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Utilization of electromagnetic acoustic transducers in downhole cement

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 PETROPHYSICS, VOL. 56, NO. 5 (OCTOBER 2015); PAGE 479–492; 17 FIGURES

Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation1

Doug Patterson2, Alexei Bolshakov3, and Paweá J. Matuszyk2

ABSTRACT

The importance of cement evaluation has steadily
increased as the oil and gas industry strives to ensure and
verify zonal isolation. Evaluation must address a broad
spectrum of downhole conditions that include various
casing thicknesses, mud weights, and cement types. The
most-challenging condition occurs with lightweight (low-
density) cements, where the standard cement-bond systems
have virtually the same response in free and cemented pipe.
In these conditions, found in many new well completions,
cement evaluation is extremely problematic. To address
this industry challenge, a new sensor and system has been
developed for use downhole.
The new tool incorporates the use of electromagnetic
acoustic transducers (EMATs) to generate guided acoustic
waves in the casing and to measure them as they propagate
along the casing circumference. EMATs consist of an
arrangement of coils and magnets in close proximity to a
conductive casing. The casing then becomes a ¿nal part of
the transducer system. The acoustic excitation is achieved
by driving currents through the coils, which creates eddy
currents in the casing. These eddy currents, in the presence
of a constant magnetic ¿eld, create the Lorenz forces that
generate the acoustic waves. The EMATs are then used to
measure the induced waves. This system generates and
measures the signals directly in the casing, eliminating any
need for Àuid coupling or physical contact and enabling
operation in all Àuid and gas environments. By varying the
magnetic ¿eld and coil structure, different acoustic modes
may be created and measured.
The most valuable of the guided modes are the
horizontal shear or SH waves, which cannot be generated
by conventional compressional transducer systems. These
waves propagate along the casing, with their particle
displacement perpendicular to the wave propagation and
parallel to the casing surface. SH waves respond directly to
the shear modulus of the material that is directly coupled
on the backside of the casing, enabling direct detection of a
solid adhered to the casing. The Lamb or Àexural modes are
other guided waves that can be generated by the EMATs.
These modes can be incorporated with the SH modes to
detect a microannulus condition without the need for
multiple passes and pressure applied to the casing. EMAT
sensors are incorporated into a pad system in a coplanar
con¿guration, enabling azimuthally sectored compensated
attenuation measurements for the various wave types.
In this paper, we look at the theoretical background,
physics, and modeling of these new EMATs as well as the
various guided-wave modes they can generate. We then
review additional laboratory measurements and test-well
data that demonstrate the capability of this new approach
for cement evaluation. These results clearly validate the
new system’s ability to address cement evaluation across
the broad spectrum of downhole environments.

INTRODUCTION and Walker, 1961). The amplitude reduction or attenuation

In the history of cement-bond evaluation, the founding
principle is the impact that the presence or lack of cement
has on the compressional-wave propagation in the casing.
Cement-bond logging evaluation using acoustics began in
the 1960s, when the casing compressional-arrival amplitude
was observed to decrease as the cement hardened (Anderson
is caused by the increased energy leakage out of the casing
and into the surrounding media (such as in the presence of
the solid material, cement, coupled to the pipe). The industry
has since improved and enhanced the measurements and
resulting analysis. Some of the key improvements include
the use of multiple transmitters and receivers to make
compensated measurements that eliminate the temperature

Manuscript received by the Editor August 31, 2015; revised manuscript received October 2, 2015.
1
Originally presented at the SPWLA 56th Annual Logging Symposium, Long Beach, California, USA, July 18-22, 2015, Paper
VVVV.
2
Baker Hughes Incorporated, 2001 Rankin Road, Houston, TX 77073, USA; Doug.Patterson@bakerhughes.com;
Pawel.Matuszyk@bakerhughes.com
3 Formerly Baker Hughes Incorporated; balexei@yahoo.com

