Machine Method for Determining the Presence and Location of Hydrocarbon Deposits Within a Subsurface Earth Formation

1. A machine method for exploring subsurface earth formations to determine the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in the earth formation by probing a plurality of depth levels of such subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced in an investigating device adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; and (c) combining said electrical signals indicative of the bulk density and hydrogen content of the formation to produce further electrical signals representative of the volume of structural shale or the portion of silt and clay in the earth formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

2. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) combining said electrical signals indicative of the bulk density and hydrogen content to produce electrical signals representative of the characteristic hydrogen content and characteristic bulk density response for the type of shale presumed to be present in the formation; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of said bulk density and hydrogen content with said electrical signals representative of the characteristic hydrogen content and density shale representations to produce electrical signals representative of the porosity or shale content of the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

3. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of the natural radioactivity content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and natural radioactivity to produce further electrical signals relating the magnitude of the electrical signals representative of the natural radioactivity content to the shale content of the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said earth formation can be determined.

4. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of formation spontaneous potential over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and spontaneous potential to produce further electrical signals representative of the relationship between the electrical signals representative of the spontaneous potential and shale content of the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said earth formation can be determined.

5. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals resonsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals primarily representative of the resistivity of the invaded portion of said subsurface earth formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals repesentative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and resistivity to produce further electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the clay in the invaded portion of the earth formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

6. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing further electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the uninvaded portion of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said further electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and resistivity to produce further electrical signals representative of the resistivity of clay in the uninvaded portion of the subsurface earth formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

7. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of resistivity of a portion of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the earth formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and resistivity to produce further electrical signals representative of the resistivity of a type of shale in the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

8. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of formation acoustic travel time or shale content over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and acoustic travel time to produce further electrical signals representative of the acoustic travel time characteristic response in a shale formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits in said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

9. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the invaded portion of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the uninvaded portion of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (c) combining said electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the invaded portion of the subsurface earth formation and the uninvaded portion of the subsurface earth formation to produce further electrical signals representative of the shale content of the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

10. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing at least third electrical signals respresentative of formation shale content over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said at least third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said first, second and third electrical signals to produce further electrical signals representative of one or more of the porosity or shale content of the subsurface earth formation including the step of combining said first, second and third electrical signals a first time to produce calibration electrical signals relating the third electrical signals to the shale content and thereafter combining said first, second and third electrical signals a second time with said calibration electrical signals to produce the electrical signals representative of porosity or shale content and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from from the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

11. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of a third formation parameter over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said derived electrical signals to produce output synthetic electrical signals representative of one of the spontaneous potential, natural gamma radiation, or resistivity of a formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

12. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of a third formation parameter over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density, hydrogen content and third formation parameter to produce further electrical signals relating the magnitude of said third formation parameter electrical signals to shale content and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

13. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) preselecting electrical signals representative of the bulk density and hydrogen content for a characteristic shale and for a characteristic clay over a plurality of depth levels of said borehole; (d) providing at least third electrical signals representative of formation shale content over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said at least third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; (e) combining said first and second electrical signals for each selected depth level with said preselected electrical signals to provide new electrical signals representative of characteristic shale values at each selected depth level; and (f) combining said first, second and third derived electrical signals with said preselected electrical signals for clay and one of said new or preselected electrical signals for shale to produce further electrical signals indicative of shale content or porosity and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said subsurface earth formation can be determined.

14. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring said analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing electrical signals representative of two or more of bulk density, hydrogen content, acoustic travel time, spontaneous potential, gamma radiation, resistivity of the invaded zone, resistivity of the uninvaded zone, and caliper, at selected depth levels over a plurality of depth levels of a borehole section, said signals being derived in response to the reaction of the subsurface earth to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole and producing first electrical signals related to at least one of said derived electrical signals; (b) combining at least two of said electrical signals from selected depth levels over said borehole section to provide at least one input electrical signal for said borehole section; (c) combining at least one of said electrical signals derived in step (a) from selected depth levels with at least one input electrical signal to provide at least one output electrical signal representative of corrected values of at least one of said first electrical signals for selected depth levels; and (d) combining at least one of said electrical signals derived in step (a) with at least one output electrical signal for selected depth levels to provide said at least one input electrical signal a second time for combination with at least one of said plurality of derived electrical signals to produce second output electrical signals representative of at least one formation characteristic and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within said earth formation can be determined.

15. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) combining said first and second electrical signals to produce representations of an index of the relative proportion of silt and clay in the formation; (d) providing third electrical signals representative of the resistivity of a selected radial portion of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived in response to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (e) combining said third electrical signals with said index representations to produce output electrical signals representing characteristic values of the resistivity for clay in the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

16. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals primarily representative of the resistivity of the invaded portion of the formation surrounding the borehole over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; (b) providing second electrical signals primarily representative of the resistivity of the uninvaded portion of the formation surrounding the borehole over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the uninvaded zone of the formation; and (d) combining said resistivity electrical signals and said water saturation electrical signals to produce output electrical signals representative of the shale content of the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits in the formation can be determined.

17. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing electrical signals representative of the natural gamma radiation of the formation for a plurality of depth levels of the borehole; (d) combining said bulk density electrical signals and said hydrogen content electrical signals to produce electrical signals representative of an index of the relative proportion of silt and clay in the formation and the volume of shale in the formation; (e) comparing, at each depth level, said electrical signals representative of the natural gamma radiation with a predetermined limit value thereof and defining a first category of depth levels wherein said gamma radiation limit value is exceeded and a second category wherein said gamma radiation limit is not exceeded; (f) comparing at each depth level, for said first category of depth levels, electrical signals reprsentative of the volume of shale with a predetermined limit value and defining a third category of depth levels wherein the volume of shale exceeds its limit value; (g) comparing said electrical signals representative of said index with a predetermined value thereof for said third category of depth levels and further defining a fourth category of depth levels wherein said index representation exceeds its limit value thereof and a fifth category of depth levels wherein said index representation is less than said limit value thereof; (h) producing electrical signals representative of running averages of the natural gamma radiation, volume of silt and volume of clay for said fourth and fifth depth level categories separately; (i) comparing at each depth level for said second category of depth levels the electrical signals representative of the volume of shale with a predetermined limit value thereof; (j) producing electrical signals representative of running average of the natural gamme radiation, volume of silt and volume of clay for those depth levels in said second category of depth levels wherein the volume of shale is less than said predetermined limit value; and (k) producing, from the electrical signals representative of said running averages, individual electrical signals which relate the natural gamma radiation electrical signals to the relative proportions of silt and clay and the natural gamma radiation of the sand over the borehole section and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and locations of hydrocarbons within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

18. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of at least bulk density, hydrogen content, natural gamma radiation, spontaneous potential and formation resistivity over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from an investigating device into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole; (b) combining at a plurality of selected depth levels at least some of said electrical signals to produce further electrical signals representative of formation porosity, volume of shale, volume of clay and water saturation of the invaded zone of the formation for a plurality of selected depth levels; (c) comparing at a plurality of selected depth levels, electrical signals representative of spontaneous potential with a predetermined limit value thereof and electrical signals representative of volume of shale with a predetermined limit value thereof; (d) separating said depth levels into a first category wherein the spontaneous potential exceeds the predetermined limit value thereof and the volume of shale is less than the predetermined limit value thereof and a second category wherein the spontaneous potential is less than the predetermined limit value thereof or the volume of shale is greater than the predetermined limit value thereof; (e) comparing, for said second category of depth levels, the electrical signals representative of the spontaneous potential, natural gamma radiation, formation resistivity and volume of shale respectively with predetermined limit values thereof; (f) separating from said second category of depth levels a third category of depth levels wherein the electrical signals representative of the spontaneous potential and formation resistivity are less than the predetermined limit values thereof and the electrical signals representative of the natural gamma radiation and volume of shale exceed the predetermined limit values thereof; (g) producing, over the borehole section, electrical signals representative of the averages of the spontaneous potential and the ratio of the volume of clay to the amount of water in the invaded zone for each of said first and third categories of depth levels; and (h) combining said electrical signals representative of the produced averages to produce still further electrical signals representative of the relationship between the magnitude of the spontaneous potential and shale content and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

19. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing electrical signals representative of the resistivity of selected radial sections of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from an investigating device into the earth formation surrounding the borehole; (d) combining, for each depth level, said electrical signals to produce further electrical signals representative of the porosity, volume of shale and resistivity of shale of the formation; (e) combining said further electrical signals to produce still further electrical signals representative of the water saturation of a selected radial section of the formation; (f) comparing said electrical signals representative of the water saturation with a predetermined range of limit values thereof; and (g) adjusting said electrical signals representative of the water saturation when the magnitude of said water saturation electrical signals are within said predetermined range of limit values and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

20. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of formation resistivity of a region near the norehole over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals to produce representations of the shale content of the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

21. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of at least one parameter indicative of the shale content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole; and (d) combining said first, second and third electrical signals to produce further electrical signals representative of one or more of the porosity and shale content of the formation including the steps of combining said first, second and third electrical signals a first time to produce calibration electrical signals relating the third electrical signals to shale content, thereafter combining said first, second and third electrical signals with said calibration electrical signals to produce new calibration electrical signals and thereafter combining said first, second and third electrical signals with said new calibration electrical signals to produce said porosity or shale content electrical signal representations and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hysrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

22. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; and (c) combining said bulk density and hydrogen content electrical signals to produce further electrical signals representative of the maximum porosity of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole and the porosity and amount of shale at a plurality of depth levels of the borehole and combining said electrical signals representative of the maximum porosity and the porosity and amount of shale at selected depth levels to produce individual electrical signals representative of the volume of dispersed, laminated and structural shale in the formation and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

23. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) providing third electrical signals representative of formation acoustic travel time or shale content over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said third electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole; and (d) combining said electrical signals to produce output electrical signals indicative of the amount of dispersed structural and laminated shale and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels of the formation.

24. A machine method for determining the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation surrounding a borehole formed in said subsurface earth formation by probing said subsurface earth formation with one or more signals produced by tools adapted to be suspended in said borehole and acquiring and analyzing signals responsive to said probing signals, comprising the steps of: (a) providing first electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said first electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of said subsurface earth formation to gamma rays emitted into said subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of gamma rays located in said investigating device; (b) providing second electrical signals representative of the hydrogen content of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, said second electrical signals being derived from signals responsive to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to neutrons emitted into the subsurface earth formation surrounding the borehole from a source of neutrons located in said investigating device; (c) combining at least one of said electrical signals derived in step (a) from selected depth levels with at least one input electrical signal to provide at least one first output electrical signal representative of corrected values of at least one of said first electrical signals for a plurality of depth levels; and (d) combining at least one of said electrical signals derived in step (a) with at least one first output electrical signal for selected depth levels to produce another input electrical signal for combination with at least one of said plurality of electrical signals to produce a second output electrical signal representative of at least one formation characteristic and making a record thereof over a plurality of depth levels from which the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within the subsurface earth formation can be determined.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said electrical signals are combined in a manner to produce individual electrical signals representative of the volume of dispersed, laminated and structural shale in the subsurface earth formation.

26. The method of claim 6 and further including combining said electrical signals indicative of the hydrogen content, bulk density, uninvaded zone resistivity and clay resistivity measurements to produce further electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the shale in the uninvaded zone.

27. The method of claim 11 wherein said electrical signals are combined to produce electrical signals representative of an index of the relative proportion of silt and clay in the formation.

28. The method of claim 27 and further including the step of combining said derived electrical signals with said index representations to produce electrical signals representative of the volume of one or more of total shale, silt, or clay.

29. The method of claim 27 and further including providing electrical signals representative of a third formation parameter over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, and combining said third parameter electrical signals with said index representations to produce output electrical signals relating said third parameter electrical signals to a particular formation characteristic.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein said third parameter electrical signals are of the natural gamma radiation, and said third parameter electrical signals and said index representations are combined to produce further electrical signals relating said third parameter electrical signals to the amount of shale in the formation.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein said third parameter electrical signals are of the acoustic travel time in the formation, and said third parameter electrical signals are combined with said index representations to produce output electrical signals representative of the characteristic values of said third parameter for shale or clay formations.

32. The method of claim 28 and further including the step of providing electrical signals representative of a third formation parameter over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, and combining said third parameter electrical signals with said index representations to produce output electrical signals relating said third parameter electrical signals to a particular formation characteristic, and combining said output electrical signals and said electrical signals representative of one or more of the volume of total shale, silt or clay to produce synthetic output electrical signals representative of said third parameter.

33. The method of claim 32 and further including the step of comparing said third parameter electrical signals with said synthetic output electrical signals to establish a figure of merit for said synthetic output electrical signals relative to said third parameter electrical signals.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said third electrical signals are representative of the spontaneous potential of the subsurface earth formation.

