CEMENT BOND

AND
PULSE ECHO EVALUATION
Chart: CBL-1 (Cement Bond Log Interpretation Chart: 3 Foot (914.4-mm) Spacing)

Applications: Determination of cement compressive strength from acoustic amplitude measurement

Nomenclature: A amplitude of acoustic measurement

ODcsg casing outside diameter
hcsg casing thickness
α acoustic attenuation rate

Given: Bond tool has 3-ft transmitter-to-receiver spacing.

A = 4 mV
ODcsg = 7 in
hcsg = 0.36 in

Find: Cement compressive strength

Procedure: Since the tool has 3-ft transmitter-to-receiver spacing, the chart is applicable.

Enter the chart at A = 4 mV on the Amplitude axis. Follow the A = 4 mV curve until intersecting the
ODcsg = 7-in Casing OD line. Then project horizontally until reaching the Attenuation Rate scale,
there estimating the Attenuation Rate to be 8.5 dB/ft. Continue horizontally to the Casing Thickness
curves, using the 0.35-in and 0.40-in Casing Thickness curves to estimate the location of the 0.36-in
curve. Upon reaching the 0.36-in Casing Thickness curve, project vertically to the Compressive
Strength axis, there estimating cement compressive strength to be 1,200 psi.

Answer: Cement compressive strength is 1,200 psi.

Chart: CBL-2 (Casing OD, Weight, and Wall Thickness Relationships)

Applications: Determination of casing thickness from casing OD and weight

Nomenclature: ODcsg . . . . . . casing outside diameter

hcsg . . . . . . . casing wall thickness

Given: ODcsg = 75⁄8 in

Casing weight is 33.7 lb/ft.

Find: hcsg

Procedure: Enter the chart on the Casing Weight axis at 33.7 lb/ft. Project vertically until intersecting the 75⁄8 in
Casing OD line and, from the position of the intersection point between the 0.40-in and 0.45-in Casing
Wall Thickness, estimate hcsg = 0.43-in.

Answer: hcsg = 0.43 in

Notes: You can calculate hcsg from

 
hcsg = 0.5 •  ODcsg -

√ OD
2
dsg - 0.3667 • (Casing Weight) 

where hcsg and ODcsg are in inches and Casing Weight is in lb/ft.
Chart: CBL-3 (Free Pipe Amplitude and Attenuation)

Applications: Determination of free-pipe acoustic amplitude and attenuation from casing size

Nomenclature: A . . . . . . . . . amplitude of acoustic measurement

ODcsg . . . . . . casing outside diameter
α . . . . . . . . . acoustic attenuation rate
Example 1

Given: ODcsg = 5.5 in

Find: A

Procedure: Enter the chart at ODcsg = 5.5 inches on the Casing Size axis. Project vertically until reaching the
Amplitude curve, then horizontally to the left until intersecting the E1 Amplitude axis, there estimating
A to be approximately 72 mV.

Answer: A = 72 mV

Notes: You can calculate A from

A = 201.54 • OD-0.6044
csg

where A is in mV and ODcsg is in inches.

Example 2

Given: ODcsg = 8.5 in

Find:
Procedure: Enter the chart at OD = 8.5 inches on the Casing Size axis. Project vertically until reaching the
Attenuation Rate curve, then horizontally to the right until intersecting the E1 Attenuation axis, there
estimating α to be approximately 0.30 dB/ft.

Answer: α = 0.30 dB/ft

Notes: You can calculate α from

α = 0.0189 • (1.0512)A

where α is in dB/ft and A is in mV.

Chart: CBL-4 (CBL Borehole Fluid Attenuation Effects)

Applications: Determination of borehole fluid effects on acoustic attenuation

Nomenclature: A . . . . . . . . . amplitude of acoustic measurement

AH20 . . . . . . . amplitude of acoustic measurement in water
ρf . . . . . . . . fluid density

Example 1

Given: ρf = 12.5 lb/gal (completion fluid)

Find: A/AH20

Procedure: Enter the chart at ρf = 12.5 lb/gal on the Fluid Weight axis. Project vertically until reaching the
Completion Fluids curve, then horizontally until intersecting the Amplitude Ratio axis, there estimating
A/AH20 to be approximately 1.60 (i.e., the acoustic amplitude in the completion fluid is approximately
1.60 times the acoustic amplitude in water).

Answer: A/AH20 = 1.60

If 5.5-inch-OD casing were in this well and were filled with water, the free-pipe amplitude would be
72 mV (see chart CBL-3). However, since 12.5-lb/gal completion fluid is in the well, the free-pipe
amplitude would be 72 mV 1.6 = 115 mV.

