AUTOMATIC RECOGNITION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS WITH AZIMUTHALLY DISTRIBUTED TRANSDUCERS

Methods and apparatus for automatic recognition of environmental parameters with azimuthally distributed transducers. For example, a toolstring is disposed in a cased portion of a borehole penetrating a subsurface formation. The toolstring comprises a module comprising azimuthally distributed acoustic transducers each operable to emit and receive acoustic signals. The module is operated to emit an acoustic signal into fluid surrounding the module in the casing and record data indicative of receipt, by a plurality of the transducers, of acoustic waveforms resulting from interaction of the emitted acoustic signal with the casing, including at least a non-specular diffraction head wave excited by a guided wave that is excited by diffraction of the acoustic signal propagating in the casing metal. Acoustic velocity of the guided wave in the casing metal is determined utilizing the recorded data and geometric parameters of the module.