35. The method of claim 28 and further including the steps of providing electrical signals representative of a third formation parameter which are functionally related to the amount of shale in the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, and combining said derived electrical signals and the electrical signals representative of said index and one or more of total shale, silt or clay to produce further electrical signals which relate said electrical signals representative of said third formation parameter to shale amount.

36. The method of claim 30 wherein the step of combining electrical signals to produce further electrical signals includes the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the averages, over the borehole section, of the natural gamma radiation, volume of silt and volume of clay for each formation having respectively a relatively high content of sand, silt or clay, and providing, from said averages individual electrical signals which relate the electrical signals representative of the natural gamma radiation to the relative proportions of silt and clay and the natural gamma radiation of the sand over said borehole section.

37. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of combining electrical signals to produce said characteristic response representations includes combining said bulk density and hydrogen content electrical signals in a non-linear manner to produce said characteristic response representations.

38. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of combining electrical signals to produce further electrical signals includes the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the averages over the borehole section of the natural radioactivity in formations which individually have a relatively high content of sand, silt and clay, and providing from said averages, individual electrical signals which relate the electrical signals representative of the natural radio activity to the relative proportions of silt and clay and the natural gamma radiation of the sand over said borehole section.

39. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of combining electrical signals to produce further electrical signals includes the steps of combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density and hydrogen content to produce output electrical signals representative of the porosity and volume of clay in the formation over the borehole section, combining said output electrical signals representative of porosity and volume of clay to produce output electrical signals representative of the amount of water in the invaded zone for relatively clean sand and shale formations, and combining said electrical signal averages to produce said further electrical signals.

40. The method of claim 4 and further including the step of providing electrical signals representative of the resistivity of a portion of the formation near the borehole over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, wherein the step of combining electrical signals to produce further electrical signals includes the steps of combining said electrical signals representative of the bulk density and hydrogen content of the formation to produce output electrical signals representative of the porosity, and volume of clay in the formation over the borehole section, combining said output electrical signals representative of the porosity and volume of clay with said electrical signals representative of the resistivity to produce further output electrical signals representative of the amount of water in the invaded zone of the formation, and using some of said further output electrical signals to provide, over the borehole section, averages of the spontaneous potential and the ratio of the volume of clay to the amount of water in the invaded zone for relatively clean sand and shale formations, and combining said averages to produce said first mentioned further electrical signals.

41. The method of claim 29 wherein said third parameter electrical signals are representative of formation resistivity and the step of combining said electrical signals and representations to produce output electrical signals relating said third parameter electrical signals to a particular formation characteristic includes the steps of combining for selected depth levels, said third parameter electrical signals with said index representations to produce an output electrical signal for each selected depth level representative of the resistivity of clay at such selected depth level, and combining said clay resistivity representations for each selected depth level to provide further electrical signals representative of the average value of the clay resistivity over the borehole section.

42. The method of claim 29 wherein said third parameter electrical signals are representative of formation resistivity and the step of combining said electrical signals and representations to produce output electrical signals relating said third parameter electrical signals to a particular formation characteristic includes the steps of selecting electrical signals derived from depth levels where the formation has a relatively high shale content, combining, for said selected depth levels, said third parameter electrical signals with said index representations to produce an output electrical signal for each selected depth level representative of the resistivity of clay at such selected depth levels, and combining said clay resistivity representations for each selected depth level to provide further electrical signals representative of the average value of the clay resistivity over the borehole section.

43. The method of claim 42 wherein the step of selecting electrical signals derived from depth levels having a relatively high shale content includes the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the volume of shale in the formation and comparing, depth level by depth level, one or both of said electrical signals representative of shale volume and formation resistivity with individual predetermined limit values and enabling the combination of said third parameter electrical signals and index representations for only those depth levels where said compared electrical signals representative of shale volume exceeds its limit value and said compared electrical signals representative of resistivity is less than its limit value.

44. The method of claim 43 and further including providing electrical signals representative of the natural gamma radiation of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, and wherein the step of selecting electrical signals derived from depth levels having a relatively high shale content includes the steps of comparing depth level by depth level the gamma radiation electrical signals with a limit value and enabling the combination of said third parameter electrical signals said index representations for only those depth levels where said gamma radiation electrical signals exceed said limit value.

