CEMENT BOND LOGGING TRAINING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 HISTORY
2.0 APPLICATION
3.0 THEORY OF MEASUREMENT
3.1 Operation
3.2 Depth of Investigation and Vertical Resolution
4.0 CALIBRATION
5.0 LIMITATIONS AND PRESENTATION
5.1 Limitations
5.2 Presentation
6.0 TOOL COMBINATIONS
6.1 Associated Mnemonics
6.2 Typical Log Readings
7.0 LQC, CORRECTIONS AND INTERPRETATION
7.1 Log Quality Control
7.2 Corrections
7.3 Interpretation
8.0 ADDITIONAL READING
1.0 HISTORY

The Cement Bond Log has been used since the 1960's. It is still widely used and is often preferred to many other
more recent cement evaluation tools.
In the mid 1980's ultrasonic transducer tools were introduced like the CET and PET tools.

2.0 APPLICATION

Determine cement bond quality between cement and casing and also between cement and formation for zone
isolation
Correlate open hole logs to cased hole logs using the Casing Collar Locator (CCL) and Gamma Ray tool

An indication of cement compressive strength. These tools (CET, PET) also measure casing thickness, micro annulus
and cement channeling but do not measure cement bond to formation as well as the CBL.

3.0 THEORY OF MEASUREMENT

3.1 Operation

Figure 1: Schematic representation of the CBL/VDL tool

Once a well has been determined to be productive, casing is run in the open hole and cement is pumped to the
outside of the casing to seal the casing to the borehole wall. A Cement Bond Log (CBL) is then run to inspect the
integrity of the cement sealing to the casing and to the formation. This will ensure that formation fluids will flow into the
casing when the productive zone is perforated and not up or down the outside of the casing.
The CBL is similar in operation the open hole Sonic tool. There is only one transmitter however and two receivers at
distances of 3 and 5 feet from the transmitter. As with the Sonic tool the compressional or P waves are used to
measure the time to travel from the transmitter to the receiver. The CBL tool is uncompensated unlike the open hole
Sonic tool. Centralization of the CBL is therefore critical to it's operation. Rigid steel Gemoco centralizer whos outside
diameter match exactly the casing inside diameter should always be attached to the CBL tool. This will ensure good
centralization.
The 3-foot signal from the transmitter to the first receiver, will primarily measure the cement to casing bond. If there is
little or no bond the amplitude of the signal will be very large. If there is good bond the amplitude will be very small.
This is commonly known as the TT3 (Travel Time 3 foot) or CBL (Cement Bond Log) signal.
A Similar compressional wave will be measured with the 5-foot signal from the transmitter to the second receiver. The
signal will however read deeper into the formation. It will predominately measure the cement to formation bond. Again
a large signal amplitude indicates a bad cement to formation bond and a small amplitude a good cement to formation
bond. This is commonly known as the TT5 (Travel Time 5 foot) or VDL (Variable Density Log) signal.

Figure 2: 3 foot CBL signal

Here the horizontal line is the threshold detection. The TT3 travel time is measured between the transmitter pulse at
the start and the amplitude arrive 'E2'. The CBL signal amplitude is measured by the height of this first arrival.

Figure 3: 5 foot VDL signal

The 5-foot waveform is used differently to the 3 foot. Here the horizontal threshold 'cuts through' the positive peaks of
the received signal. It is this cross section through the positive peaks that is displayed on the VDL track as if viewed
from the top of the waveform.
3.2 Depth of Investigation and Vertical Resolution
The 3-foot CBL signal measures immediately outside the casing.
The 5-foot CBL signal has a larger spacing and is sampled over the entire wave train. It therefore reads several
inches into the formation.
4.0 CALIBRATION

Figure 4: Typical CBL calibration table

Early CBL tools were not calibrated. The 3-foot amplitudes were measured for various free pipe signals. See Figure 2 opposite.
As more tools were made, different free pipe amplitudes were measured and these needed to be calibrated to match the logs
made with the original tools. CBL tools therefore need the signal amplitude to be calibrated for each sized casing. The travel
time of each signal does not require calibration, as is the case with the Sonic tool.
5.0 LIMITATIONS AND PRESENTATION
5.1 Limitations
The borehole must have fluid in the well bore in order for acoustic coupling to occur.
5.2 Presentation

