Downhole ultrasound image correction in oil based mud

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11415720-B2
Application number	US-201916449097-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2019
Priority date	Oct 16, 2018
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A method for generating acoustic images corrected for distortions caused by attenuation of the ultrasonic signal by the mud may comprise disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, transmitting a pressure pulse from at least one transducer into the borehole, recording an echo with the at least one transducer, measuring a travel time, measuring an amplitude, determining a geometry of the borehole, determining a location of the downhole tool in the borehole, calculating an incident angle, mapping a mud attenuation, and correcting an image. A system for generating acoustic images corrected for distortions caused by attenuation of the ultrasonic signal by the mud comprising a downhole tool that may comprise a measuring assembly, wherein the measuring assembly comprises at least one transducer and wherein the at least one transducer is configured to emit a pressure pulse and record an echo. The system may further comprise an information handling system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for generating an ultrasonic image comprising:
disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, wherein the downhole tool comprises:
a measuring assembly having at least one transducer;

transmitting a pressure pulse from the at least one transducer into the borehole, wherein the pressure pulse is reflected off a borehole wall as an echo;
recording the echo with the at least one transducer;
measuring an amplitude of the echo;
measuring a travel time, wherein the travel time is the time for the pressure pulse to travel to the borehole wall and back to the at least one transducer;
determining a geometry of the borehole;
determining a location of the downhole tool in the borehole;
calculating an incident angle; and
correcting an image based at least in part on the amplitude of the echo, the travel time, the geometry of the borehole, the incident angle, and the location of the downhole tool in the borehole.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein calculating the incident angle comprises identifying: a normal direction, an incident direction, and a tangential direction, and mapping a mud attenuation.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising mapping a mud attenuation comprises comparing a transmitted beam pattern and a received beam pattern for a stand-off between the borehole and the measuring assembly.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising combining the received beam pattern and the transmitted beam pattern to determine an attenuation map.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming an impedance image based at least in part on the attenuation map.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a 2D amplitude histogram.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising estimating a center of the measuring assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measuring assembly comprises four transducers.

9. A system for generating an attenuation corrected ultrasonic image comprising:
a downhole tool, wherein the downhole tool comprises:
a measuring assembly, wherein the measuring assembly comprises at least one transducer and wherein the at least one transducer is configured to emit a pressure pulse and record an echo; and
an information handling system configured to:
measure a travel time, wherein the travel time is a time for the pressure pulse to travel to a borehole wall and back to the at least one transducer;
determine a geometry of a borehole;
determine a location of the downhole tool in the borehole;
calculate an incident angle;
map a mud attenuation; and
correct an image based at least in part on the amplitude of the echo, the travel time, the geometry of the borehole, the incident angle, and the location of the downhole tool in the borehole.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to determine a normal direction, an incident direction, and a tangential direction.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to map a transmitted beam pattern and a received beam pattern for a stand-off direction in view of a distant along the measuring assembly.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to combine the received beam pattern and the transmitted beam pattern to determine an attenuation map.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to form an impedance image based at least in part from the mud attenuation.

14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to form a 2D amplitude histogram.

15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to measure an amplitude of the echo.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the correct the image is based at least in part on the amplitude of the echo, the travel time, the geometry of the borehole, and the location of the downhole tool in the borehole.

17. The system of claim 9 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to estimate a center of the measuring assembly.

18. The system of claim 9 , wherein the measuring assembly comprises four transducers.

19. A method for generating an ultrasonic image comprising:
disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, wherein the downhole tool comprises:
a measuring assembly having at least one transducer;

transmitting a pressure pulse from the at least one transducer into the borehole, wherein the pressure pulse is reflected off a borehole wall as an echo;
recording the echo with the at least one transducer;
measuring an amplitude of the echo;
measuring a travel time, wherein the travel time is the time for the pressure pulse to travel to the borehole wall and back to the at least one transducer;
determining a geometry of the borehole;
determining a location of the downhole tool in the borehole;
calculating an incident angle by identifying a normal direction, an incident direction, and a tangential direction and mapping a mud attenuation; and
correcting an image based at least in part on the amplitude of the echo, the travel time, the geometry of the borehole, the incident angle, and the location of the downhole tool in the borehole.

20. A method for generating an ultrasonic image comprising:
disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, wherein the downhole tool comprises:
a measuring assembly having at least one transducer;

transmitting a pressure pulse from the at least one transducer into the borehole, wherein the pressure pulse is reflected off a borehole wall as an echo;
recording the echo with the at least one transducer;
measuring an amplitude of the echo;
measuring a travel time, wherein the travel time is the time for the pressure pulse to travel to the borehole wall and back to the at least one transducer;
determining a geometry of the borehole;
determining a location of the downhole tool in the borehole;
mapping a mud attenuation with a transmitted beam pattern and a received beam pattern for a stand-off between the borehole and the measuring assembly;
combining the received beam pattern and the transmitted beam pattern to determine an attenuation map, wherein an incident angle is identified by at least the attenuation map; and
correcting an image based at least in part on the amplitude of the echo, the travel time, the geometry of the borehole, the incident angle, and the location of the downhole tool in the borehole.

21. A method for generating an ultrasonic image comprising:
disposing a downhole tool into a borehole, wherein the downhole tool comprises:
a measuring assembly having at least one transducer;

transmitting a pressure pulse from the at least one transducer into the borehole, wherein the pressure pulse is reflected off a borehole wall as an echo;
recording the echo with the at least one transducer;
measuring an amplitude of the echo;
measuring a travel time, wherein the travel time is the time for the pressure pulse to travel to the borehole wall and back to the at least one transducer;
determining a geometry of the borehole;
determining a location of the downhole tool in the borehole;
mapping a mud attenuation with a transmitted beam pattern and a received beam pattern for a stand-off between the borehole and the measuring assembly;
combining the received beam pattern and the transmitted beam pattern to determine an attenuation map, wherein an incident angle is identified by at least the attenuation

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Weng Yu
• Li Peng
• Chang Chung
• Coates Richard
• Marlow Rodney Allen
• Wu Xiang
• Ge Yao
• Jin Jing

Classifications

• E21B47/02

  Determining slope or direction · CPC title

• E21B47/0025

  generating an image of the borehole wall using down-hole measurements, e.g. acoustic or electric · CPC title

• G01V1/306

  for determining physical properties of the subsurface, e.g. impedance, porosity or attenuation profiles · CPC title

• G01V2001/526

  Mounting of transducers · CPC title

• E21B47/085

  using radiant means, e.g. acoustic, radioactive or electromagnetic · CPC title