A numerical investigation of the acoustic mode waves in a deviated borehole penetrating a transversely isotropic formation

A 2.5-dimensional method in frequency wave-number domain is developed to investigate the mode waves in a deviated borehole penetrating a transversely isotropic formation. The phase velocity dispersion characteristics of the fast and slow flexural mode waves excited by a dipole source are computed accurately at various deviation angles for both hard and soft formations. The sensitivities of the flexural mode waves to all elastic constants in a transversely isotropic formation are calculated. Numerical results show that, for a soft formation, the fast flexural mode wave is dominated by c66 at high deviation angles and low frequencies, while the slow flexural mode wave is dominated by c44 at the same conditions. Waveforms in time domain are also presented to support the conclusions.