# US 11,999,851 B2 · Streamer filler material and process

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- Number: US 11,999,851 B2
- Document ID: US11999851B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/859,499
- Filed: 2020-04-27
- Published: 2020-08-13
- Granted: 2024-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-29
- Assignees: PGS Geophysical AS
- Applicants: PGS Geophysical AS
- Inventors: Øyvind Hillesund
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11999851B2

## CPC

- C08L 83/04: Polysiloxanes
- B29C 48/001: {Combinations of extrusion moulding with other shaping operations}
- B29C 48/10: flexible, e.g. blown foils
- C08J 3/075: Macromolecular gels
- C08L 91/00: Compositions of oils, fats or waxes; Compositions of derivatives thereof
- G01N 33/24: Earth materials (G01N33/42 takes precedence)
- 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)}
- B29K 2083/00: Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
- B29K 2105/0061: {Gel or sol}
- C08J 2391/00: Characterised by the use of oils, fats or waxes; Derivatives thereof
- C08J 2483/04: Polysiloxanes
- C08L: COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS (compositions based on polymerisable monomers C08F, C08G; artificial filaments or fibres D01F; textile treating compositions D06)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- C08J: WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H (working, e.g. shaping, of plastics B29)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

This disclosure presents a streamer filler material that is a low density gel formed from a two-part, mix-curable polymer, and methods of making streamers using such materials. One embodiment of the filler material features a two-part silicone gel mixed with a paraffinic oil. The two-part silicone gel can make up 15% to 25%, by weight or volume, of the mixture. Methods of making such materials include forming a first unreactive mixture having a first reactant, promoter, and/or catalyst and a second unreactive mixture having a second reactant, promoter, and/or catalyst and mixing the first and second mixtures in a paraffinic oil system to make a gel. The streamer can be loaded with the filler by pumping or extruding the mixture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of forming a geophysical streamer, comprising:
forming a first unreactive mixture of a two-part polymerization reaction, wherein the first unreactive mixture comprises an A component of a two-part silicone gel;
forming a second unreactive mixture of the two-part polymerization reaction, wherein the second unreactive mixture comprises a B component of the two-part silicone gel;
adding the first unreactive mixture to a paraffin oil system;
adding the second unreactive mixture to the paraffin oil system to form a reaction mixture;
curing the reaction mixture to form a streamer filler material; and
after the curing, disposing the streamer filler material in a streamer casing of the geophysical streamer by heating and pumping the streamer filler material or by reactive extrusion of the reaction mixture into the streamer casing wherein the reactive extrusion cures the reaction mixture; and
wherein the formed geophysical streamer is configured for marine geophysical surveying.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the curing comprises a reaction in the reaction mixture.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the reaction comprises polymerization or crosslinking, or both.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of the A component to the B component is greater than 1:1, wherein the curing comprising crosslinking, and wherein the crosslinking increases molecular weight of polymer chains in the reaction mixture.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first unreactive mixture comprises a crosslinker, and the second unreactive mixture comprises a catalyst.