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Sonic Log
Omar El Gushti

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Sonic Log
– Sonic or Acoustic log measures the travel time of a sound wave through 1 ft of formation.

– This travel time is known as Interval Transit Time (Δt or Dt) and measured by microseconds per
foot

– Higher Dt is higher Porosity, and higher velocity is lower porosity.

– The vertical resolution of the sonic log is 2 ft. Beds less than this thickness can be observed, but
will not have the signal fully developed.

– Interval Transit Time for a given formation depends upon its lithology and porosity.

– All sonic logs need a liquid filled borehole to operate properly.

– Older logs worked only in open hole, but also could be used as a cement integrity log in cased
hole. Modern logs can make most of their measurements in both open and cased holes.

– Most formations give transit times between 40 ms/ft. and 140 ms/ft., so these values are usually
used as the scale.

– Dt is the reciprocal of the sound wave velocity (Dt=1/interval Velocity), therefore, the interval

velocity of a formation can be calculated by Vinr= 1/Dt

Dt Conversion factor from Micro sec to sec

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Sonic Log Tools

Single Receiver Tools T (Transmitter)

– These Tools had one T and one R. R (Receiver)

– The body of the tool was made from rubber (low velocity and
high attenuation material) to stop waves travelling
preferentially down the tool to the R.

– There were two main problems with this tool.

I. The measured travel time was always too long because

the time taken for the elastic waves to pass through the
mud was included in the measurement. This made the
measured time as A+B+C rather than just B.

II. The length of the formation through which the elastic

wave traveled (B) was not constant because changes to
the velocity of the wave depending upon the formation
altered the critical refraction angle.

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Sonic Log Tools

T (Transmitter)
Dual Receiver Tools R (Receiver)
– These tools were designed to overcome the problems in the
Single Receiver Tools.

– They use two receivers a few feet apart, and measure the
difference in times of arrival of elastic waves at Rx1 and Rx2
from a given pulse from the Tx.

– This time is called the sonic interval transit time (Dt) and is the
time taken for the elastic wave to travel through the interval D.

• The time taken for elastic wave to reach Rx1:

TRx1= A+B+C

• · The time taken for elastic wave to reach Rx2:

TRx2 = A+B+D+E

• · The sonic interval transit time: DT = (TRx2 - TRx1) = A+B+D+E – (A+B+C) = D+E-C.

• · If tool is axial in borehole: C = E, so DT = (TRx2 - TRx1) = D

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Sonic Log Tools

Dual Receiver Tools

– These tools were designed to overcome the problems in the

Single Receiver Tools.

– The problem with Dual Receiver Tools is that if the tool is

tilted in the hole, or the hole size changes, the tool will not be
axial in borehole, therefore, C ≠ E and DT ≠(TRx2 - TRx1) ≠
D. This makes the Dual Receiver Tools useless.

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Sonic Log Tools

Borehole Compensated Sonic (BHC) Tool

– The acoustic tool has two or more transmitters

– It also has four or more receivers.

– This solves the issues caused by the two main effects:

– Compensates for tool tilting

– Compensates for, and removes the transit time in the borehole.

– The final Δt will only be the unit transit time in the formation per ft or
per meter

Long Spacing Sonic (LSS) Tool

– The BHC tool is affected by near borehole altered zones hence a
longer spacing is needed with a larger depth of investigation

– The tool spacing are 8’-10’, 10’-12’

– The tool cannot be built with transmitters at each end like a BHC
sonde, hence there are two transmitters at the bottom.

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Unwanted Logging Effects

I. Noise

– These are seen as single data point spikes of low Dt in the log.

– Noise from stray electrical fields, the electronics package or derived from mechanically
generated noise in rough holes can trigger the detection circuitry before the first arrival,
causing a false (shorter) apparent first arrival. To limit this effect, all receiver circuits are
disabled for 120 microseconds after the pulse.

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I.
Unwanted Logging Effects
II. Cycle Skipping
– This causes a marked and sudden shift to higher Dt values, followed by a shift back again to the
correct value

– It is formed when the first compressional wave arrival is too weak to activate the receiver. The
receiver will be activated by a subsequent arrival, therefore, the recorded time is too long (higher
Dt values).

– It is caused by
– Caving can create problems in spite
of compensation as they will also
reduce signal amplitude.

– Gas in the well: The acoustic

impedance of gas is very low, hence
the signal will be strongly attenuated.
There may be skipping.

– Fractures: Reduce the signal amplitude especially the shear and Stoneley waves.

– Large holes -if the borehole diameter is very large the mud signal may arrive at a receiver before
the formation signal. The proper tool set-up for each condition has to be picked before the job.

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Application of Sonic Logs

Primary Porosity Calculation

(Drilling mud)

– This equation is called Wyllie equation, and is used for consolidated and compacted
formations

– In case of Gas bearing reservoir, the drilling mud can not remove all the gas in the invaded
zone. This residual gas may effect the sound wave velocity, therefore, it results in increasing
the apparent porosity. The calculated porosity should be multiplied in 0.7.

– In poorly consolidated or unconsolidated rocks and sandstones in which adjacent shale

values (Δtsh) exceed 100 μsec/ft; a correction factor is necessary. The Porosity in these
cases is calculated by using Cp is the compaction correction factor

‘C’ Is the shale compaction coefficient generally ranges from 1.0 to 1.3
Δtsh = specific acoustic transit time in adjacent shales (μsec/ft).

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Application of Sonic Logs

Gas Effect
– In case of Gas bearing reservoir, the drilling mud can not remove all the gas in the invaded
zone. This residual gas may effect the sound wave velocity (gas reduces the velocity),
therefore, it results in increasing the apparent porosity. The calculated porosity should be
multiplied in 0.7.

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Application of Sonic Logs

Δtf for Water Base mud

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Application of Sonic Logs

This equation is used for high porosity formations

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Application of Sonic Logs

– This chart is used for
water base mud Wyllie equation

Raymer-Hunt equation
(mainly fresh water
base mud).

– Red lines calculate

porosity based on the
Raymer-Hunt
equation

– Blue lines calculate

compaction
porosity based on the correction factor

Wyllie equation

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Example
– Sand reservoir was drilled by fresh water base mad. At a certain depth, the
sandstone was consolidated sand with Dt=76 Msec/ft.

– At another interval, the sandstone was unconsolidated and Dt was 110Msec/ft and
Dtsh was 80 Msec/ft.

– Use Both, equations and chart.

– Answer
– Consolidated sandstone
Porosity= 76-52.5/(189-52.5)=0.17 (17%)

– Un-Consolidated sandstone

Cp= 1.1* (80/100)= 0.88

Poro= [(110-58.5)/(189-58.5)]*1/0.88= 0.45

(45%)

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Application of Sonic Logs

Lithology Determination

– Sonic Log is diagnostic only for Coal and Evaporates.

– Sonic log is not diagnostic for other lithologies such

as shale, sands and carbonates.

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Application of Sonic Logs

Stratigraphic Correlation Rock Texture Determination

– As the primary porosity increases

with grain size decrease, sonic log
sees the primary porosity.
Therefore, a relationship between
the grain size and Dt can be
interpreted.

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Application of Sonic Logs

Overpressure Zones Identification

– An increase in pore pressures is

shown on the sonic log by a drop in
sonic velocity or an increase in sonic
travel time.

– Plot interval transit time on a log scale

against depth on a linear scale. In any
given lithology a compaction trend will
be seen. If there is a break in the
compaction trend with depth to higher
transit times with no change in
lithology, it is likely that this indicates
the top of an overpressured zone.

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