Borehole Logs

Logging Software

Well and borehole logs result in data that requires software to produce professional illustrations suitable for reports.   Subsurface investigations, environmental site assessments, engineering investigations, and groundwater supply exploration result in test borings, monitoring wells, microwells, and water supply wells.   For data analysis and report preparation the field data is usually converted into professionally prepared well logs and well construction drawings.   A number of software programs are available to for producing professional quality logs of all kinds.   Geologic Resources sells Golden Software, Inc.'s Strater program.   Strater is a well log and borehole plotting software program that imports data from a multitude of sources (database files, data files, LAS files, ODBC, and OLE DB data sources).   Typically we include the following types of log on one page:

• Depth log

• Text log - description of material encountered

• Blow counts - relative resistance to penetration

• VOC headspace - volatile organic concentration (ppmv) by PID

• Well construction drawing for borings completed as wells

Well Construction Drawings

The drawing on the right is an uncaptioned well construction drawing that was produced with Strater.   We typically combine the well construction drawing with a depth log (for vertical scale), descriptive text log (to describe materials and conditions encountered during drilling), blow counts (where appropriate), and VOC headspace (where appropriate).

Strater provides numerous ways to graphically display the data.   All the logs are fully customizable to suit project needs.   Strater includes 12 popular log types to graphically display subsurface data:   zone bar, bar, percentage, graphic, well construction, lithology, post, clossed post, complex text, line/symbol, crossplot, and depth logs.   Most report quality logs are produced using several of these log types on the same page.

Descriptive Text Log

The descriptive text log to the right was produced with Strater.   Descriptive text logs can be used to show rock or soil descriptions, alteration descriptions, and any general descriptive text that represents interval data.   The text is generally more than just one or two words; it is generally a sentence or series of sentences.   The long sentences are wrap to fit within the bounds specified for the log item.   Descriptive (or complex) logs can have arrows, brackets, or offset ticks to separate the text fields.   Each text block can be individually edited by double clicking on the text section.

Lithology Log

The drawing to the right illustrates a lithology log produced with Strater.   These logs show the various stratigraphic layers in the borehole.   The display can be as simple as a filled block, or the display can be more elaborate and show weathering patterns and contact line styles.   Lithology logs can show distinct contact line styles and indent percentages/scales to show weathering profiles.

Depth Logs

The depth log illustrated on the right was produced with Strater.   These logs quickly indicate depth or elevation of the log(s) as a scale bar.   Optionally set the depth logs to show depth or elevation, or positive or negative values.   Tick marks can be added, as well as tick mark labels, and the interval between major or minor tick marks can be specified.