Figure 5: Typical Cement Bond Log presentation

(Click on image to get full scale)
The CBL presentation has not changed over many years.
Track 1:
The GR measurement for correlation to open hole logs.
The CCL magnetic collar locator that spikes opposite every casing collar
The TT3 travel time being a function of the casing size. See Figure 2.
Track 3:
CBL (3 foot) amplitude in mV. For low amplitudes (better cement bond) the 0-20mV curves comes into the display for
accurate measurement. See Figure 2.
Track 4:
TT5 signal is displayed in a Signature presentation. This displays the entire wave train.
Track 5:
TT5 signal is displayed in the pseudo standard VDL presentation. This is a 'Bird's eye view' of the TT5 waveform
'above' the threshold. See Figure 3
6.0 TOOL COMBINATIONS
The CBL tool requires a gamma ray measurement to correlate on depth with the open hole gamma ray. A casing collar locator is
also used to enable correlation of wireline perforating guns.
6.1 Associated Mnemonics
CBL - Cement Bond Log
VDL - Variable Density log
TT3 - Travel Time 3 foot

CCL - Casing Collar Locator

PET - Pulsed Echo Tool (HLS)
CET - Cement Evaluation Tool (Schl)

TT5 - Travel Time 5 foot

6.2 Typical Log Readings
Good cement to casing bond exists when the CBL signal amplitude is less than about 10mV.
Thick 'wavy' VDL response indicates good cement to formation bond.
Free pipe signal takes on specific values for different casing sizes. Typically 62mV for 7 inch and 72mV for 5.5"
casing. See table in Figure 4 above.
7.0 LQC, CORRECTIONS AND INTERPRETATION
7.1 Log Quality Control
Micro annulus is often a problem when performing a casing cement job. Once the cement has been pumped into the
casing annulus, micro annulus can occur when the wellhead pump pressure is held too long, causing the casing to
expand. When the pressure is released the casing retracts and a thin break occurs between the casing and the
cement. Holding of wellhead pressure immediately after the cement job should be kept to a minimum.

Another cause of micro annulus occurs if there is any residual coatings left on the outside of the casing during
manufacture. When the cement job is run these coatings inhibit the cement to bond to the casing again leaving a thin
micro fracture or break between the casing and cement. The cement job requires a free flush chemical fluid to remove
any coatings immediately before the cement is pumped outside the casing.
Similarly a free flush needs to be run to remove any borehole wall mud cake. This will help ensure a good cement to
formation bond also.
Drilling operations can cause micro annulus. A CBL log run soon after the casing is set may not confirm if micro
annulus exists however.
If the 3-foot travel time is not primarily a straight line, then the CBL tool is poorly centralized and the cement bond will
not be accurate.
7.2 Corrections
Micro annulus is noticeable when the CBL signal is approximately 10-20mV. If micro annulus is suspected, the casing
should be pressured to 1000psi well head and the CBL survey run again under the 1000psi pressure. If the CBL
signal reduces to below 10mV then micro annulus exists. Micro annulus is not usually a problem for zone isolation.
7.3 Interpretation
The purpose of interpreting the CBL log is to ensure good zone isolation over a productive formation. By viewing the
CBL log presentation; a qualitative analysis of the cement bond can be determined.

Figure 6: Good Formation Bond

(Click on image to get full scale)
Good Bond:
CBL signal - The interval 3307.5-3310.5ft has very good bond between cement and casing by virtue of small CBL
amplitude in Track 3 of approx. 4mV. Often at these low amplitudes the TT3 travel time will cycle skip.
VDL signal - There are good formation arrivals indicated by the VDL display in Track 5. The formation arrivals are
depicted by the very thick VDL lines (thick because the amplitude is very high). These formation arrivals should also
follow the open hole Sonic transit times. This indicates a good cement to formation bond also.

Figure 7: Free pipe

(Click on image to get full scale)
Free Pipe signal:
CBL signal - Here you can see that the free pipe signal is reaching a maximum of approximately 62mV. There is some
cement scattered around the pipe that is reducing the CBL signal in places but essentially this is still free pipe. There
is no continuous cement seal to the casing. The TT3 is reading 280usec and the free pipe signal is 62mV both
indicating 5.5 inch casing.
VDL signal - At the start of the VDL signal in track 5 there are straight thin lines representing casing arrivals. The
thicker formation arrivals are also relatively straight which are not representative of the formation response.
8.0 ADDITIONAL READING
General Literature:
Formation evaluation chart books.
Open hole Log Analysis texts.
Formation Evaluation texts.

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