# US 2018/0321032 A1 · Methods and Systems for Application of Wax on Geophysical Streamers

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- Number: US 2018/0321032 A1
- Document ID: US20180321032A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/820,069
- Filed: 2017-11-21
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-05
- Assignees: PGS Geophysical AS
- Applicants: PGS Geophysical AS
- Inventors: Christian Vasbø; Rune Tønnessen; Thomas Hauge; Par Johansson; Mikael Tuved; Kaj Andersson; Andreas Carlen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180321032A1

## CPC

- G01C 13/00: Surveying specially adapted to open water, e.g. sea, lake, river or canal (liquid level metering G01F)
- B05D 1/02: performed by spraying
- B05D 1/18: performed by dipping
- B05D 1/26: performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface
- B05D 1/40: Distributing applied liquids or other fluent materials by members moving relatively to surface
- B05D 3/002: {Pretreatement}
- B05D 5/08: to obtain an anti-friction or anti-adhesive surface (rendering particulate materials free-flowing in general, e.g. making them hydrophobic B01J2/30)
- G01V 1/3843: {Deployment of seismic devices, e.g. of streamers (equipment for marine deployment in general B63B)}
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- 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

Embodiments relate generally to marine geophysical surveying. More particularly, embodiments relate to a wax application system for application of a wax coating to a surface of a streamer. An embodiment may comprise a marine geophysical survey system. The marine geophysical survey system may comprise a streamer and a wax application system operable to receive the streamer on deployment and apply a wax coating to the streamer as the streamer is being deployed from a survey vessel into a body of water.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A marine geophysical survey system comprising:
a streamer; and
a wax application system operable to receive the streamer on deployment and apply a wax coating to the streamer as the streamer is being deployed from a survey vessel into a body of water.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises a wax applicator, wherein the wax applicator comprises a nozzle unit and one or more nozzles disposed in the nozzle unit for spraying a wax onto the streamer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises a wax reservoir for storing a wax and a temperature control system operable to heat the wax.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 3, wherein the wax application system comprises a wax applicator, wherein the wax applicator comprises nozzles arranged to receive the wax from the wax reservoir by gravity feed.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises:
a wax reservoir comprising a streamer inlet for receiving the streamer and a streamer outlet;
a wax applicator comprising at least one device selected from the group consisting of a brush, a roller, a sponge, and combinations thereof; and
a pump operable to move a wax from the wax reservoir to the wax applicator.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises:
a wax reservoir comprising a streamer inlet for receiving the streamer and a streamer outlet;
an overflow reservoir disposed under the wax reservoir operable to receive excess wax applied to the streamer; and
a recirculating pump in fluid communication with the wax reservoir and the overflow reservoir, the recirculating pump being operable to recirculate the wax from the overflow reservoir to the wax reservoir.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises a wax reservoir, an applicator conduit in fluid connection with the wax reservoir, and a pump operable to move the wax through the applicator conduit such that the wax exits the applicator conduit onto the streamer.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 7, wherein the wax application system further comprises a temperature control system for heating the applicator conduit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system further comprises a wax reservoir and a wax applicator positioned to receive a wax that is gravity fed from the wax reservoir, wherein a contact surface of the wax applicator is in engagement with the streamer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 9, wherein the wax applicator comprises a sponge.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 9, wherein the wax application system further comprises a heating chamber in which the wax reservoir and wax applicator are disposed.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 11, wherein the wax application system further comprises an extruder device disposed between the wax reservoir and the wax applicator through which the wax is extruded.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises:
a wax reservoir operable to receive the streamer, wherein the wax reservoir comprises at least one opening facing a streamer passage through the wax reservoir; and
a supplemental chamber at least partially enclosing the wax reservoir operable to apply pressure to the wax reservoir to force a wax from the wax reservoir through the at least one opening.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises one or more wheel applicators positionable around a circumference of the streamer, wherein the one or more wheel applicators are formed from a wax in a solid state.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises one or more wheel applicators positionable around a circumference of the streamer, wherein the one or more wheel applicators comprise a housing and a wax disposed in the housing.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, wherein the wax application system comprises a wax reservoir and one or more brush applicators operable to rotate about an axis to engage a wax in the wax reservoir and also engage the streamer.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The marine geophysical survey system of claim 1, further comprising a heating chamber positioned to receive the streamer after application of the wax coating.

### Claim 18

A method comprising:
deploying a streamer from a survey vessel into a body of water; and
applying a wax to the streamer to form a wax coating as the streamer is being deployed from the survey vessel.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising applying the wax to one or more streamer components and then attaching the streamer components to the streamer.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the wax comprises at least one wax selected from the group consisting of an animal wax, a plant wax, a petroleum wax, a polyethylene wax, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the wax comprises lanolin.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the wax has a melting point that exceeds a temperature of the body of water by about 0° C. to about 30° C.

### Claim 23 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the applying the wax to the streamer comprises spraying the wax onto the streamer in a liquid state.

### Claim 24 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 wherein the applying the wax to the streamer comprises spreading the wax onto the streamer in a solid state.

### Claim 25 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 where the applying the wax to the streamer comprises dripping the wax onto the streamer in a liquid state.

### Claim 26 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18 further comprising heating the wax in a wax reservoir to melt the wax, moving the wax from the wax reservoir to a wax applicator through an applicator conduit, and spraying the wax onto the streamer in a nozzle unit.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The method of claim 26 further comprising heating the applicator conduit and/or the nozzle unit.

### Claim 28 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises, prior to the step of applying the wax, directing a cleaning fluid onto the streamer and then directing a gaseous fluid onto the streamer.

### Claim 29

A method comprising:
selecting a wax for application onto at least one streamer, wherein the wax has a melting point that is a predetermined amount above a temperature of a water; and
storing the wax and the at least one streamer on a survey vessel.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, further comprising deploying the at least one streamer from the survey vessel into the body of water; and applying the wax to the at least one streamer to form a wax coating as the streamer is being deployed from the survey vessel.

### Claim 31 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the predetermined amount is from about 0° C. to about 30° C. above the temperature of the water.

### Claim 32 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the wax comprises at least one wax selected from the group consisting of an animal wax, a plant wax, a petroleum wax, a polyethylene wax, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 33 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29, wherein the wax comprises lanolin.