October 2015 PETROPHYSICS 479

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 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation
and pressure effects on the basic measurements.
The industry also realized the need to detect channeling
and to develop systems that provided azimuthal sensitivity.
This realization led to the development of ¿xed pulse-echo
transducers arranged azimuthally around the tool mandrel,
providing the azimuthal coverage and sensitivity (Froelich
et al., 1982). These normal-incident transducers measured
an ultrasonic pulse-echo waveform, capturing the initial
casing reÀection as well as the casing-ring down signal. The
casing-ring down-signal decay rate varies with the presence
or lack of cement. To estimate the cement properties, the
measured waveform is compared to a modeled response.
The cement acoustic impedance that gives the best match to
the measured data is selected as the correct answer. This type
of system requires additional key parameters, such as mud
properties and decentralization that impact the response. A
new approach to azimuthal cement evaluation measurements
was developed from a pad system with articulated arms that
contained transmitters and receivers coupled directly with
the casing (Bigelow et al., 1990). The system eliminated the
mud travel path, provided sectored attenuation measurements
that were compensated, and greatly minimized the effects
of tool decentralization that plagued all other systems.
This type of system is often incorrectly associated with
mandrel-mounted sectored systems that incorporate a mud
travel path. The normal-incident pulse-echo technology also
progressed further with the development of a single rotating
transducer to obtain the azimuthal measurements (Uswak
and McLafferty, 1995).
One key limitation of all these systems is the extremely
limited response to lightweight cements. The acoustic
impedance and the corresponding tool response with these
types of cements are essentially the same as those from a
Àuid on the backside of the casing. In this case, the difference
between free pipe and cemented pipe is below the resolution
sensitivity of the fundamental measurement.
The industry’s ¿rst step to address lightweight cements
incorporated the use of non-normal incident or tilted pulse-
echo transducers to generate an asymmetric Àexural mode in
the casing (Hamawi et al., 2007). This Àexural, or Lamb A0
mode, comprises coupled compressional and shear waves
propagating in the casing. The particle motion of this mode
lies in the plane that is normal to the surface and is aligned
with the propagation direction. The mode enables increased
sensitivity over a range around the evanescence point
where the compressional velocity in the cement and the
casing Àexural velocity are equal. This bimodal attenuation
response occurs because of the A0’s various compressional
and shear components leakage around the evanescence
point. When the cement compressional velocity is lower
than the evanescence point (slow cement), A0 energy loss
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and attenuation are due to compressional and shear leakage
into the cement. As the cement impedance increases, its
compressional velocity exceeds the evanescence point (fast
cement), and the losses only occur because of the shear
leakage—abruptly decreasing the attenuation. As a result,
interpreting the Àexural attenuation response requires other
measurements.
ELECTROMAGNETIC ACOUSTIC TRANSDUCERS
AND SH MODES
Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) are a
family of sensors that can generate and measure acoustic
waves directly in a conductive material through the use of
Lorenz or magnetostrictive forces. The application presented
in this paper uses EMATs that operate using the Lorenz force.
They are noncontact sensors that operate in transmission and
reception mode. The fundamental con¿guration is shown in
Fig. 1 and comprises a magnet, coil and conductive casing.
When the system is in a transmission mode, a current, J, is
applied to the coil. The current induces an eddy current, Jc, in
the conductive casing. In the presence of the bias magnetic
¿eld, B, the current creates the Lorenz force, F, directly in the
casing. This force, F, in turn creates motion and the resulting
acoustic wave. The sensors can also operate as receivers by
reversing the process.
Fig. 1—Schematic of a single-element EMAT transducer.
EMAT sensors do not require ¿rm mechanical contact for
the acoustic coupling, but they need to be in close proximity.
However, with the magnetic forces present, maintaining pad
contact is not problematic because of the magnetic attraction
to the steel casing. The magnetic ¿eld and coil con¿guration
can be optimized in the tool design to produce and measure
the desired acoustic mode. A unique feature of this system is
that the casing is part of the system, and the desired guided
acoustic waves are generated and measured directly in the
PETROPHYSICS October 2015

