Reflection-only sensor at multiple angles for near real-time determination of acoustic properties of a fluid downhole

1. A method of estimating an acoustic parameter of interest of a downhole fluid using an acoustic assembly comprising a single solid acoustic transmission medium having a face immersed in the downhole fluid, the method comprising:

using at least one acoustic transducer acoustically coupled to the single solid acoustic transmission medium to transmit and receive acoustic pulses, including generating a plurality of acoustic pulse reflections from a solid-liquid interface at the face of the single solid acoustic transmission medium, and receiving the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections;

estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing characteristics of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections from the solid-liquid interface, wherein each acoustic pulse reflection of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections has a corresponding unique angle of reflection with respect to the face;

wherein the characteristics comprise a corresponding reflection amplitude and the corresponding unique angle of reflection for each acoustic pulse reflection, and

wherein the parameter of interest is at least one of: i) sound speed of the downhole fluid; ii) density of the downhole fluid; and iii) acoustic impedance of the downhole fluid.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing characteristics of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections comprises estimating the parameter of interest by determining corresponding values for [(1−r 21 )/(1+r 21 )] 2 and [1/sin 2 φ] for the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections, wherein r 21 is the corresponding reflection amplitude and φ is the corresponding unique angle of reflection.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising generating a two dimensional data set by plotting [(1−r 21 )/(1+r 21 ] 2 with respect to 1/sin 2 φ for each acoustic pulse reflection, wherein r 21 is the corresponding reflection amplitude and φ is the corresponding unique angle of reflection.

4. The method of claim 3 , comprising generating a curve by performing data fitting on the two dimensional data set.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing characteristics of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections comprises estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing a slope of the curve.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the step of estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing characteristics of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections comprises estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing a reciprocal of the slope.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of estimating the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing characteristics of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections comprises estimating the parameter of interest independently of a time of flight in the downhole fluid of the acoustic pulses and any other acoustic pulses.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acoustic pulses and the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections are each propagated within the single solid acoustic transmission medium.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting acoustic pulses comprises using the at least one acoustic transducer to transmit the acoustic pulses through a second face of the single solid acoustic transmission medium.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the second face is not in contact with the downhole fluid.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one acoustic transducer is not in contact with the downhole fluid.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the parameter of interest comprises estimating time-dependent values for the parameter of interest substantially continuously while the acoustic assembly is on a single logging run in the borehole.

13. An apparatus for estimating a parameter of interest of a downhole fluid, the apparatus comprising:

a carrier configured to be conveyed into a borehole;

a logging tool mounted on the carrier, the logging tool including an acoustic assembly comprising a single solid acoustic transmission medium and at least one acoustic transducer, wherein the logging tool is configured such that when the borehole is filled with downhole fluid, the transmission medium has a corresponding face immersed in the downhole fluid, and the at least one acoustic transducer is acoustically coupled to the single solid acoustic transmission medium to transmit and receive acoustic pulses, including generating a plurality of acoustic pulse reflections from a solid-liquid interface at the face of the single solid acoustic transmission medium, and receiving the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections; and

a processor configured to estimate the parameter of interest in near real-time utilizing characteristics of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections from the solid-liquid interface;

wherein each acoustic pulse reflection of the plurality of acoustic pulse reflections has a corresponding unique angle of reflection with respect to the face;

wherein the characteristics comprise a corresponding reflection amplitude and the corresponding unique angle of reflection for each acoustic pulse reflection, and

wherein the parameter of interest is at least one of: i) sound speed of the downhole fluid; ii) density of the downhole fluid; and iii) acoustic impedance of the downhole fluid.