Cleated boot for marine seismic cables
OwnerMike Norrisinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A marine seismic housing having cleats for anchoring geophone sensors to the seafloor, and a method for placing the geophone sensor on the seafloor. The housing is attached to the bottom cable and is lowered into contact with the seafloor. The cleats puncture the seafloor upper surface to improve the coupling between the sensor and the seafloor. The cleats can have different shapes and lengths, and can be integrated within the housing or can be detachable. The housing exterior surface can comprise multiple flat surfaces for enhancing the housing coupling to the seafloor and for increasing the housing stability relative to the seafloor.
Claims19
An apparatus for anchoring a motion sensor and cable to the seafloor in marine seismic operations, comprising:
- a housing attachable to the cable so that the cable pass through said housing, wherein said housing defines an interior space for containing the sensor, and wherein said housing has an exterior surface;
- and
- a plurality of discontinuous cleats extending outwardly from said housing exterior surface for releasably gripping the seafloor and for resisting involvement of said housing in at least two directions relative to the seafloor.
An apparatus for deploying geophone sensors to the seafloor in marine seismic operations, comprising:
- a bottom cable deployable into the water;
- a housing attached to the cable so that the cable passes through said housing, wherein said housing defines an interior space for containing the sensor, and wherein said housing has an exterior surface;
- a plurality of discontinuous cleats extending outwardly from said housing exterior surface for releasably gripping the seafloor and for resisting movement of said housing in at least two directions relative to the seafloor.
A method for anchoring a geophone sensor and cable to the seafloor in marine seismic operations, comprising the steps of:
- deploying a vessel in water, wherein said vessel transports bottom cable and a plurality of sensor containing cleated housings attached to said cable so that the cable passes through said housings;
- paying out said bottom cable and attached housings into the water;
- positioning said bottom cable and attached housings at selected positions on the seafloor so that said housing cleats penetrate the seafloor and anchor said housings to the seafloor to resist movement of each of said housings in at least two directions relative to the seafloor;
- operating the sensors to detect geophysical data;
- and
- retrieving said housings from the seafloor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.