45. The method of claim 40 and further including the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the acoustic travel time of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, and combining for selected depth levels said acoustic travel time electrical signals and index representations to produce an output electrical signal representative of the acoustic travel time derived porosity for a characteristic shale in the formation.

46. The method of claim 15 wherein said third electrical signal is the resistivity of the formation at a distance from the borehole and the representations of the resistivity of clay is the resistivity of clay at a distance from the borehole.

47. The method of claim 15 wherein said third electrical signals are representative of the resistivity of the formation near the borehole and the representations of the resistivity of clay is the resistivity of clay near the borehole.

48. The method of claim 29 wherein said third parameter electrical signals are representative of the spontaneous potential and said third parameter electrical signals and said index representations are combined to produce said further electrical signals relating said third parameter electrical signals to the amount of shale in the formation.

49. The method of claim 29 wherein said third parameter electrical signals are representative of the resistivity of a selected radial portion of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, and said third parameter electrical signals are combined with said index representation to produce output electrical signals representative of the characteristic values of resistivity for shale or clay formations.

50. The method of claim 32 wherein said third parameter is the natural gamma radiation of the formation.

51. The method of claim 32 wherein said third parameter is the resistivity of the formation.

52. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the bulk density of the formation over a plurality of depth levels of the borehole, both said bulk density and hydrogen content electrical signals being derived in response to the reaction of the subsurface earth formation to probing signals emitted from the investigating device into the formation surrounding the borehole wherein the step of providing electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the uninvaded zone comprises the steps of combining said hydrogen content and bulk density electrical signals to produce intermediate electrical signals representative of the porosity and volume of shale in the formation and combining said intermediate electrical signals with electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the uninvaded zone of the formation to derive electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the uninvaded zone of the formation.

53. The method of claim 52 further comprising the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the invaded zone of the formation and comparing, depth level by depth level, the electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the invaded and uninvaded zones of the formation and producing said output electrical signals representative of the shale content of the formation only for those depth levels where the electrical signals representative of water saturation in the invaded zone is less than the electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the uninvaded zone.

54. The method of claim 19 wherein said selected radial section of the formation is at a distance from the borehole whereby said electrical signals representative of resistivity and said electrical signals representative of water saturation are primarily for the uninvaded zone of the formation.

55. The method of claim 19 wherein said selected radial section of the formation is near the borehole whereby said electrical signals representative of resistivity and said electrical signals representative of water saturation are primarily for the invaded zone of the formation.

56. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of combining said first, second and third electrical signals with said calibration electrical signals to produce new calibration electrical signals includes the step of correcting said bulk density and hydrogen content dependent porosity electrical signals in accordance with said third electrical signals.

57. The method of claim 56 further including the step of comparing the corrected value of said first electrical signals with the corrected value of said second electrical signals and correcting said bulk density and hydrogen content dependent porosity electrical signals until they are approximately equal.

58. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of combining said derived electrical signals with at least one input electrical signal to provide at least one first output electrical signals includes the step of providing at least one intermediate electrical signal relating at least one of said derived electrical signals to the shale content of the formation.

59. The method of claim 23 wherein the step of combining said electrical signals to produce said output electrical signals comprises the steps of combining said bulk density and hydrogen content electrical signals to produce electrical signals representative of an index of the relative proportion of silt and clay, producing at selected depth levels electrical signals representative of the averages of said acoustic travel time electrical signals and said index representations and producing from said averages, electrical signals representative of the acoustic travel time for primarily shaly formations to produce output electrical signals representative of the amount of dispersed, structural and laminated shale in the formation whereby the presence and location of hydrocarbon deposits within a subsurface earth formation can be determined.

60. The method of claim 16 further comprising the steps of providing electrical signals representative of the bulk density and hydrogen content of the formation over the borehole section, wherein the step of providing electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the uninvaded zone comprises the steps of combining said hydrogen content, bulk density and uninvaded zone resistivity electrical signals to produce intermediate electrical signals representative of the porosity and volume of shale in the formation and combining said intermediate electrical signals with said electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the uninvaded zone of the formation to derive electrical signals representative of the water saturation in the uninvaded zone of the formation.

61. The method of claim 5 and further including combining said electrical signals indicative of the hydrogen content, bulk density, invaded zone resistivity and clay resistivity to produce further electrical signals representative of the resistivity of the shale in the invaded zone.