Measuring Completion Quality and Natural Fracture Indicators in Horizontal Wells Using a New Slim Dipole Sonic Memory Tool Conveyed Through the Drillstring and Bit

Engineered completion design is increasingly recognized as the optimal method for efficient stimulation of horizontal wells drilled in unconventional resource plays (Slocombe et. al., 2013 and Ajisafe et. al., 2014). Key to this design are sonic measurements acquired in lateral wells as they serve as inputs for anisotropic stress profiling and fracture characterization which are used to assess completion quality.

In this study, a new slim dipole sonic tool is used that is specifically designed for acquiring rich acoustic data using a unique low risk and driller friendly conveyance system. The tool has been designed for the horizontal and unconventional logging environment using predictable acoustics where the tool effect in the hole is fully characterized. Horizontal well examples are shown where data from this slim dipole sonic tool were used to determine completion quality indicators based on anisotropic stress and also to determine independent indicators of natural fractures.