DSI* Dipole

Shear Sonic
Imager

DSI 1
Lecture Plan
 Wave Propagation - Monopole & Dipole
 Hardware
 Waveform Processing
 Operations
 Applications

DSI 2
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Wave
Propagation

DSI 3
 Wave Propagation Modes

• Compressional:
– Particle vibration parallel to
direction of wave propagation

• Shear:
– Particle vibration
perpendicular to direction of
wave propagation

DSI 4
Wave Propagation Modes

• Slowness depends on rock

mechanical properties:
– rock density
– elastic dynamic constants

• Shear slowness:
– stiffness of the rock

• Compressional slowness:
– stiffness of the rock
– compressibility

DSI 5
Wave Propagation Modes
• Fluid-saturated rocks, slowness
depends on:
– amount and type of fluid
– the makeup of the rock grains
– degree of intergrain cementation

• Soft, loosely consolidated rocks:

– generally less stiff and more
compressible than hard rocks
– sound waves travel slower in soft
rocks than in hard ones

• Fluids (completely unconsolidated

rocks):
– have no stiffness at all
– will not support shear wave
propagation

DSI 6
 Wave Propagation Modes

• Stoneley:
– Surface wave guided by the borehole
– Travels slower than mud
– Does not penetrate the formation
– It’s energy concentrates on the bore-
hole surface
– It’s amplitude exceeds that of other
waveforms 
– At low frequency there is little energy
decay by comparison to high frequency

DSI 7
Monopole Source

• Non-directional pressure source

• Pulse created in bore-hole & propagates into the
formation
• Excites both P & S waveforms in the formation
• Head-waves are created in the mud & detected by the
receivers
• Operates in the 10 Khz to 20 Khz range (Not suitable for
Stoneley)

DSI 8
Hard (Fast) Formation — Monopole Compressional
wave
Wellbore Compressional
wave
Head waves Formation
• Formation shear slowness less
Shear
than mud compressional slowness wave
Fluid wave
Omnidirectional source

Vmud < Vshear

• Both the compressional and shear Compressional
wave
Shear
wave
Stoneley
wave
formation waves propagate along the
borehole

• Energy leaks back into the borehole

as headwaves, which are detected

DSI 9
Soft (Slow) Formation — Monopole
• Formation shear slowness greater Wellbore Formation

than mud compressive slowness Compressional

wave
Head wave

Vmud > Vshear Fluid wave

Omnidirectional source
Shear
wave
• Snell’s Law predicts in slow
formations the shear wave transmitted Compressional Stoneley
into the formation travels away from wave wave

the borehole

•The shear headwave in the borehole

is only marginally detectable or absent

• Shear curve is discontinuous when

‘slow’ zones are present, log is of
limited value

DSI 10
 Dipole Source

• Directional pressure source

• Pulse created on one side of the bore-hole causing a
small amount of flexing. (Flexural Wave)
• Excites both P & S waveforms in the formation
• Flexural waves travel up the bore-hole & are detected by
the directional receivers.
• Operates at low frequencies (~2.2 Khz)

DSI 11
 DSI Transducer - Dipole

• A dipole tool utilises a directional

source and receivers

• The dipole source creates a

pressure increase on one side of the
hole and a decrease on the other

• This causes a small flexing of the

borehole wall which directly excites
compressional and shear waves in
the formation

DSI 12
 DSI Transducer - Dipole

• Propagation of this flexural wave is

coaxial with the borehole

• Displacement is at right angles to

the borehole axis and in line with the
transducer

• Dipole has low operating

frequencies, below 4 kHz where
excitation of these waves is optimum

DSI 13
Soft (Slow) Formation - Dipole
• Compressional and shear waves Wellbore Formatio
n Compressional
radiate straight out into the formation wave

• An additional shear/flexural wave

Shear
propagating up the borehole. It Flexural wave
Directional source wave
creates a "dipole-type” pressure
disturbance in the borehole fluid
Compressional Shear Flexural
It is this pressure disturbance that the wave wave wave

directional receivers detect

DSI 14
Soft (Slow) Formation - Dipole
Wellbore Formatio
• The shear/flexural wave, initiated by n Compressional
wave
the flexing action of the borehole, is
dispersive
Shear
Flexural wave
wave
• At low frequencies it travels at the Directional source

same speed as the shear wave; at

higher frequencies it travels at a
slower speed Compressional
wave
Shear
wave
Flexural
wave