casing. There is no requirement for Àuid coupling to excite
and measure the waves in the casing. One potential concern
with a magnetic sensor in a cased well is the presence of
magnetic particles and debris on the EMAT surface and their
effect on measurements. The sensor and tool are designed
to prevent debris buildup. The absence of debris effects has
been veri¿ed by ¿eld logs, which show no impact on the
logging results.
The system incorporates Lorenz forces to create the
desired wave mode directly in the casing. The key acoustic
mode used is the shear horizontal (SH) mode, which cannot
be generated by conventional transducers. Because the SH
is a shear mode its particle displacement is perpendicular to
the wave propagation, similar to the A0 (Fig. 2). Unlike the
A0, the SH has its particle displacement rotated 90°, so it is
parallel to the casing surface. In addition, unlike the A0 mode,
the SH has no normal displacement and only responds to the
horizontal shear leakage that is directly related to the solid
material (i.e. cement) coupled to the casing. This sensitivity
enables a uniform response to the coupled material’s shear
modulus across the entire range of varying cement types
and properties. By this means, the SH mode provides a new
foundation for cement evaluation by directly responding to
the cement shear modulus, which is solely a function of its
density and shear velocity.
Fig. 2—A0 and SH wave propagation in a plate; note the 90Û rotation of
the particle displacement.
Depending on the wavelength and frequency, various
orders of the SH modes can be generated. Figure 3 shows
the fundamental SH0 mode that has uniform displacement
across the entire casing cross section, whereas the higher-
order SH1 mode has a positive and negative displacement
across the cross section. Also shown is the propagation of
shear waves that comprises modes SH0 and SH1. The SH0
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Patterson et al.
propagates “directly” through the casing and, therefore,
this mode’s velocity is equal to the shear velocity of the
material, and the mode is nondispersive. SH1 comprises
multiple reÀections (at different angles) and, therefore, it
propagates slower and is dispersive. At the same time, when
solid material is present on one side of the plate, additional
transmission loss can occur resulting in mode attenuation.
SH1 attenuates more than SH0 because of the additional
transmission due to multiple reÀections.
Fig. 3—Displacement patterns of the two lowest-order SH modes
propagating in a plate. The shear-wave propagation direction is shown
by yellow lines.
To better understand how these various modes compare,
the SH and A0 mode propagation are compared in a steel
plate. The theoretical group velocity of SH mode of order n
for a plate is given by
(1)
where Vs is the shear velocity in a plate, h is its thickness,
f is frequency, Ȝ is the corresponding wavelength, and n is
mode order. The group velocity of the SH0 mode is constant
for all frequencies and is equal to the shear velocity of plate
material. Higher-order SH modes are dispersive and their
group velocities, always lower than material shear velocity,
monotonically vary with frequency.
Figure 4 displays group velocities for steel plate with
compressional and shear velocities of 5,930 and 3,250 m/
sec, (Poisson’s ratio of 0.3) for a nominal wavelength of
12.7 mm (0.5 in.) and varying thicknesses. The signal
wavelength chosen matches the wavelength of the Lamb and
SH transducers used. The SH0 group velocity is constant
and equal to the shear velocity of plate material, and SH1
group velocity varies signi¿cantly with plate thickness and
is typically optimized for a particular casing thickness range
(5 to 15 mm). The frequencies of SH waves corresponding
to given wavelength, Ȝ, are given by
(2)
The group velocity of the A0 mode cannot be expressed by
the explicit formula; it follows via the de¿nition
from the Rayleigh-Lamb dispersion equations
PETROPHYSICS 481
 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation
where , and Ȧ = 2ʌf is angular
frequency; exponent d = +1 for symmetric or -1 for antisym-
metric Lamb modes, respectively. Figure 4 shows the A0
mode varies only slightly with the various plate thicknesses.
The SH0 is constant and faster than the A0 mode (except for
a small range). The SH1 mode is slower and varies as a func-
tion of the plate thickness. This velocity difference provides
temporal separation of the SH modes.
Fig. 4—Group velocities of SH0, SH1 and A0 modes for steel plate;
wavelength equal to 12.7 mm (0.5 in.) and plate thicknesses varying
from 5 to 30 mm.
The SH attenuation depends only on the cement
density and shear velocity, e.g., the shear modulus. When
the material on the backside of the casing is a liquid, the
shear velocity and the corresponding shear modulus are
zero. The net effect is that all the shear energy is trapped
in the casing and the resulting attenuation is zero. In actual
applications, there is some attenuation from geometric
spreading, but this is typically in the range of 3.0 dB/ft or
less for 7 in. casing. The attenuation is directly related to the
shear modulus only, enabling insight to the actual in-situ key
cement mechanical property. The newer ultrasonic cement
analyzers (UCA) measure the shear transit time along with
the standard compressional transit time (Reddy et al., 2007)
providing insight to understanding differences between
clean laboratory samples and downhole properties.
The SH modes attenuation varies uniformly across the
range of cement types with a direct correlation to the cement
modulus. Figure 5 shows the comparison of the attenuation
for the SH0 and SH1 mode to the A0 mode for a given plate
thickness of 8 mm, with 1.8 g/cm3 cement with 0.3 Poisson’s
ratio across a wide range of shear velocities. The response
is relative to free pipe in the analysis. The higher-order SH1
mode exhibits approximately 3x higher attenuation than the
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(3) SH0 mode. The varying response of the A0 mode is more
complex and occurs over a limited range of cement shear
modulus. The A0 attenuation in slower cements (with its
compressional and shear leakage) is fairly uniform. The A0
attenuation response quickly changes in the proximity of
the critical evanescence point and drops off rapidly in fast
cement, as the compressional component leakage is lost.
Fig. 5—Calculated SH0, SH1, and A0 relative attenuation response in
an 8-mm plate with varying cement shear velocity for 1.8 g/cm3 cement
with 0.3 Poisson’s ratio.
The SH response was also modeled with varying casing
thickness. Figure 6 shows the response for SH0 and SH1
for cement densities of 1.0 and 1.7 g/cm3 (8.35 and 14 lbm/
gal, respectively) over a range of casing thickness from 5 to
15 mm. In addition, the standard cement-bond log (CBL)
response is also displayed for 1.0 and 1.7 g/cm3 cements. The
trend for all modes follows the expected attenuation response
reduction as the casing becomes thicker. An interesting
observation is that across this casing thickness range the SH0
1.0 g/cm3 response is similar to the CBL 1.7 g/cm3 response.
As one would expect, the most challenging condition exists
with the thickest casing (15 mm) and lightest-weight cement
(1.0 g/cm3). When looking at this challenging environment,
the SH1 attenuation is still 10 dB/ft. The SH0 and SH1 also
display the rapid attenuation response increase as the cement
density and shear modulus increase. The increase of the SH
sensitivity is evident, allowing expansion of the operational
range for cement evaluation.
LABORATORY VERIFICATION
Several laboratory test ¿xtures were constructed to
verify the theory and modeling (Fig. 7) (Bolshakov et al.,
2009). The ¿xtures comprise a short section of 5.5 in. casing
with the ¿xture separated into three 1.5-ft-thick sections:
• Formation imitator with standard cement sheath
• Thick layer of cement
• Free pipe.
PETROPHYSICS October 2015

