Evaluation of azimuth cement bond quality based on the arcuate phased array acoustic receiver station

Abstract Cement bond quality is a crucial parameter in oil production, and acoustic logging is among the main methods of evaluating this property. By analyzing the characteristics of casing and formation waves, the cement bond quality of the casing–cement interface (interface I) and cement–formation interface (interface II) can be evaluated. However, the use of both monopole sources and receivers render the evaluation of the azimuth and angle range of cement channeling difficult using conventional acoustic logging tools. Herein, we developed an improved azimuthally acoustic bond tool (AABT 2.0) comprising a monopole acoustic radiator and arcuate phased array (APA) acoustic receiver stations with enhanced azimuth resolution capability. AABT 2.0 can determine the azimuth and angle range of cement channeling and improve the resolution of azimuth measurement. We studied these factors through numerical simulation and physical experiments. Numerical simulation results show that the azimuth of cement channeling can be determined by measuring the amplitude of the casing wave's head wave in multiple azimuths received by the APA acoustic receiver stations in a casing well. Compared with individual-reception mode, APA acoustic receiver stations with the scanning-reception mode can both determine the azimuth of cement channeling more accurately and confirm the angle range of cement channeling. Data processing results from experimental wells show that AABT 2.0 can evaluate the cement bond quality of interface I with a high azimuth resolution in the circumferential and axial directions, through the amplitude imaging display of the casing wave's head wave. The reliability of AABT 2.0 and the accuracy of our measurement results are verified through comparison with results from an ultrasonic imaging logging tool and information concerning the well condition.