• Unlike monopole-only tools, the

dipole tool can record a
shear/flexural wave even in slow
formations

DSI 15
 Dipole Waveforms - Slow Formation

• Shear/flexural wave is: Compressional Shear Flexural

wave wave wave
– short in duration
– concentrated at lower frequencies

• Additional higher-frequency
compressional arrival

• In this typical slow formation

example, there is a clear flexural
wave from which the shear
slowness is inferred

DSI 16
Dipole Waveforms - Fast Formation

• Shear/flexural wave is: Shear Flexural Mode

– long in duration
– very dispersive

• Low frequency components,

traveling near the shear
slowness, become fairly well
separated from the slower,
higher frequency components

• Shear can often be detected

and the formation shear
slowness estimated directly
from the waveforms

DSI 17
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Hardware

DSI 18
DSI-Dipole Shear Sonic Imager

Monopole Compressional and Dipole

Shear measurements provide Sonic data in

hard and soft formations

DSI 19
 DSI vs DSLT

• The borehole physics limitation of a Monopole

Sonic to acquire DT shear in formations where DT
shear > DT mud.

• Dipole Sonic acquisition overcomes this limitation

& DT formation >> DT mud are acquired.

DSI 20
DSI Hardware
SPAC (Sonic Parallel Acquisition
Cartridge)

Microprocessor controls:
• Digitizing
• Stacking
• Transmitting signals up-hole
• Sending commands to the other tool
components via a dedicated serial link

DSI 21
DSI Hardware
SMDR
• 8x receiver stations

• Each station has 2x hydrophone

pairs:
– 1x oriented in line with the upper
dipole transmitter (odd pair)
– 1x oriented in line with the lower
dipole transmitter (even pair)

• The outputs from each pair are:

– Differenced for dipole reception
– Summed for monopole reception

• Receivers are carefully matched

during manufacture . Selectable
filters and programmable amplifiers
are also in the SMDR sonde.

DSI 22
DSI Hardware
SSIJ (Sonic Sonde Isolation
Joint)

• Mechanical shock absorber to

prevent:
– Direct acoustical tool arrivals from
the transmitters
– Reduces noises coming from
below the receiver section
• Do not log with more than 900-
lbs.of weight below the SSIJ

• Do not log without the SSIJ

DSI 23
DSI Hardware
SMDX
• 3x transmitter elements:
– 1x omni-directional monopole,
ceramic transducer
– 2x unidirectional dipole
transducers oriented perpendicular
to each other
• Monopole transducer:
– Low frequency pulse for Stoneley
– High or low frequency pulse for
compressional and shear
• Dipole transducers:
– Standard frequency
– Low frequency (for large borehole
and very slow formations)

• All transducers can be fired at a

rate of up to 15 Hz.

DSI 24
DSI Specifications
Temperature rating 350°F [175°C]
Pressure rating 20,000 psi [138 MPa]
Tool diameter 35/8 in. [92 cm]
Minimum hole size 51/2 in. [13.9 cm]
Maximum hole size 21 in. [53.3 cm]
Tool length 51 ft [15.5 m]
Maximum logging speed
One eight-waveform set 3600 ft/hr
(single mode)
All six modes simultaneously 900 ft/hr
(without BCR)
Digitizer precision 12 bits
Digitizer sampling interval limits Variable from 10 to 32,700 µsec per sample
Digitized waveform duration limits Up to 15,000 samples/ all waveforms
Acoustic bandwidth
Dipole and Stonely 80 Hz to 5 kHz
High-frequency monopole 8 to 30 kHz
Combinability All MAXIS tools, any resistivity tool

DSI 25
Depth of Investigation

• Depths of investigation for sonic devices is a function of:

– formation type
– shear and compressional slowness
– transmitter-to-receiver
– source frequency (wavelength)
– etc

DSI 26
DSI Hardware Versions: DSI-A

• CTS telemetry , TCC ( DTC/DTA ) +SPAC-A+SMDR-

A+SSIJ-B+SMDX-A

• DSST-A is obsolete; its production started in August 1990 and

stopped in July 1995. There will be no support for DSST-A in OP
9.2 and later OP versions. SKK recommends that you upgrade all
your current SPAC-A tools to the SPAC-B version

DSI 27
DSI Hardware Versions: DSI-B

• DTS telemetry , DTC-A/H +SPAC-B+SMDR-A+SSIJ-

B+SMDX-A

• DSST-B production started in July 1995. The SMDR-AA

receiver sonde is also going to become obsolete soon. SKK
recommends that you upgrade all your current SMDR-A sondes
to the SMDR-BD/BE version.