Fig. 6—Attenuation comparison of compressional CBL (green), SH0
(blue) and SH1 (red) for 1.7 g/cm3 (dashed) and 1.0 g/cm3 (solid line)
cement over a range of casing thickness from 5 to 15 mm.
Fig. 7—Fixture used to verify modeling and theory of SH modes in
standard and lightweight cement.
Two types of cement were poured into the ¿xtures. The
¿rst was a standard 1.68 g/cm3 (14 lbm/gal) conventional
slurry and the second was an extremely lightweight foamed
cement of 0.84 g/cm3 (7 lbm/gal), capable of Àoating in
water. These cement properties were used to calculate
modeled attenuations. Measurements were then made with
the EMATs over the entire section and the response recorded
for the SH0 and SH1modes. Figure 8 shows the SH0 and
SH1 responses in the conventional cement by comparing
the measured results to the theoretical response. The SH0
attenuation difference between the free pipe and cemented
pipe is approximately 20 dB/ft, which is in good agreement
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Patterson et al.
with the theoretical modeled response. The SH1 mode
displays even more sensitivity, as expected, in the range of
+40 dB/ft. The response is less than the modeled response of
60 dB/ft, and it is due to the signal amplitudes being below
the noise Àoor level of the laboratory con¿guration.
Fig. 8—Measured and modeled attenuation responses for a lab ¿xture
with a standard 1.68 g/cm3 cement for (a) SH0, and (b) SH1 modes.
Figure 9 shows the results obtained in the 0.84-g/cm3
lightweight cement ¿xture. The measured and modeled
attenuation responses are reduced when compared to the
standard cement. This response, though, is much larger
than can be obtained with conventional cement evaluation
methods, which are unable to distinguish the presence of
such extremely lightweight cement. SH0 easily detects
the presence of the cement showing 10 dB/ft attenuation,
matching the modeled response. The higher-order SH1
mode displays an even greater 30-dB/ft response, and it is in
agreement with the modeled attenuation.
PETROPHYSICS 483
 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation
Fig. 9—Measured and modeled attenuation responses for a lab ¿xture
with a 0.84-g/cm3 lightweight cement for (a) SH0, and (b) SH1 modes.
MICROANNULUS DETECTION
Microannulus effects are sometimes present and must
be taken into account in cement evaluation. In this case,
there exists a thin micron-scale gap between the cement
and casing. There are several factors that can create this
effect; the most common occurrence is when the hydrostatic
pressure is lowered when the lighter-weight completion Àuid
displaces the drilling mud. The pressure difference enables
the casing to shrink, decoupling it from the set cement. The
casing appears as free pipe even though cement is present.
The industry-standard approach to detect this effect is to
apply pressure at the surface, thus expanding the pipe back
into contact with the cement. The approach requires two
separate logging passes.
The SH response reads lower attenuation values, which
is the same response as a conventional compressional
attenuation measurement in the presence of a microannulus.
The A0 or Àexural mode in the presence of a Àuid-¿lled
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microannulus still has sensitivity due to the compressional
energy loss. The presence of a thin Àuid layer between the
casing and cement changes the boundary condition, enabling
only compressional energy loss from the propagating
Àexural wave and changing its attenuation. This change
in attenuation occurs even passed the critical evanescence
point. Figure 10 shows the modeled microannulus response
for an 8-mm plate and a 1.8-g/cm3 cement with varying
compressional velocities compared to the fully cemented
response. To better understand the microannulus impact on
the A0 attenuation and to match conditions of a laboratory
experiment described below, the model is con¿gured with
air on the inside of the casing with a thin water layer and
cement on the outside. When comparing to the cemented
condition, the microannulus decreases the attenuation in
slow cements. As the microannulus size increases, the
attenuation continues to decrease. In fast cements, there is
a dramatic difference in the A0 attenuation response, with
the microannulus increasing the attenuation. In certain
conditions, the A0 attenuation is directly related to the
microannulus size having the largest attenuation with the
300-ȝm gap.
Fig. 10—Modeled effect of a Àuid-¿lled microannulus on A0 attenuation.
The validation of these modeling results was performed
by the construction of a tapered casing ¿xture (Fig. 11)
(Bolshakov et al., 2008). In the ¿xture, a controlled, Àuid-
¿lled microannulus can be created using a hydraulic jack that
creates a vertical movement of the casing. The con¿guration
enables the casing to be raised and lowered with a precise
displacement. Thus, a controlled microannulus of known
size can be created for the measurement of SH and A0
modes.
In the experiment, the con¿guration was similar to the
model (Fig. 10) with air on the inside and cement and Àuid-
¿lled microannulus on the outside. The microannulus gap
varied from 0 (cemented) up to 300 ȝm (Fig. 12). In the
cemented condition, the A0 and SH0 had attenuations of 33
PETROPHYSICS October 2015

