Ultrasonic waveform processing using deconvolution in downhole environments

1. A method for processing downhole ultrasonic waveforms, comprising:

deploying a logging tool along a wellbore wherein the logging tool comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer operating in a pulse-echo mode;

transmitting a source wavelet from the at least one ultrasonic transducer;

receiving a second ultrasonic waveform using the at least one ultrasonic transducer;

processing the source wavelet and second ultrasonic waveforms using a deconvolution technique to generate an impulse response, wherein the deconvolution technique preserves an amplitude of the source wavelet and applies the preserved amplitude to the second ultrasonic waveform to identify a deconvolved amplitude spike of the second ultrasonic waveform, thereby generating the impulse response;

using the deconvolved amplitude spike to calculate a two-way travel time between the source wavelet and second ultrasonic waveform; and

deriving at least one downhole measurement using at least one of the deconvolved amplitude spike or two-way travel time of the impulse response.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the deconvolution technique is applied to identify one or more downhole reflectors.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the downhole measurement is one of a wellbore size, acoustic impedance, or a cement bond quality indicator.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising acoustic impedance imaging of the wellbore using the downhole measurement.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the source wavelet is an a priori wavelet template.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the source wavelet is measured by the ultrasonic tool during transmission.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the downhole measurement is derived using a downhole processor.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the downhole measurement is used to plan, perform, or analyze a downhole operation.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic tool is deployed via a wireline or drilling assembly.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform any one of the methods of claims 1 - 9 .

11. A system for processing downhole ultrasonic waveforms, comprising:

deploying a logging tool along a wellbore wherein the logging tool comprises at least one ultrasonic transducer operating in a pulse-echo mode; and

processing circuitry communicably coupled to the logging tool to perform an operation comprising:

transmitting a source wavelet from the at least one ultrasonic transducer;

receiving a second ultrasonic waveform using the at least one ultrasonic transducer;

processing the source wavelet and second ultrasonic waveforms via a deconvolution technique to generate an impulse response, wherein the deconvolution technique preserves an amplitude of the source wavelet and applies the preserved amplitude to the second ultrasonic waveform to identify a deconvolved amplitude spike of the second ultrasonic waveform, thereby generating the impulse response;

using the deconvolved amplitude spike to calculate a two-way travel time between the source wavelet and second ultrasonic waveform; and

deriving at least one downhole measurement using at least one of the deconvolved amplitude spike or two-way travel time of the impulse response.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the downhole measurement is one of a wellbore size, acoustic impedance, or a cement bond quality indicator.

13. A system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the source wavelet is an a priori wavelet template.

14. A system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the source wavelet is measured by the system during transmission.

15. A system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the downhole measurement is derived using a downhole processor.

16. A system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the ultrasonic tool is positioned along a wireline or drilling assembly.