DSI 28
DSI Hardware Versions: DSI-II (DSI-Plus)

• Enhances the measurement quality & improves tool

reliability.
• Enhances shear slowness measurement by improving
waveform amplitude
• The SMDR receiver array has been redesigned to achieve
these improvements
• To implement the upgrade of DSI to DSI-II, SMDR-AA
MR-2 & SSIJ-BA MR-2 is needed.
• These are mandatory modifications that must be
implemented only by trained and qualified personnel
• The SMDR-AA becomes SMDR-BD
DSI 29
 DSI Hardware Versions: S-DSI

• DSI logs run in slow formations with the standard DSI sleeve result in a
strong sleeve arrival in the data.
• Do not run the standard SMDR slotted sleeve in formations slower than
500 us/ft.
• When in doubt about DTs & when logging surface formations, use S-
DSI and not DSI-II (DSI Plus).
• S-DSI uses a slow-formation sleeve that replaces the standard SMDR
sleeve to extend the range of DSI-II dipole slowness measurement from
500 usec/ft to 1200 usec/ft.
• To implement the upgrade of DSI-II to S-DSI a Slotted Sleeve is
required, which is SMDR-BD MR-3 (optional).
• The slotted sleeve is intended for use only with DSI-II tools.
DSI 30
DSI Operating Limits

DSI 31
DSI Hardware Versions: BARS

• DSST-C ( BARS )
• DTS telemetry , DTC-A/H +SPAC-B+SMDR-C+SSIJ-
B+SMDX-A
• DSST-C is available in OP 9.1 and later version as an experimental
tool for BARS (Borehole Acoustic Reflection Survey) operations.
SMDR-C is identical in every aspect to the SMDR-B with the exception
of its PGA board;

DSI 32
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Waveform
Processing

DSI 33
 DSI Acquisition & Processing

• Acquisition: Waveforms of the acquired modes,

one for the Rx & one (optionally) for the Tx are
built into sets.

• STC (Slowness Time Coherence): Rx & Tx

waveform sets are processed to identify coherent
arrivals.

• Labelling: Detects the desired arrival from

among the peaks identified by STC.

DSI 34
STC Computation - 1 Array Waveforms

STC - Slowness-time-coherence processing

DSI 35
STC Computation - 2 Contour Plot

DSI 36
Labeling
Poisson's Ratio Delta-T Comp.
.25 .50 100 200
Gamma Ray Delta-T Shear
0 100 100 500
Caliper Dtc Coherence Dts Slowness Time Plane
6 16 0 1. 1. 0 Projection

10200

10250

10300

10350
DSI 37
Dipole Waveforms - Bias Correction
Shear Flexural Mode

Flexure Shear
slowness slowness
Bias
Correction

• Bias correction is small for fast Shear Flexural Mode

formations and averages about 5 percent
in slow formations

DSI 38
Dipole Waveforms - Bias Correction
• One of the coherence peaks will
correspond to the dispersive
flexural mode

• The slowness of this peak is

always greater (slower) than the
true shear slowness

• In fast formations a low-

frequency band pass filter usually
produces a coherence peak very
close to the true shear slowness 10250

• In slow formations the formation

shear must be estimated from the
flexural data

DSI 39
Dipole Waveforms - Bias Correction
• Low-frequency source tends to
minimize the dispersion

• Some correction is still needed to

obtain the true formation shear

• A precomputed correction, derived

using data generated from
numerical modeling, is included in
the processing to correct for the
bias caused by flexural wave
dispersion
10250

• Amount of correction depends on:

– the acoustic response signature
of the source
– the STC filter characteristics
– the borehole size
– shear slowness
DSI 40
Dipole Waveforms - Bias Correction

