Method and apparatus for determining compressional first arrival times

Abstract

A well logging system includes a digital threshold crossing data generation system (TCDG System) disposed in a well tool, adapted to be disposed in a borehole, and a digital first motion detection (DFMD) software disposed in a memory of a well truck computer. The TCDG system generates a series of threshold crossings for each analog signal received from a receiver of the well tool, the threshold crossings including a plurality of threshold crossing events for each analog signal and representing compressed versions of digitized analog waveforms. The well logging truck computer receives the threshold crossing data from the TCDG system and executes the DFMD software. When the software is executed, a first set of compressional wave first arrival times are determined from a startup routine in the software using the threshold crossing data. A second set of compressional wave first arrival times are determined from a tracking routine in the software using four different prediction methods and a voting procedure to select the second set of arrival times from among the four predictions. A cycle skip detection routine in the software determines if any cycle skips are associated with either the first or second set of compressional first arrival times. Finally, a cycle skip recovery routine determines which set of compressional first arrival times to select depending upon the outcome of the cycle skip detection routine.