SONIC LOGGING

(TECHING NOTES BY P.V.RAMANA RAO) Acoustic properties of matter: 1. Compressional and shear wave velocities:-for determination of porosity, lithology, and pore compressibility. 2. Compressional and shear wave attenuation :- for cement bond quality and fractures. 3. Amplitude of reflected waves:- for locating vugs, fractures and for casing inspection. Acoustic travel time or sonic travel time is the time taken by sound to travel through an interval of one foot of the medium. t = 10 6/v microseconds per foot where v is the velocity in ft / sec. Compressional waves are also known as longitudinal waves or P waves. Compressional wave velocity is given by V p = [( K + 4/3 ) G/ ]
1/2

= { (E / )( 1- )/ [ ( 1-2 ) ( 1+ )] } 1/2 Where K = Bulk modulus, G = Shear modulus E = Youngs modulus = Density = Poissons ratio = transverse strain / longitudinal strain Further mathematical equations are G=E/2(1+ ) and K = E / 3 ( 1-3 ) Shear waves are also known as transverse waves. Shear wave velocity Vs is given by Vs = (G/) 1/2 = [ ( E / ) / 2 ( 1+ ) ] 1/2 The presence of shear waves requires the medium to possess shear strength and as such shear waves can propagate only in solids. TIME AVERAGE EQUATION : Subsurface formations are subjected to external overburden and internal pore pressures. Laboratory experiments have shown that the acoustic velocity V p is effected

by differential pressure p which is the difference between the external pressure and the internal pressure, but not by the individual values. The curves indicate that the velocity increases with the differential pressure. Because p determines the degree of rock compaction and its bulk modulus, it follows that sonic velocity depends on compaction. The more compacted the rock , the higher its acoustic velocity is. Further the sonic velocity depends also on the fluid density and the bulk modulus. Acoustic velocity in water depends on temperature, salinity and pressure. Acoustic velocity in oil differs from that of water and has a lower value and depends on oil compaction, gas in solution, temperature and pressure. MATERIAL Sandstone Limestone Dolomite Anhydrite Shale Salt FLUIDS: Water 200kppm , 15 psia 150 kppm, 15 psia 100 kppm -doPure Mud cake Oil Methane 15 psia -doDrilling mud @ 20 0 c 5540 5375 5200 4380 4870 4980 4200 1600 180.5 186 192.3 207 203.5 200.8 238 626 Vp ft/sec. 18,000 to 19,500 21,000 to 23,000 23,000 20,000 5900 to 17,000 15,000 t ( sec/ft ) 55.5 to 51 47.6 to 43.5 43.5 50 170 to 60 66.7

Wyllies time average equation for a rock containing fluids is expressed as Total travel time = total travel time in liquid fraction + total travel time in rock matrix fraction, 1/Vb = / Vf as read by log ) t log = tf. + t ma (1- ) From which = ( t- t ma )/( t f - t ma ) UNCOMPACTED FORMATIONS: Application uncompacted of Wyllies where equation to formations differential + (1- )/ Vma or ( V bulk or Vlog

pressures less than 4000 psia yields values too high. Lack of compaction is usually indicated when the travel time of adjacent shales t
sh

exceeds 100 sec. ie. low velocity shales.

TIXIER suggested a compaction corrected expression =[ ( t - t ma ) / ( t f - t ma )] . ( 1/Bcp ) where Bcp = t sh /100. Acoustic waves from the transmitter reach the receiver in a complex manner in a borehole filled with the drilling fluid. If the complete wave train is recorded at the receiver it contains many components contributed by bore geometry, multiple reflections between the borehole walls, angles of incidence of sonic waves etc .As far as the sonic log is concerned the arrival time of the first peak of the compressional wave is measured.

