167: Dave Kennedy, Evolution of UTAPWeLS & Well-Log Modeling
The Evolution of UTAPWeLS & Well-Log Modeling
In this episode of the PBE Podcast, host Troy Tittlemier sits down with Dave Kennedy to explore the history of the UT Austin Formation Evaluation research consortium and the development of the UTAPWeLS software. Dave shares his expansive career journey, spanning from his early days at Georgia Tech and military service during the Vietnam War, to his extensive work with industry giants like Schlumberger, Mobil, ExxonMobil, and Baker Hughes. The discussion dives deep into the evolution of well-log modeling, detailing the industry's shift from the standard 30-year use of the 6FF40 induction instrument to proprietary array induction tools. Dave also highlights how consortium leader Carlos successfully united competing service companies to build a comprehensive petrophysical simulator that continues to push the technological envelope today.
Episode Highlights
Introduction to Dave Kennedy, his long-standing association with Carlos since 1986 at Berkeley, and the start of the UT Austin consortium in 2000.
Dave’s early life: Attending Georgia Tech, his family's military background, and his decision to join the army as airborne infantry during the Vietnam War.
Entering the oil patch: Landing a job at Schlumberger in 1972 after sending out a hundred letters through a vendor catalog.
Transitioning to research: Moving to Mobil in 1988, solving Maxwell's equations to understand the 6FF40 induction tool's response function, and adding 100 million barrels to the Statfjord field reserves using forward modeling.
The industry shift to array induction tools and the service companies' initial reluctance to share their proprietary hardware specifications and modeling data.
The birth of UTAPWeLS (University of Texas at Austin Petrophysical and Well-Log Simulator): How Carlos successfully negotiated with competing service companies to incorporate their models into a unified simulator for the industry.
Forward modeling vs. inversion: A breakdown of how UTAPWeLS helps determine hydrocarbon saturation by overlaying guessed formation layer conductivities onto observed tool responses.
Dispelling the myth of a "mature industry": How technological advancements like fiber optics, miniaturization, and rare earth magnets for nuclear magnetic resonance keep the oil and gas sector on the cutting edge.
Concluding thoughts on the 26-year-old consortium's ongoing evolution, Carlos's leadership, and the modern integration of AI into their research.