# US 2013/0155810 A1 · Method and device for separating seismic signals from seismic sources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0155810 A1 - Document ID: US20130155810A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/716,737 - Filed: 2012-12-17 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: Cggveritas Services SA - Inventors: Robert DOWLE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130155810A1 ## CPC - G01V 1/3861: {control of source arrays, e.g. for far field control} - 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 System and method for actuating first and second marine acoustic sources in a firing sequence, the firing sequence including at least a first actuation of the first source followed by a first actuation of the second source followed by a second actuation of the first source and a second actuation of the second source. The method includes towing the first source at a depth in water substantially equal to a depth of the second source; establishing a series of reference time instants; actuating the first source with a variable first time delay relative to the series of reference time instants; and actuating the second source with a variable second time delay relative to the series of reference time instants such that time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are also variable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for actuating at least first and second marine acoustic sources in a firing sequence, the firing sequence including at least a first actuation of the first source followed by a first actuation of the second source followed by a second actuation of the first source and a second actuation of the second source, the method comprising: towing the first source at a depth in water substantially equal to a depth of the second source; establishing a series of reference time instants; actuating the first source with a variable first time delay relative to the series of reference time instants; and actuating the second source with a variable second time delay relative to the series of reference time instants such that time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are also variable, wherein the series of reference time instants is calculated based on an assumption that no other source except the first source is present and thus there is no need for a waiting time necessitated by the actuation of the other source before firing again the first source, and a time interval between any two consecutive reference time instants is fixed to a predetermined value, and the first and second sources have a substantially same inline position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are random. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are semi-random. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are systematically varying. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: towing third and fourth sources at a same depth as the first and second sources and at the same inline position; actuating the third source with a variable third time delay relative to the series of reference time instants; and actuating the fourth source with a variable fourth time delay relative to the series of reference time instants, wherein a cross-line distance between two adjacent sources is 25 m or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: towing a low-frequency source while the first and second sources are high-frequency sources. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sources are identical. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second sources includes an array of air guns. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: towing plural streamers with a same vessel that tows the first and second sources; and recording simultaneously reflected seismic waves corresponding to the first and second sources, wherein the plural streamers have a depth-varying profile. ### Claim 10 A method for processing seismic data indicative of formations of subsurface, the seismic data being generated by actuating first and second marine acoustic sources in a firing sequence, the firing sequence including at least a first actuation of the first source followed by a first actuation of the second source followed by a second actuation of the first source and a second actuation of the second source, the method comprising: recording with receivers seismic waves reflected from the subsurface, wherein the reflected seismic waves originate from the first and second sources being towed and activated at substantially a same depth under water; determining in a processor, based on (i) a series of reference time instants, (ii) a variable first time delay relative to the series of reference time instants at which the first source is activated, and (iii) a variable second time delay relative to the series of reference time instants at which the second source is activated, two data sets corresponding to the first and second sources; and determining an image of the subsurface based on the two data sets, wherein time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are variable, wherein the series of reference time instants is calculated based on an assumption that no other source except the first source is present and thus there is no need for a waiting time necessitated by the actuation of the other source before firing again the first source, and time intervals between any two consecutive reference time instants are fixed to a predetermined value, and the first and second sources have a substantially same inline position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are random. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are semi-random. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are systematically varying. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein a cross-line distance between the first and second sources is 25 m or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: towing a low-frequency source while the first and second sources are high-frequency sources. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second sources are identical. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second sources includes an array of air guns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: when comparing at a same instant and at a same location underwater an envelope of a far-field signature of the first source with an envelope of a far-field signature of the second source, the two envelopes substantially overlap. ### Claim 19 A computing device configured to actuate first and second marine acoustic sources in a firing sequence, the firing sequence including at least a first actuation of the first source followed by a first actuation of the second source followed by a second actuation of the first source and a second actuation of the second source, the computing device comprising: an interface configured to receive information that the first source is towed at a depth in water substantially equal to a depth of the second source; and a processor connected to the interface and configured to, establish a series of reference time instants, actuate the first source with a variable first time delay relative to the series of reference time instants, and actuate the second source with a variable second time delay relative to the series of reference time instants such that time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are also variable, wherein the series of reference time instants is calculated based on an assumption that no other source except the first source is present and thus there is no need for a waiting time necessitated by the actuation of the other source before firing again the first source, and time intervals between any two consecutive reference time instants are fixed to a predetermined value, and the first and second sources have a substantially same inline position. ### Claim 20 A computer readable medium including computer executable instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by a processor, implement a method for actuating first and second marine acoustic sources in a firing sequence, the firing sequence including at least a first actuation of the first source followed by a first actuation of the second source followed by a second actuation of the first source and a second actuation of the second source, the method comprising: towing the first source at a depth in water substantially equal to a depth of the second source; establishing a series of reference time instants; actuating the first source with a variable first time delay relative to the series of reference time instants; and actuating the second source with a variable second time delay relative to the series of reference time instants such that time intervals between consecutive activations of the first and second sources are also variable, wherein the series of reference time instants is calculated based on an assumption that no other source except the first source is present and thus there is no need for a waiting time necessitated by the actuation of the other source before firing again the first source, and a time interval between any two consecutive reference time instants is fixed to a predetermined value, and the first and second sources have a substantially same inline position.