What These Notes Actually Are
Petrophysics MSc Course Notes By Paul Glover are a set of university-level lecture materials covering the core topics of petrophysics: porosity, permeability, saturation, resistivity, nuclear magnetic resonance logging, and shale estimation. They were compiled from graduate-level teaching and are widely circulated among students and professionals in the oil and gas sector. The notes tend to follow a course structure, meaning chapters build on each other rather than standing alone. Here is how I actually use these notes in practice, not how a textbook says you should. I treat them as a reference framework, not a standalone learning solution. The notes explain the theory behind equations like Archie's law, the Simandoux model, and the Indonesian equations. They derive these relationships from first principles, which is useful when you need to understand why a method works before applying it to real data. I found that particularly valuable when dealing with transitional zone calculations where simple Archie-based approaches start breaking down.
The material covers VSH estimation through multiple methods — gamma ray, resistivity-based, and spectral gamma ray. It also goes into neutron-density crossplots and the various porosity models. One thing the notes handle well is the distinction between total porosity and effective porosity, which is something most intro-level resources gloss over. My typical workflow is to read the relevant chapter, then immediately apply the concepts to a real well log in Petrel or Techlog. Theory without a logged dataset attached to it tends to fade within a week. The notes give you the equations; your job is to make them work against actual data. There is a section on NMR logging that I find particularly strong. It covers T2 distributions, diffusion effects, and how to convert NMR measurements into permeability estimates using the Coates and SDR methods. This part alone is worth the effort of going through the entire set.
One issue I ran into directly was with the shale volume calculation from gamma ray logs in complex formations. The notes present the standard linear interpolation method, but in reality, the GR baseline shifts depending on lithology. In one of my projects involving interbedded sandstone and shale with significant clay variation, the default equation from the notes gave inconsistent VSH results. I worked around it by recalibrating the clean and shale baselines using XRD data from core samples at known depths. The adjustment changed my VSH values by up to 15 percent in certain intervals, which had a direct impact on water saturation calculations downstream. This is not unique to these notes. Any theoretical resource that assumes ideal conditions will struggle with messy real-world data. The workaround is always the same: validate the assumptions against measured data from your specific field. The notes also cover well logging calibration, which is another area where things get tricky. Sonic log time-average equation adjustments for different lithologies are mentioned, but the specifics of when to use limestone versus sandstone velocity references require field knowledge that the notes don't fully provide. You need to understand your basin's geology to make those calls.
Get the Full Details
If you are using these notes for self-study, I would recommend pairing them with a practical software package. Understanding the math behind a resistivity-based saturation model is one thing. Running that model across ten wells in an actual reservoir is another. I spent about three weeks going through the notes on a regular schedule, then another two weeks running the examples through a software workflow. That combination gave me far more retention than reading alone ever could. The download is available through various academic channels. The most reliable source I have found is the original course page associated with the author's university affiliation, though mirrors exist on several petrophysical forums. Make sure whatever version you download is the most recent one, as there have been updates to sections covering advanced saturations and modern NMR processing. Some people complain that the notes lack worked examples with real field data. That is fair. They were designed as lecture supplements, not as practical handbooks. If you need more hands-on exercises, there are complementary resources like the Petrophysics Society's tutorial materials or SPE papers on reservoir characterization workflows that fill that gap. The Glover notes give you the foundation. Everything else builds on top of it.
I would also note that the notes assume a working knowledge of basic mathematics and some familiarity with log data. If you are completely new to petrophysics, you may want to spend a few weeks on introductory materials before diving in. The jump from basic rock physics to the more advanced topics covered here is steep if you have no prior exposure. The chapters on formation evaluation and saturation height functions are the most practically useful for someone entering the industry. These sections explain how to derive SW from capillary pressure data and how to build saturation height models for volumetric calculations. That is day-one work for most petrophysicists. The rest of the material is equally important but tends to come into play later in a career. One more thing worth mentioning. The notes cover the important distinction between hydrocarbon-in-place calculations and reserve estimation. Understanding that difference matters because the equations for HCPV are straightforward, but converting those numbers into reserves requires geological and economic judgment that no textbook can fully capture. The notes get you to the equation. Beyond that, experience is what counts.
