Method and device for reducing bucking of pneumatic seismic sources
AssigneeSercel
InventorJoshua M. Ronen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An air gun for generating seismic waves in a marine environment includes a cylindrical body configured to hold compressed air and having plural air ports for releasing the compressed air from inside the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis X, and an extension member attached externally to the body and extending along a radial axis R, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X. The extension member promotes ambient water flowing inside an air bubble generated when the compressed air is released outside the body.
Claims20
An air gun for generating seismic waves in a marine environment, the air gun comprising:
- a cylindrical body configured to hold compressed air and having plural air ports for releasing the compressed air from inside the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis X;
- and
- an extension member attached externally to the body and extending along a radial axis R, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X,
- wherein a depth of the extension member is selected based on a diameter of the body and a towing depth of the air gun so that the extension member promotes ambient water flowing inside an air bubble generated when the compressed air is released outside the body, to reduce bucking.
A source array for generating seismic waves in a marine environment, the source array comprising:
- a float configured to float in water;
- and
- plural air guns suspended from the float and configured to generate the seismic waves,
- wherein an air gun of the plural air guns includes,
- a cylindrical body configured to hold compressed air and having plural air ports for releasing the compressed air from inside the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis X;
- and
- an extension member attached externally to the body and extending along a radial axis R, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X,
- wherein a depth of the extension member is selected based on a diameter of the body and a towing depth of the air gun so that the extension member promotes ambient water flowing inside an air bubble generated when the compressed air is released outside the body, to reduce bucking.
A method for reducing bucking associated with firing a marine air gun, the method comprising:
- providing a cylindrical body configured to hold compressed air and having plural air ports for releasing the compressed air from inside the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body extending along a longitudinal axis X;
- selecting an extension member with a given depth D, wherein the depth of the extension member is selected based on a diameter of the body and a towing depth of the air gun;
- attaching the extension member external to the body, wherein the extension member extends along a radial axis R of the body, which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X;
- and
- promoting ambient water to flow, along the extension member inside an air bubble generated when the compressed air is released outside the body, to reduce bucking.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.