Notes: You can calculate A/AH2O from

A/AH2O = (0.128 • ρf ) - 0.00482

where ρf is in lb/gal.

Also, if you know A and have determined A/AH2O, then you can calculate AH2O by dividing A by A/AH2O.

Example 2

Given: ρf = 15.0 lb/gal (mud)

Find: A/AH2O

Procedure: Enter the chart at ρf = 15.0 lb/gal on the Fluid Weight axis. Project vertically until reaching the Mud curve,
then horizontally until intersecting the Amplitude Ratio axis, there estimating A/AH2O to be approximately
1.15 (i.e., the acoustic amplitude in the mud is approximately 1.15 times the acoustic amplitude in water).

Answer: A/AH2O = 1.15

Notes: You can calculate A/AH2O from

A/AH2O = (0.5121 • ρf ) - 0.4875

where ρf is in lb/gal.

Also, if you know A and have determined A/AH2O, then you can calculate AH2O by dividing A by A/AH2O
Chart: CBL-5 (Cement Sheath Thickness Versus Pipe Amplitude Increase)

Applications: Determination of acoustic amplitude corrected for cement sheath thickness (in 100%-bonded inter
vals only)

Nomenclature: dh . . . . . . . . . borehole diameter

ODcsg . . . . . . casing outside diameter
hcmt . . . . . . . cement sheath thickness
A ... . . . . . . amplitude of acoustic measurement
Acor . . . . . . . amplitude of acoustic measurement corrected for cement sheath thickness

Given: dh = 6 in
ODcsg = 5 in

Find: A/Acor

Procedure: First, calculate hcmt as follows:

hcmt = (dh - ODcsg )/2 = (6 in - 5 in)/2 = (1 in)/2 = 0.50 in

(Note that, if hcmt 0.75 in, then no correction is necessary.)

Enter the chart at hcmt = 0.50 in on the Cement Sheath Thickness axis. Project vertically until reach
ing the Amplitude Correction Curve, then horizontally until intersecting the E1 Amplitude Increase
axis, there estimating A/Acor to be approximately 1.34.

Answer: A/Acor = 1.34

Notes: This chart is useful in that acoustic amplitude must be corrected for cement sheath thickness before
being used in chart CBL-1.

Also, if you know A and have determined A/Acor , then you can calculate Acor by dividing A by A/Acor.
Chart: PET-1 (Pulse Echo Acoustic Impedance Nomograph)

Applications: Determination of the acoustic impedance of annular material

Nomenclature: ρf . . . . . . . . . density of annular material

∆tf . . . . . . . . sonic compressional interval transit time in annular material
Z . . . . . . . . . acoustic impedance of annular material

Example 1 (Water in the annular space)

Given: ρf = 8 lb/gal
∆tf = 190 µs/ft

Find: Z

Procedure: Enter the nomograph at 8 lb/gal on the Fluid Density leg and project to 190 µs/ft on the Interval
Transit Time leg. From the point at which the projection intersects the Acoustic Impedance leg, esti-
mate Z to be 1.52 x 106 kg/(m2 • s).

Answer: Z = 1.52 x 106 kg/(m2 • s)

Example 2 (Conventional cement in annular space)

Given: ρf = 16 lb/gal
∆tf = 90 µs/ft

Find: Z

Procedure: Enter the nomograph at 16 lb/gal on the Fluid Density leg and project to 90 µs/ft on the Interval
Transit Time leg. From the point at which the projection intersects the Acoustic Impedance leg, esti-
mate Z to be 6.40 x 106 kg/(m2 • s).

Answer: Z = 6.40 x 106 kg/(m2 • s)

Example 3 (Foam cement in annular space)

Given: ρf = 6.5 lb/gal

∆tf = 240 µs/ft

Find: Z

Procedure: Enter the nomograph at 6.5 lb/gal on the Fluid Density leg and project to 240 µs/ft on the Interval
Transit Time leg. From the point at which the projection intersects the Acoustic Impedance leg, esti
mate Z to be 0.975 x 106 kg/(m2 • s).

Answer: Z = 0.975 x 106 kg/(m2 • s)

Notes: You can calculate acoustic impedance from

ρf
Z=k•
∆tf
where k = 36 when ρf is expressed in lb/gal and ∆tf in µs/ft.
k = 1 when ρf is expressed in 1000 kg/m3 and ∆tf in µs/m
ρ ∆
µ µ