• Bias correction is small for fast

formations and averages about 5
percent in slow formations

10250

DSI 41
 DFMD - Digital First Motion Detection
• Amplitude threshold-crossing
times derived in the cartridge for
each receiver waveform

• Input into Identification and

tracking algorithm

• Algorithm selects crossing time

the one on each waveform that
corresponds to first motion, and
tracks it over depth

DSI 42
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Environment

DSI 44
 DSI Borehole Compensation

DDBHC = average (RA & TA)

RA - Receiver array
– derived from one tool position
TA - pseudo-transmitter array
– derived from several tool positions

DSI 45
 DSI Borehole Compensation

SAM 1 & 2 (Dipole) - RA only

SAM 3 (Stoneley) - RA only
SAM 4 (P&S) - DDBHC
SAM 5 (DFMD) - N/A
SAM X (Expert) - N/A

Note:
There is no theoretical basis for borehole compensation
for the Stoneley mode or for the dipole modes
DSI 46
 Road Noise

• Caused by random rubbing of the centralizers

against the rugose surface of the borehole wall,
transmitting vibrations to the sonde body.
• 4 fin rubber standoffs should be used to ensure that the
tool is well off the borehole wall
• The rubber on CME-Z also produces noise. Reduce OD
of CME-Z close to BS.

DSI 47
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Operation
Procedures

DSI 48
Job Planning
Correct planning of the
DSI job is essential. It must be
planned in advance with a thorough
briefing from FSM/Geophysics and
a thorough understanding of the
client's goals for running the
service.
Use the Tool Planner
DSI 49
DSI Home page

• Always

DSI 50
DSI Home page

• Always

DSI 51
Safety - people

• Always use proper lifting and handling techniques

when handling the heavy DSI assets.
• Wear gloves & particular attention is required when
handling the SMDR receiver section to prevent cuts from
sharp edges of the Slotted Sleeve.
• Avoid pinching hands in the SSIJ when the tool is
under tension.

DSI 52
Safety - Tool

• The dipole transmitters should not be fired at full

power in air at high repetition rates or for long periods.
Fatigue cracking of the diaphragms could result.

• Do not use sharp instruments to clean the tool. The

corrugated monopole Tx, the dipole Tx diaphragms, and
compensating bellows.

DSI 53
Safety - Tool

• Take extreme care with control of head voltage.

– Powering up
– Switching modes on or off
– Changing firing rate (RATE)

DSI 54
Power Up Procedure

• All modes OFF

• Set firing rate (RATE) to 3 Hz (R3) - (default R7)
• Set HV slightly lower around 225V, wait
• Adjust HV to 250V when the telemetry starts
• Set desired monopole mode to ON (SAM3, SAM4,
SAM5)
• Monitor HV and adjust it to 250V
• Set desired dipole mode to ON (SAM1, SAM2, SAMX)
• Monitor HV and adjust it to 250V
DSI 55
 Changing the RATE

• Decreasing the RATE:

– set HV a bit lower (e.g. 225V)
– change the RATE, HV increases
– Adjust HV to read 250V in the I/O Monitor

• Increasing the RATE:

– set HV a bit higher (e.g. 270V)
– change the RATE, HV decreases
– adjust HV to read 250V in the I/O Monitor

DSI 56
DSI Operating Modes - Dipole

• SAM 1: Lower dipole mode

• 8x waveforms from lower dipole transmitters
• 40 usec per sample, 512 samples/waveform.

• SAM 2: Upper dipole mode

• 8x waveforms from lower dipole transmitters
• 40 usec per sample, 512 samples/waveform.

• SAM X: Expert mode (Crossed Dipole)

• 32 waveforms (standard acquisition) in-line and cross-line from both
transmitters

DSI 57
DSI Operating Modes - Monopole

• SAM 3: Stoneley mode

• 8x waveforms from monopole transmitter driven with a low-frequency pulse
• 40 usec per sample, 512 samples/wave form

• SAM 4: P and S mode

• 8x waveforms from monopole transmitter driven with a high-frequency
pulse
• 10 usec per sample, 512 samples/waveform

• SAM 5: First motion mode (soon to be obsolete)

• 8x sets of threshold-crossing data from monopole transmitter driven with a
high-frequency pulse
• Primarily for compressional first-arrival applications

DSI 58
DSI Best Practices

• Review your handout:

• Competition
• Centralisation
• Logging Speed
• BCR requirements
• Unconsolidated formations
• Cased hole operations

DSI 59
 DSI Mode Requirements
• Compressional:
– For most applications a good continuous
compressional log can be obtained by running the
high-frequency monopole mode (SAM4: P&S).
– In fast formations, in addition to processing
SAM4 (P&S) for compressional, the waveforms can
be processed for shear slowness.