SIGNAL PATH IN THE BOREHOLE

FULL-WAVE ACOUSTIC SIGNAL AT RECEIVER

In a single transmitter receiver model the receiver is located at a distance of 3 ft. from the transmitter. If T1 is the time taken by the sound to reach the receiver from the transmitter, t = T1/L which includes twice the mud path and also assumes that the path in the formation is approximately equal to the span L between the transmitter and the receiver. If the tool is centralized and the diameter of the bore hole remains constant throughout the span, the travel time through the mud paths can be calculated and T 1 can be corrected. This is a laborious process and can be avoided by using another receiver at a distance of two ft. below the first receiver. If T1 and T2 are the times taken by the sonic wave to reach R1 and R2 , t = ( T2 T1) /2 In this configuration the mud paths are cancelled .Centralizers are recommended to minimize the effects of borehole diameter and the tilts of the tool. By increasing the number of transmitters and receivers a better averaged value of sonic travel time can be achieved. Sonic paths in washouts can also be compensated and the log recorded by such a system is called the BOREHOLE COMPENSATED SONIC LOG. Two transmitters are kept apart by a distance of 8 ft. and two receivers are placed at the middle with a receiver span of 2 ft. The distance between each transmitter and receiver being 3 ft. These four transducers are designated as Tr1,R1,R2, and Tr2 and four samplings are done.

Tr1 R1------ T1 Tr1 - R2-------T3 t1 = ( T3-T1 )/2

Tr2 R2---------T2 Tr2- R1----------T4. and t2 = (T 4-T2 ) / 2.

t = ( t1 + t2 ) / 2 = 1 / 2 [ ( T3-T1)/2 + (T4-T2 )/2 ] =[( T3 + T4) ( T1 + T2)] /4 This system also compensates for tool tilts and washouts. t = [( T3 + T4 error ) ( T1 error + T2 )] / 4.

Generally sonic tools have a top spring centralizer and a bottom two arm caliper and a gamma ray tool can be assembled on the top. The tool can be run in combination with other resistivity and porosity tools. The log is recorded on the second and third tracks with the sonic travel times increasing from right left (40 microseconds to 200 microseconds). In washout sections the tool tends to read borehole fluid velocities. Borehole diameter is to be taken into cognizance while noting the travel times. The resolution of the tool increases with decreased span but this cannot be reduced beyond certain design limitations to avoid direct coupling between the transmitter and the receiver. Against gas bearing and highly fractured zones the phenomenon of cycle skipping is observed with increased travel times as the first arrivals are attenuated. Compaction corrections as mentioned earlier are to be applied for unconsolidated formations while computing the porosities and for this purpose the adjacent shale

velocities are taken as reference The log is extensively used for resistivity-sonic cross plots for finding the water saturations. Cross plots with other porosity logs yield good results in determining the lithology. By comparing with the resistivity logs tight formations/ sections within the same sand body can easily be identified. The sonic travel times over the entire depth of the well can be integrated and this integrated travel time can effectively be used in correcting the seismic sections. Further the acoustic impedance which is a product of travel time and density ( t x ) in a continuous mode called the synthetic seismogram is being extensively used for seismic calibrations and correlations. Even over very large distances the sonic log correlates well between wells. Since the sonic wave propagation through fluids is delayed the log response is primarily due to the rock matrix and the primary porosity. Substraction of sonic porosity from density porosity gives a satisfactory value of vugular porosity within a reservoir rock. Ultra long spaced sonic tools, dipole sonic tools, and circumferential acoustic scanning tools are some of the latest generation tools which can investigate deeper into the formations and image the borehole wall respectively. Acoustic imaging has got some relative advantages over resistivity imaging. Sonic amplitude measurement has got wider applications in cement evaluation and fracture identification .Elastic modulii can be computed from compressional and shear wave velocities and density measured by sonic and density logs respectively. Knowledge of elastic modulii ( mechanical properties of the rock ) is essential while carrying out hydro-fracturing jobs. applications are1. Porosity determination 2. Lithology 3. Correlation of wells 4. Seismic calibrations and synthetic seismograms. 5. Cement sheath evaluation by amplitude measurement 6. Acoustic imaging of the borehole and acoustic coring by circumferential scanning 7. Measurement of internal diameter and thickness of the casing. To sum up sonic log . ( d- s ). The travel times are effected by the type and mode of distribution of shale