Background: The compensated neutron logging technology is widely used in oil exploration and development. The neutron detector commonly used in this technology is the helium-3 proportional counter. Due to the decreasing in supply of the helium-3 gas

the price of the helium-3 proportional counter rises quickly. Purpose: The aim is to develop a new type of neutron detector to replace the helium-3 tubes in the compensated neutron logging technology. Methods: A new thermal neutron detector coated with a layer of thermal neutron convertor in the inner glass of the Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chamber (MRPC) was developed. Under the conventional and underbalanced conditions

Monte Carlo method was used to simulate the response of the boron-coated MRPC thermal neutron detector and helium-3 proportional counter employed in compensated neutron logging technology. Results: It is shown that the SS/LS increases with the rise of porosity using either the boron-coated MRPC thermal neutron detector or the helium-3 proportional counter

and the results of these two detectors are basically identical. Conclusion: It indicates that the boron-coated MRPC thermal neutron detector can be used for compensated neutron logging. Abstract