Method and apparatus for sea current aided, enhanced azimuth seismic data acquisition

A system comprising:

• an apparatus for performing a marine seismic survey in a survey area where sea water due to sea current is moving in a prevailing first direction relative to an underlying seabed, using an acquisition system comprising a vessel towing a seismic energy source adapted to emit acoustic energy towards the underlying seabed and a streamer carrying a plurality of receivers adapted to receive part of the acoustic energy returned from underlying structures of the seabed for collecting seismic data, the apparatus comprising
• a navigating device adapted to navigate the acquisition system with a longitudinal axis thereof in a direction substantially different from the prevailing direction of the sea current, and with a velocity relative to the sea water having
• a) a first velocity component directed oppositely of and being of substantially equal magnitude to the sea current velocity, and
• b) a second velocity component that is directed generally perpendicular to the prevailing first direction,
• so as to move the acquisition system across the survey area along spaced apart sail-lines in alternating, respectively opposite first and second directions and being generally perpendicular to the prevailing first direction, and
• an operating device adapted to operate the seismic energy source and receivers and collecting seismic survey data while located within the survey area.

A computer implemented method comprising:

• using a computer apparatus for performing a marine seismic survey in a survey area where sea water due to sea current is moving in a prevailing first direction relative to an underlying seabed,
• using an acquisition system comprising a vessel towing a seismic energy source adapted to emit acoustic energy towards the underlying seabed and a streamer carrying a plurality of receivers adapted to receive part of the acoustic energy returned from underlying structures of the seabed for collecting seismic data, the method including operating a computer program in the computer apparatus for navigating the acquisition system with a longitudinal axis thereof in a direction substantially different from the prevailing direction of the sea current, and with a velocity relative to the sea water having
• a) a first velocity component directed oppositely of and being of substantially equal magnitude to the sea current velocity, and
• b) a second velocity component that is directed generally perpendicular to the prevailing first direction,
• so as to move the acquisition system across the survey area along spaced apart sail-lines alternating, respectively opposite first and second directions and being generally perpendicular to the prevailing first direction, and
• for operating the seismic energy source and receivers and collecting seismic survey data white located within the survey area.

A non-transitory computer program product storing executable code that, when executed by a computer apparatus, performs a method comprising:

• using the computer apparatus for performing a marine seismic survey in a survey area where sea water due to sea current is moving in a prevailing first direction relative to an underlying seabed,
• using an acquisition system comprising a vessel towing a seismic energy source adapted to emit acoustic energy towards the underlying seabed and a streamer carrying a plurality of receivers adapted to receive part of the acoustic energy returned from underlying structures of the seabed for collecting seismic data, the method including operating a computer program in the computer apparatus for navigating the acquisition system with a longitudinal axis thereof in a direction substantially different from the prevailing direction of the sea current, and with a velocity relative to the sea water having
• a) a first velocity component directed oppositely of and being substantially equal magnitude to the sea current velocity, and
• b) a second velocity component that is directed generally perpendicular to the prevailing first direction,
• so as to move the acquisition system across the survey area along spaced apart sail-lines in alternating, respectively opposite first and second directions and being generally perpendicular to the prevailing first direction, and
• for operating the seismic energy source and receivers and collecting seismic survey data while located within the survey area.