Now, more than ever, the integrity of the wellbore before the recommencement of drilling operations or production of reservoir fluids, is fundamental to safe operations. Stricter well control policies have been instated in recent years, so it is critical to perform casing inspection, and cement evaluation measurement surveys to ensure adherence to regulatory codes.

As exploration and development drilling activity breach new horizons, it brings new challenges to cementing operations and subsequent cement evaluation surveys. Heavy drilling muds, extra-large casing sizes, and narrow drilling windows: cement to mud weight ratios which can led to cement contamination are just a few. Until recently these constraints limited the usefulness and reliability of ultrasonic measurements under the said conditions.

This paper describes a new generation of ultrasonic sensors and technology that fills the gaps left by predecessor technologies and allows operators to feel confident and at ease with the integrity of their wellbores, even under the most taxing conditions. The advantages and associated cost savings enabled through the utilization of this technology are illustrated in the case studies at the end of the paper.