# US 10,371,840 B2 · Tension monitoring method and system for towed antenna

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- Number: US 10,371,840 B2
- Document ID: US10371840B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/205,564
- Filed: 2016-07-08
- Published: 2018-01-11
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-08
- Assignees: Sercel
- Applicants: Sercel
- Inventors: Simon Leboeuf
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371840B2

## CPC

- G01V 1/201: {Constructional details of seismic cables, e.g. streamers (integrated optoseismic systems G01V1/226; line connectors in general H01R, transducer mountings in general G10K11/004)}
- G01V 1/38: specially adapted for water-covered areas (G01V1/28 takes precedence)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)

## Abstract

A method for calculating a tension (T) in a towed antenna. The method includes towing the antenna in water, wherein the antenna includes plural particle motion sensors distributed along the antenna; measuring with the plural particle motion sensors vibrations that propagate along the antenna; calculating a value of a phase velocity (vp) of the vibrations that propagate along the antenna based on (1) an offset between two particle motion sensors and (2) a time delay of the vibrations that propagate from one of the two particle motion sensors to another one of the two particle motion sensors; selecting a relation that links the phase velocity (vp) to the tension (T); and using the value of the phase velocity and the relation to determine the tension (T) at various locations of the plural particle motion sensors along the antenna.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for calculating a tension (T) in a towed antenna, the method comprising:
towing the antenna in water, wherein the antenna includes plural particle motion sensors distributed along the antenna;
measuring with the plural particle motion sensors transverse vibrations that propagate along the antenna;
calculating a value of a phase velocity (vp) of the transverse vibrations that propagate along the antenna based on (1) an offset between two particle motion sensors and (2) a time delay of the transverse vibrations that propagate from one of the two particle motion sensors to another one of the two particle motion sensors;
selecting a relation that links the phase velocity (vp) to the tension (T); and
using the value of the phase velocity and the relation to determine the tension (T) at various locations of the plural particle motion sensors along the antenna.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the particle motion sensors are accelerometers, the antenna is a seismic streamer, and the accelerometers are distributed over the entire length of the seismic streamer for measuring seismic data.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the accelerometers record seismic data.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the tension (T) is determined when a part of the antenna is stored on a towing vessel and another part of the antenna is in the water.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the plural particle motion sensors are located inside a body of the antenna.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the relation is determined by assuming that a speed of the antenna relative to the water is zero.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the relation is given by:
v
p
⁡
(
k
)
=
±
2
d
⁢
T
+
4
⁢
π
2
⁢
k
2
⁢
EI
πρ
a
,
where ρa is an effective density of the antenna, d is a diameter of the antenna, f is a frequency, k is a wavenumber, E is the Young modulus of the antenna, I is an area moment of inertia, and sign ± indicates a direction of the propagation of the vibrations along the antenna.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the relation is given by:
v
p
⁡
(
k
)
=
±
2
d
⁢
T
πρ
a
,
where ρa is an effective density of the antenna, d is a diameter of the antenna, and sign ± indicates a direction of the propagation of the transverse vibrations along the antenna.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the relation is given by:
v
p
⁢
⁢
1
=
ρ
w
⁢
U
0
ρ
a
⁡
[
1
+
ρ
a
ρ
w
⁢
(
T
σ
⁢
⁢
U
0
2
-
1
)
-
1
]
⁢
⁢
and
v
p
⁢
⁢
2
=
-
ρ
w
⁢
U
0
ρ
a
⁡
[
1
+
ρ
a
ρ
w
⁢
(
T
σ
⁢
⁢
U
0
2
-
1
)
+
1
]
,
where ρa is an effective density of the antenna,
σ
=
π
⁢
⁢
ρ
w
⁢
d
2
4
,
d is a diameter of the antenna, U0 is water speed and vp1 corresponds to a propagation of the transverse vibrations in one direction and vp2 corresponds to a propagation of the transverse vibrations in an opposite direction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein a first tension T1 is calculated based on vp1 and a second tension T2 is calculated based on vp2.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the tension T is an average of the first tension and the second tension.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
applying a linear regression to the first and second tensions to determine an estimate value of the tension.

### Claim 13

A computing device for calculating a tension (T) in a towed antenna, the computing device comprising:
an interface for receiving recordings from plural particle motion sensors distributed along the antenna, wherein the recordings are indicative of transverse vibrations that propagate along the antenna; and
a processing unit connected to the interface and configured to,
calculate a value of a phase velocity (vp) of the transverse vibrations that propagate along the antenna based on (1) an offset between two particle motion sensors and (2) a time delay of the transverse vibrations that propagate from one of the two particle motion sensors to another one of the two particle motion sensors;
select a relation that links the phase velocity (vp) to the tension (T); and
use the value of the phase velocity and the relation to determine the tension (T) at various locations of the plural particle motion sensors along the antenna.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the particle motion sensors are accelerometers, the antenna is a seismic streamer, and the accelerometers are distributed over the entire length of the seismic streamer for measuring seismic data.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The computing device of claim 14, wherein the accelerometers record seismic data.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the tension (T) is determined when a part of the antenna is stored on a towing vessel and another part of the antenna is in the water.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the relation is given by:
v
p
⁡
(
k
)
=
±
2
d
⁢
T
+
4
⁢
π
2
⁢
k
2
⁢
EI
πρ
a
,
where ρa is an effective density of the antenna, d is a diameter of the antenna, f is a frequency, k is a wavenumber, E is the Young modulus of the antenna, I is an area moment of inertia, and sign ± indicates a direction of the propagation of the transverse vibrations along the antenna.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the relation is given by:
v
p
⁡
(
k
)
=
±
2
d
⁢
T
πρ
a
,
where ρa is an effective density of the antenna, d is a diameter of the antenna, and sign ± indicates a direction of the propagation of the transverse vibrations along the antenna.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The computing device of claim 13, wherein the relation is given by:
v
p
⁢
⁢
1
=
ρ
w
⁢
U
0
ρ
a
⁡
[
1
+
ρ
a
ρ
w
⁢
(
T
σ
⁢
⁢
U
0
2
-
1
)
-
1
]
⁢
⁢
and
v
p
⁢
⁢
2
=
-
ρ
w
⁢
U
0
ρ
a
⁡
[
1
+
ρ
a
ρ
w
⁢
(
T
σ
⁢
⁢
U
0
2
-
1
)
+
1
]
,
where ρa is an effective density of the antenna,
σ
=
π
⁢
⁢
ρ
w
⁢
d
2
4
,
d is a diameter of the antenna, U0 is water speed and vp1 corresponds to a propagation of the transverse vibrations in one direction and vp2 corresponds to a propagation of the transverse vibrations in an opposite direction.

### Claim 20

A streamer to be towed in water for collecting seismic data, the streamer comprising:
a body;
plural particle motion sensors located inside the body; and
a computing device located inside the body, the computing device including,
an interface for receiving recordings from the plural particle motion sensors, wherein the recordings are indicative of transverse vibrations that propagate along the streamer, and
a processing unit connected to the interface and configured to,
calculate a value of a phase velocity (vp) of the transverse vibrations that propagate along the streamer based on (1) an offset between two particle motion sensors and (2) a time delay of the transverse vibrations that propagate from one of the two particle motion sensors to another one of the two particle motion sensors;
select a relation that links the phase velocity (vp) to the tension (T); and
use the value of the phase velocity and the relation to determine the tension (T) at various locations of the plural particle motion sensors along the antenna.