and 28 dB/ft, respectively. When the mechanical coupling
between the cement and casing was lost, the attenuations
of both measurements dropped, with the response of the
SH0 being a far larger reduction of 23 dB/ft, approaching
a free-pipe response. The SH0 response of 5 dB/ft was
slightly higher than the expected free-pipe response and
was most probably due to the presence of a small amount of
cement that adhered to the casing. This response remained
moderately constant for the various microannuli up to 300
ȝm.
Fig. 11—Schematic of a laboratory ¿xture used to verify the performance
of SH and A0 modes in detecting cement behind the casing with varying
Àuid-¿lled microannuli.
The cemented A0 response was close to the modeled
case in Fig. 10, with the variance due to the cement
properties differences. As the cement coupling was lost
and the Àuid ¿lled the gap, the A0 attenuation dropped,
but to a lesser degree than the SH0, showing a reduction
of 15 dB/ft at 60 ȝm. As the microannulus increased, there
was a small upward trend in the attenuation, averaging 23
dB/ft (10 dB/ft less than the cemented case) in the largest
microannulus sizes of 240 and 300 ȝm. This correlated well
with the modeling. If the microannulus were gas-¿lled, the
A0 response would be different due to the absence of a Àuid
to allow the compressional leakage and instead yield free-
pipe readings.
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Patterson et al.
COMPENSATED MEASUREMENT
The theory and laboratory tests demonstrated the ability
of the EMATs to perform cement evaluation using the SH
modes with the Lamb A0 mode for microannulus detection.
The technology was incorporated into a downhole tool that
comprises six pads, each of which contain a separate SH and
A0 transducer arranged in a coplanar con¿guration. Each
sensor operates as a transmitter and a receiver. Figure 13
shows how the sensors operate to obtain six compensated
sectored measurements distributed azimuthally around the
inside of the casing. For the sake of brevity and clarity,
only one sector, located between transducers T2 and T3, is
highlighted, but during the operation, the opposing sector
(T5-T6) measurements are also obtained simultaneously as
the wave propagates in both directions around the casing.
During operation, transducer T1 ¿res and amplitude
measurements are made at transducers T2 and T3. Transducer
T4 then ¿res and signals are again recorded at transducers
T3 and T2. The pattern is then shifted by one sensor and
the process is repeated until all sectors are measured. With
the four amplitude measurements across each sector, the
common transmitter amplitude ratios (marked in Fig. 13
with two blue vertical lines) compensate for the transmitter
power differences and the common receiver amplitude ratios
(marked in Fig. 13 with two red cross lines) compensate for
the receiver sensitivity variance yielding a fully compensated
measurement. The compensated measurement cancels for
both transmitters’ output differences and both receivers’
sensitivities eliminating any requirement for calibration.
These compensated measurements are performed for the SH
and A0 modes.
Fig. 12—The A0 and SH0 attenuation response for various microannuli
thicknesses.
PETROPHYSICS 485
 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation
Fig. 13—Arrangement of the EMATs in a casing and the full measurement
compensation of transmitter output and receiver sensitivity.
FIELD EXAMPLES
Conventional Cement
Figure 14 shows a vertical 7-in. cased well with
standard cement in which the SH measurement is compared
to the standard sectored-compressional measurement
system across a 200-ft section. The gamma ray scaled 0 to
100 API along with the minimum and maximum casing-
compressional DT is in Track 1 on a 140- to 40-—sec/ft
scale. The collar indicator is in the depth track. Track 2 has
the standard compressional attenuation measurement curves
displaying the average (blue), maximum (red) and minimum
(green) and scaled 20 to 0 dB/ft, going from left to right.
