Acoustic and Sonic Logging Patents: Who Leads, Where the Gaps Are 2026
Acoustic and Sonic Logging Patents: Filing Trends and Who Holds the Core Claims
Filing fell 76% from 2021 to 2024 (34 to 8) the last three-year span with complete publication data, marking a sharp pullback from the 2017 peak of 68. Filings peaked at 68 in 2017. By 2021 the annual count had settled at 34, and it fell to 8 by 2024 — a 76% decline over that three-year window, the most recent span with complete publication data. Figures for 2025 and beyond are still filling in, since publication typically lags filing by around 18 months, so the apparent tail should not be read as the technology going quiet.
- 1SCHLUMBERGER TECH CORP180
- 2HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC174
- 3SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY BV129
- 4SCHLUMBERGER HLDG LTD108
- 5SCHLUMBERGER CANADA LTD98
See the full acoustic and sonic logging analysis in Eureka
- The complete ranking, not just the top five
- Every IPC branch with its share of the corpus
- The most-cited records, and where claim space is still thin
Common questions about acoustic and sonic logging patents
Who holds the most patents in acoustic and sonic logging?
One assignee group leads the ranking with 180 records, well ahead of the fifth-ranked position at 98 and tenth at 30. That leading position is actually spread across several related corporate entities and legacy names tied to the same oilfield services group, reflecting decades of tool development and regional subsidiary filings. Anyone doing freedom-to-operate work should search all of those related names, not just the current parent entity, since core apparatus and method claims may sit under any of them.
Is patent filing in acoustic and sonic logging growing or shrinking?
Filing activity peaked at 68 records in 2017 and has since declined, falling from 34 in 2021 to 8 in 2024 — a 76% drop over that three-year span, the most recent period with complete data. That said, publication typically lags filing by about 18 months, so 2025 and 2026 figures are still incomplete and should not be read as a continuing decline until later data fills in. The pattern is more consistent with a mature core toolkit than an abandoned field.
What technology areas does acoustic and sonic logging patent activity cover?
The dataset spans sonic and dipole shear logging tools, borehole acoustic waveform processing, slowness-time coherence analysis, Stoneley wave interpretation, cement bond logging and mechanical property logs derived from acoustic measurements. In IPC terms, 84.2% of the 838 records in scope carry a G01V geophysics classification and 38.1% carry E21B for earth and rock drilling, with smaller shares in material analysis, digital data processing, AI-based computing and semiconductor or stereophonic classes.
Disclaimer. This analysis is based on Patsnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent records and is provided for general information and reference only. Patent data carries inherent limitations — recent filings are under-counted because of publication lag, counts may be on a record or family basis, classification and applicant-name data may contain errors or duplicates, and the underlying search query defines the scope shown — so the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing here is an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Verify independently and review with qualified patent and legal professionals before acting on it.
Method: Filing trend and technology composition. Derived from a Patsnap search on Acoustic and Sonic Logging covering 2015–2026, data cut-off 2026-07-31. Counts reflect published records only and shift as new filings publish. Every share divides by all records in scope. Data: Patsnap Eureka. See the full landscape report.