DSI 60
 DSI Mode Requirements
• Shear:
– Can be obtained by running a standard frequency
LD or UD
– For large bore-hole & slow formations, low
frequency UD or LD give better results. (SAM1: UD,
SAM2: LD)
– A caliper is always required with dipole for bias
correction.

DSI 61
Low Frequency Dipole Selection

DSI 62
 DSI Mode Requirements
• Stoneley:
– Used to determine permeability
– A low frequency monopole is fired. (SAM3:
STONELEY)

• DFMD:
– Uses threshold-crossing detection algorithm
– Strongly affected by hole & formation conditions

DSI 63
 DSI Mode Requirements
• BCR:
– The tool must be well centered &
– Both a caliper & a GPIT are required.
– If azimuthal anisotropy is expected and is to be
measured, set SAMX to BCR.
– Final processed outputs are generated in the
computing center.

DSI 64
 DSI Parameter Determination
 Set LPM/SPM 1, 2 & 3 to Receiver & 4 to
DDBHC
 DLHS = CALI (Bias Correction)
 DTCS = PS_COMP & DTSS = UPPER_DIPOLE
(or LOWER_DIPOLE). These are the inputs to
Poisson’s Ratio computation.
 Follow local recommendations/DSI Operating
Guidelines or use DSI planner for remainder of
STC & Labeling parameters.

DSI 66
 To Centralize or Not to Centralize
 Always centralize the DSI whenever possible
 If you can’t, use 8-fin standoff, place bowspring or
caliper on the toolstring and log the dipole normal
to the bowspring/caliper direction (Upper Dipole)
 If logging BCR, you have to CENTRALIZE the DSI
tool, otherwise, it will be useless. Don’t forget to
include a GPIT in the toolstring for azimuthal data.

DSI 68
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Log Quality
Control

DSI 75
 Repeatability

 Repeatability for boreholes less than 17.5

inches
– Dipole Shear < 500 usec/ft 5%
– Monopole Shear < 150 usec/ft 3%
– Stoneley < 700 usec/ft 3%
– Monopole comp < 170 usec/ft 2%
– DFMD Comp < 170 usec/ft 2%

DSI 77
DSI Operating limits

S-DSI , 1200 us/ft

DSI-II , 700 us/ft

Original DSI , 500 us/ft

DSI 78
 Log Quality Control

• Tool should always be run centralised

• Never exceed Maximum Logging Speed
• Fire the correct modes - clients requirements
• Check for good quality waveforms
• When logging BCR mode:
– can only be run centralised
– GPIT required for tool orientation, same run
– Four arm caliper for hole ovalisation evaluation,
not necessarily in same run
• STC processing:
– Check for strong coherence
– Labelling should down centre of the coherence

DSI 79
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Tool
Maintenance

DSI 80
Air Volume Check Procedure

DSI 81
DSI* Dipole
Shear Sonic
Imager

Applications

DSI 82
Applications
• Mechanical property analysis
— sanding analysis
— fracture height
— wellbore stability
• Formation evaluation
— gas detection
— fractures
— permeability
• Geophysical interpretation
— synthetic seismograms
— VSP
— AVO
• Formation Shear Anisotropy

DSI 83
 Summary
• The DSST tool has advantages over the previous sonic tools like SDT
• It utilises both Dipole and Monopole transducers
• The dipole capability allows the tool to measure the shear slowness in
typical slow or unconsolidated formations to overcome the limitation of
monopole

Remember:
– Always use DSI job planner and understand why the job is being run
– Always run the tool well-centred and under the recommended logging
speed limit
– Never run the tool without SSIJ
– Run DSST with GPIT for BCR mode

DSI 99