Theoretical and experimental investigations of acoustic waves in embedded fluid-solid multi-string structures

Abstract

Current acoustic measurements provide viable inspection for single cased wells, yet their interpretation for complicated multi-string wellbores where, for instance, two or more nested steel strings are deployed, is largely hampered by a lack of knowledge of the measured acoustic wave fields. This letter reports on theoretical and experimental investigations of the acoustic wave propagation in fluid-filled double string systems. Experimental measurements show excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions by a Sweeping Frequency Finite Element Method. The results lead to the identification of acoustic signatures that are crucial for an effective diagnosis of cement conditions in double-string cased wellbores.