Abstract: A device and method for determining a geophysical characteristic of a borehole using at least one logging device is provided, wherein the at least one logging device includes at least one sensing device. The method includes associating the at least one sensing device with the borehole, wherein the at least one sensing device includes a sensing device measurement length. The method also includes operating the at least one sensing device to generate borehole data responsive to a borehole portion disposed essentially adjacent the sensing device measurement length, wherein the borehole data includes start time of scan, location of the at least one sensing device at start time of scan, stop time of scan and location of the at least one sensing device at stop time of scan. Furthermore, the method includes correlating the borehole data to determine the geophysical characteristic.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus facilitating radial profiling of acoustic slowness of a formation traversed by a borehole are disclosed. According to some aspects of the invention, a radial slowness profile is imaged, including an image of altered region slowness.

Abstract: A method for determining formation shear slowness of formations surrounding an earth borehole that includes: transmitting sonic energy into the formations from a dipole source in the borehole; measuring signals from orthogonal wave components that have traveled through the formations at each of a plurality of receiver locations in the borehole, spaced at a respective plurality of distances from the transmitter location; transforming the signals to the frequency domain and separating dispersive and non-dispersive portions of the transformed signals; and determining fast and slow shear slowness of the formation from the low frequency asymptotes of the dispersive portions of the transformed signals. Related methods for determining shear directionality and the magnitude of anisotropy of anisotropic formations surrounding an earth borehole and associated apparatus are also described.

Abstract: A method for determining properties of an earth formation surrounding an earth borehole that involves: providing a logging device moveable through the borehole; transmitting sonic energy into the formation; receiving sonic energy that has traveled through the formation; producing signals representative of the received sonic energy; determining whether the formation is anisotropic; determining whether the formation is inhomogeneous; and outputting a characterization of the formation as one of the following types: isotropic/homogeneous, anisotropic/homogeneous, isotropic/inhomogeneous, and anisotropic/inhomogeneous.

Abstract: A method for determining alteration of a region of an earth formation surrounding an earth borehole, comprising the steps of providing a logging device that is moveable through the borehole; transmitting sonic energy into the formation and receiving, at a plurality of transmitter-to-receiver spacings, sonic energy that has traveled through the formation, and producing signals representative of the received sonic energy for the plurality of transmitter-to-receiver spacings; determining sonic transit times and differential transit times for the respective transmitter-to-receiver spacings; deriving a test statistic from the differential transit times; and determining the presence of alteration of a region of the formations from the test statistic. An associated apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: A method for determining alteration of a region of an earth formation surrounding an earth borehole, comprising the steps of providing a logging device that is moveable through the borehole; transmitting sonic energy into the formation and receiving, at a plurality of transmitter-to-receiver spacings, sonic energy that has traveled through the formation, and producing signals representative of the received sonic energy for the plurality of transmitter-to-receiver spacings; determining sonic transit times and differential transit times for the respective transmitter-to-receiver spacings; deriving a test statistic from the differential transit times; and determining the presence of alteration of a region of the formations from the test statistic. An associated apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: A method for determining properties of an earth formation surrounding an earth borehole that involves: providing a logging device moveable through the borehole; transmitting sonic energy into the formation; receiving sonic energy that has traveled through the formation; producing signals representative of the received sonic energy; determining whether the formation is anisotropic; determining whether the formation is inhomogeneous; and outputting a characterization of the formation as one of the following types: isotropic/homogeneous, anisotropic/homogeneous, isotropic/inhomogeneous, and anisotropic/inhomogeneous.