Multi-vessel seismic data acquisition system

A method for acquiring seismic data using a multi-vessel seismic data acquisition system, the method comprising:

• performing a first pass by towing a streamer comprising a plurality of seismic receivers along a first shot line using a first vessel and towing a pair of seismic sources with each one of a second vessel and a third vessel along a second shot line and a third shot line located on a first side of the first shot line and spaced from the first shot line in a crossline direction;
• performing a second pass by towing the streamer along the first shot line using the first vessel and towing the pair of seismic sources with each one of the second vessel and the third vessel along the second shot line and the third shot line located on a second side of the first shot line opposite the first side and spaced from the first shot line in a crossline direction;
• and
• performing a third pass by towing the streamer and a pair of seismic sources along the first shot line using the first vessel, towing a single seismic source with the second vessel along the first side of the shot line and spaced from the first shot line in a crossline direction and towing a single source with the third vessel along the third shot line located on the second side of the first shot line and spaced from the first shot line in a crossline direction.