Automated lateral control of seismic streamers

A system, comprising:

• a plurality of streamers that include deflecting devices configured to apply forces to respective streamers;
• a vessel configured to tow the streamers in a body of water;
• and
• a control system configured to:
• determine a desired orientation of the streamers based on information relating to crosscurrents in the body of water, wherein the desired orientation includes a desired feather angle that is determined to maintain a sum of respective forces applied by at least a subset of the deflecting devices below a threshold value;
• and
• adjust the streamers based on the desired orientation.

A method of generating a geophysical data record, comprising:

• towing a plurality of streamers behind a vessel in a body of water, wherein the streamers have a plurality of deflecting devices arranged therealong, and wherein the streamers further include one or more geophysical sensors;
• receiving information regarding forces exerted by the plurality of deflecting devices;
• automatically determining a desired feather angle based on information regarding forces exerted by the plurality of deflecting devices, wherein the desired feather angle is determined to maintain a sum of the forces exerted by at least a subset of the plurality of deflecting devices below a threshold value;
• automatically adjusting at least one of the plurality of streamers, via the plurality of deflecting devices, to follow the determined desired feather angle;
• and
• during the towing, generating the geophysical data record, the geophysical data record including a record of signals detected by the one or more geophysical sensors stored in a manner suitable for later interpretation.

A streamer control apparatus, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• wherein the at least one processor is configured to communicate with a plurality of positioning devices arranged along a plurality of streamers towed in a body of water, the plurality of positioning devices being configured to apply respective forces to the plurality of streamers;
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine, based on state information indicative of crosscurrent conditions, a desired orientation for the plurality of streamers that includes a feather angle that is determined to maintain a sum of at least a subset of the respective forces below a threshold value;
• and
• wherein the at least one processor is further configured to adjust the plurality of positioning devices based on the desired orientation.