Track 3 is the compressional attenuation map scaled from
3 to 13 dB/ft, going from 0 to 360°. Track 4 shows the SH
attenuation measurement curves displaying the average
(blue), maximum (red) and minimum (green) on a 3x scale
of 60 to 0 dB/ft from left to right. The SH attenuation map
is shown in Track 5 and is scaled 2 to 27 dB/ft across the
full 360° azimuth. The last track has the conventional 5-ft
spacing VDL measurement.
The compressional and SH attenuation correlate with
the VDL response and show the general areas of free and
cemented pipe. This is a vertical well; therefore, both
attenuation maps are not oriented. The comparison between
the new SH measurement and the standard compressional
measurement shows both have strong similarities and
differences. First, the overall trend and response is the
same, but the SH attenuation is three times that of the
compressional. Another noticeable feature is the improved
vertical resolution present in the curve and map data because
of the coplanar con¿guration of the new sensor system.
The response is apparent across the interval from X240 to
X216 ft, where the cement map is sharper compared to the
compressional system (with its approximately 6-in. vertical
offset between the receivers). Another notable feature is the
channel detected from X145 to X130 ft, where the new SH
measurement yields similar yet sharper responses.
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Lightweight Cement
The second example is from a well with 7 in., 23 lbm/
ft casing over a section cemented with a lightweight, 1.2
g/cm3 (10 lbm/gal) lead cement (Fig. 15). Track 1 shows
compressional attenuation scaled 20 to 0 dB/ft. with the
average (blue), maximum (red) and minimum (green)
attenuation shown. The conventional attenuation map is
shown in Track 2 scaled 2 to 6 dB/ft and is followed by the
conventional 5-ft. VDL in Track 3 (200 to 1,200 —sec). The
SH attenuation curves of average (blue), maximum (red)
and minimum (green) are displayed in Track 4 on a 40 to
0 dB/ft scale. The SH attenuation map is shown in the last
track scaled 7 to 20 dB/ft.
Two separate intervals are shown in the ¿gure; the top
interval is the free pipe and the lower interval is with the
1.2-g/cm3 (10-lbm/gal) cement. The compressional and
SH attenuations are low in the free-pipe section (X290 to
X280 ft) showing 2 and 4 dB/ft. respectively. Below X280
ft, the SH attenuation begins to respond in contrast to the
compressional attenuation measurement with no noticeable
reaction. In the top part of the lower section, around X900 ft,
the compressional attenuation shows a small increase of just
more than 2 dB/ft; over this same section the SH response
displays more than a 14-dB/ft increase. In the bottom of
the ¿gure, X956 to X926 ft, the compressional attenuation
increases by 4 dB/ft over that of free pipe; by comparison,
the SH is more than 16 dB/ft, four times the attenuation
response of the compressional measurement.
Microannulus
The third example examines the microannulus case. It
is a cased well with 7ǫ in., 26.4 lbm/ft casing with standard
16.2 lbm/gal class H cement. Steps were taken to reduce
the pressure across this interval to enhance the presence
of a microannulus effect. Figure 16 shows the results of
this test integrating the SH and A0 modes. The six-sector
measurements are in Track 1 from the SH (black) and A0
(grey) scaled 60 to 0 dB/ft and 80 to 20 dB/ft, respectively.
The areas where the A0 crosses over the SH are highlighted
with red shading. Track 2 shows the SH attenuations with
the average (blue), maximum (red dash) and minimum
(green) shown on a 60 to 0 dB/ft. Also shown is the average
A0 attenuation scale 80 to 20 dB/ft with red shading where
the A0 crosses over the SH average curve. Track 3 has the
SH 360° map with the thresholds set at 0 and 25 dB/ft. The
A0 map is shown in Track 4 with the low threshold at 15 dB/
ft and the upper threshold at 75 dB/ft. The 5-ft VDL is then
shown in Track 5 on a 200 to 1,200-—sec scale.
PETROPHYSICS October 2015
 Patterson et al.

