Microannulus, Centralization, and Quality Control

If cement is allowed to cure at wellbore pressures greater than existed at the

time the log is run, a microannulus is likely to form. The reduction in wellbore
pressure from the time the cement cures to the time of the logging run causes
the casing to shrink without a similar shrinking of the cement sheath; as a result,
a tiny annulus around the casing is formed. Even with this tiny crack, effective
hydraulic isolation may be maintained; however, the cement cannot maintain the
shear coupling to the pipe that is required to attenuate the acoustic signal
propagating through the Pipe. As a result, the recorded amplitude is high and
indicative of poor bonding. However, if the pipe pressure is greater than the
pressure maintained during curing, the microannulus may be closed and the
shear coupling restored. Therefore, an appropriate pressure should be maintained
during all CBL logging runs to eliminate the microannulus and achieve
interpretable results. Approximately 90% of all cemented wells have a
microannulus problem.

If the CBL tool is run without proper centralization, the received signal is reduced
in amplitude. This happens because the signal energy reaches the receiver over a
longer period of time when the tool is noncentralized. The effect of this lack of
centralization on amplitude is shown in Figure 1 .

Figure 1

Note that an off-center shift of only 1/4 in. (0.635 cm) causes a 50% reduction of
the received pipe amplitude. This effect may lead to an erroneous interpretation
of adequate cement fill. This effect may be detected by the use of the travel-time
curve supplied by most service companies.

The travel-time curve is the primary quality-control curve on a CBL. The travel
time is measured from the initiation of the acoustic signal at the transmitter to
the first signal at the receiver reaching a minimum threshold or bias. When the
signal is reduced due to a good bond, the travel-time signal may stretch, since
the threshold or bias is not reached until a somewhat later time. If the pipe signal
is very low, the first arrival may not reach the threshold, but instead may stop
the travel time clock at the second or later positive arrival. The first effect is
known as travel-time stretch, and the second is known as travel-time cycle
skipping. These effects are shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3 .

Figure 2

Neither of these effects causing an increase in travel time should be of much

concern, since they are caused by better bonding.
 Figure 3

Shortening the travel time, however, is cause for concern. If the tool is
noncentralized, one side of the tool is closer to the pipe wall than the other, and
as a result the acoustic signal travels to the receiver faster through the short path
on the side close to the wall. With most wellbore fluids, a 4 s shortening of the
travel-time curve corresponds to an off-center shift of about 1/8 in. (0.32 cm)
and about a 30% reduction in the amplitude signal. Any greater degree of off-
center shift is considered unacceptable by most companies.

Travel-time shortening may be caused by another factor. Even if the tool is

centralized, certain limestone or dolomite formations have faster travel times for
an acoustic signal than does steel pipe. The travel time in steel is 57 s/ft (187
s/m), while a dense limestone or dolomite may have travel times as low as 45
s/ft (147.6 s/m). As a result, the formation signal beats the pipe signal to the
receiver, and a shorter travel time is recorded. This effect is often visible on the
VDL or wavetrain display. Unlike the case of an off-center tool, the amplitude is
usually increased and the pipe signal amplitude is now unknown. Therefore, the
bond cannot be measured in a fast formation.