Borehole Compensated Sonic Tool (BHC)

Sonic tools are designed to measure the elastic compressional-wave velocity of the
formation surrounding the borehole. In essence, the sonic tool can be thought of as a
miniature seismic refraction experiment carried out within the cylindrical borehole. The
tool is centered in the hole by means of centralizers, and contains one or more sources
and receivers. A source fires acoustic energy, which is transmitted into the borehole fluid.
When the wavefront impinges on the borehole wall, a refracted compressional wave is
generated. If formation shear velocity is higher than the acoustic velocity of the fluid, a
refracted shear wave will also be generated. The refracted waves travel along the
borehole wall, re-radiating energy into the fluid. Energy arrives at receivers on the
logging tool at a time that is linearly proportional to their offset from the source. Thus,
formation elastic-wave velocities can be determined by measuring the arrival times at two
receivers a known difference apart.
The BHC sonde measured the time required for a compressional sound wave to travel
through one foot of formation. The BHC consisted of an upper and lower transmitter
arranged symmetrically on either side of two pair of receivers. The spacings T1-R2 and
T1-R4 were 3 and 5 feet apart, as well as the spacings T2-R3 and T2-R1. The transmitters
were pulsed alternately and the transit time of the compressional wave in the formation,
measured in microseconds per foot, was given by: t=1/2 (T1R4-T1R2+T2R1-T2R3)
The BHC was used during the Deep Sea Drilling Project from 1975-1982 and the Ocean
Drilling Program from 1987-1998. It was also deployed during IODP-ESO Expedition
302, on the Lomonosov Ridge.
Applications
Porosity and "pseudodensity"
The sonic transit time can be used to compute porosity by using the appropriate
transform, and to estimate fracture porosity in carbonatic rocks. In addition, it can be

used to compute a "pseudodensity" log over sections where this log has not been recorded
or the response was not satisfactory.
Seismic impedence
The product of compressional velocity and density is useful in computing synthetic
seismograms for time-depth ties of seismic reflectors.
Sonic waveform analysis
If a refracted shear arrival is present, its velocity can be computed from the full
waveforms, and the frequency content and energy of both compressional and shear
arrivals can also be determined.
Environmental Effects
One common problem is cycle skipping: a low signal level, such as that occurring in
large holes and soft formations, can cause the far detectors to trigger on the second or
later arrivals, causing the recorded t to be too high. This problem can also be related to
the presence of fractures.
Transit time stretching appears when the detection at the further detector occurs later
because of a weak signal. Finally, noise peaks are caused by triggering of detectors by
mechanically induced noise, which causes the t to be too low.

Sumber : http://iodp.ldeo.columbia.edu/TOOLS_LABS/LEGACY/bhc.html