Fig. 14—A vertical 7-in. cased well with standard cement displaying the standard compressional attenuation, the EMAT SH mode attenuation and
conventional 5-ft VDL response. Note the 3x greater scale and improved vertical resolution on the SH displays.

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 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation

Fig. 15—A vertical 7-in. cased well with lightweight cement displaying the standard compressional attenuation and 5-ft VDL, and the EMAT SH
response. (Note the 2x greater scale on the SH).

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 Patterson et al.

Fig. 16—SH and A0 response in 1.94 g/cm3 cement where intervals of microannulus areas of crossover are shaded.

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 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation

Fig. 17—Fluid-¿lled borehole response (blue) is compared to the air-¿lled borehole response (magenta) (the conventional 5-ft VDL response detects
the Àuid level at X811). The SH overlay shows the ability of EMAT sensors to log in gas-¿lled boreholes.

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 Patterson et al.

The SH has a large attenuation with standard cements 3x greater response as compared to the conventional system.
displaying over 30 dB/ft attenuation, such as the interval The additional average attenuation obtained in air (magenta)
from X312 to X282 ft. The A0 response in this zone is is also displayed in the same track. The comparison of the
Àipped, showing smaller attenuation response as the cement two separate passes shows the responses being identical,
properties go outside the range of the A0 sensitivity and demonstrating the EMAT’s ability to operate in all borehole
appear as a negative correlation. Another important feature Àuids including gas. For completeness, Tracks 5 and 6 show
is the response observed in sections where the SH drops the attenuation maps of the Àuid and air passes, respectively,
and the A0 increases, seen on the curves and attenuation scaled to 2 to 30 dB/ft. The maps are not oriented and show
maps. In these zones, the cement is not rigidly coupled to an azimuthal shift of the features as different pads detect
the casing and appears as free pipe. As previously discussed, cement.
the A0 with a Àuid-¿lled microannulus has additional
compressional leakage. Therefore, the zones from X464 to ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
X428 ft and X278 to X272 ft show the microannulus with
the casing signal also visible in the VDL. Finer-scale details The authors thank Baker Hughes for the permission to
are also visible as the interval from X320 to X312 ft, where publish this work and the operators for the release of the
sectors 3 and 4 detect a smaller-scale microannulus feature. data. Thanks also go to Ed Domangue as well as others
These results con¿rm the theory, modeling, and laboratory involved in the science and engineering efforts to bring this
measurements and demonstrate the ability to detect a technology to fruition.
microannulus without a separate pressure pass.
NOMENCLATURE
Air-Filled Borehole
This example demonstrates a distinctive feature of the Abbreviations
EMAT’s ability to perform cement evaluation in a unique A0 = fundamental antisymmetric Lamb mode
downhole condition. In the example, two passes were made API = American Petroleum Institute unit of gamma
over the same interval with the standard compressional and radiation
EMAT systems. The difference between the two passes is CBL = cement-bond log
the ¿rst pass comprises a full Àuid column and the second DT = compressional slowness
pass was performed after the Àuid level was swabbed down EMAT = electromagnetic-acoustic transducer
to X811 ft (Fig. 17). All previous acoustic systems require SH = shear horizontal (wave)
the presence of a Àuid in the borehole (even the pad-sectored UCA = ultrasonic cement analyzer
device requires some Àuid to keep the pads wet to maintain VDL = variable density log
the acoustic coupling). Since the EMAT system uses the
casing as part of its acoustic sensor, no Àuid is required. Symbols
Track 1 has the standard compressional attenuation Aij = amplitude measured at receiver j of a wave excited
obtained in Àuid and after the well was swabbed. The average by transmitter i
attenuation (blue) is shown along with the maximum (red) Attnij = attenuation measured in a 60-degree sector
and minimum (green) attenuation; all curves are scaled at between transducers i and j
20 to 0 dB/ft. The additional magenta curve shows average B = bias magnetic ¿eld
attenuation obtained during the air pass with the Àuid level f = frequency
at X811 ft; note the absence of this curve above the Àuid F = Lorenz force (in casing)
level. Track 2 shows the compressional attenuation map h = plate/casing thickness
for the Àuid pass scaled from 2 to10 dB/ft. Track 3 displays J = current in a coil
the conventional 5-ft VDL log from the air pass and shows Jc = induced eddy current (in casing)
the Àuid level as the VDL receiver crosses into the Àuid k = wavenumber
level. The entire section has patchy cement sections but n = mode’s order
minimal full-azimuthal coverage with any lateral extent. The Vg = group velocity
compressional pad-based system provides a valid response Vp, Vs = compressional- and shear-wave velocity of plate/
for a short interval above the Àuid level until the acoustic casing
coupling is lost. Track 4 has the SH response for a Àuid Į, ȕ = transversal wave guide’s wavenumbers
case with the average (blue), maximum (red) and minimum Ȝ = wavelength
(green) scaled to a 60 to 0 dB/ft. range. There is a (roughly) Ȧ = angular frequency

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 Utilization of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers in Downhole Cement Evaluation

REFERENCES acoustic equipment, processing software, and interpretation

methods. He was with Acutec until May of 1996, when the
Anderson, W.L., and Walker, T., 1961, Acoustic Cement Bond company was acquired by Baker Atlas. In 2007, Doug was
Logging, Paper J, Transactions, SPWLA 2nd Annual Logging the principal author of the acoustic logging chapter of the
Symposium, Dallas, Texas, USA, 18–19 May. SPE Petroleum Engineering Handbook. In addition, he has
Bigelow, E.L., Domangue, E.J., and Lester, R.A., 1990, A New and
authored or coauthored more than 50 papers and 20 patents.
Innovative Technology for Cement Evaluation, Paper SPE-
20585 presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference
He is a member of the SPE, SPWLA, ASME, and Tau Beta
and Exhibition, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, 23–26 Pi, and was an SPWLA Distinguished Speaker for 2011–
September, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2118/20585-MS. 2012.
Bolshakov, A.O, Barolak, J., Domangue, E., and Patterson, D., 2008,
Use of Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs) Alexei Bolshakov was an acoustic scientist within the
for Cement Bond Logging of Gas Storage Wells, presented Houston Technology Center (HTC), Baker Hughes, until
at the 34th Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative March of 2014. He received a Doctor of Science degree
Nondestructive Evaluation, Golden, Colorado, USA, July from Rice University in 1996 and joined Baker Hughes in
22–27, 2007, AIP Conference Proceedings, 975, 809–816, 1997. He is a member of SPWLA, SPE, and EAGE.
DOI: 10.1063/1.2902746.
Bolshakov, A.O, Zhao, J., Domangue, E.J., Dubinsky, V.S.,
Patterson, D.J., 2009, Application of Special Filtering Pawel J. Matuszyk received a MSc (2000) and PhD
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35th Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Science and Technology in Kraków, Poland. From 2000 to
Nondestructive Evaluation, Chicago, Illinois, USA, July 2008, he worked as an assistant and assistant professor at
22–25, 2008, AIP Conference Proceedings, 1096, 596–603, AGH. Later, until 2013, he was employed at the University
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3114310. of Texas at Austin as a research associate, where he worked
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Doug Patterson is the Acoustic Research Manager

and a Senior Technical Advisor for Baker Hughes, where
he focuses on development of wireline and LWD devices
along with interpretation software. Doug received his BSME
from Memphis University in 1978, graduating magna cum
laude. Over his career he has held positions in operations,
sales, technical marketing, and technology development.
In 1992, Doug joined Acutec Logging Services, where
he focused extensively on the development of downhole

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