Method and apparatus for dynamically controlled buoyancy of towed arrays

A dynamically buoyant seismic streamer comprising:

• an elongated cable having an interior volume surrounded by an external skin;
• a electroactive polymer comprising a volume adjustable material positioned inside of the interior volume of the cable;
• and
• a stimulus comprising at least one of an electric, pH, chemical, stress or light stimulus, the at least one applied to the buoyancy adjustable material for controlling the buoyancy of the cable.

A dynamically buoyant seismic streamer comprising:

• an elongated cable having an interior volume surrounded by an external skin;
• a electroactive polymer comprising a volume adjustable material positioned inside of the interior volume of the cable;
• a stimulus comprising at least one of an electric, pH, chemical, stress or light stimulus, the at least one stimulus applied to the electroactive polymer material for controlling the buoyancy of the cable, wherein the electroactive polymer material comprises at least one of a film, string, liquid, gel or solid, wherein the streamer exhibits a positive buoyancy in seawater when no stimulus is applied and the streamer exhibits a negative buoyancy in seawater when the stimulus is applied;
• and
• sensors for sensing environmental factors the affect the buoyancy of the streamer, wherein the controller adjusts the stimulus to the buoyancy adjustable material to account for changes in the environmental factors to maintain the streamer at a constant depth.

A method for dynamically controlling the buoyancy of a seismic streamer comprising:

• surrounding an interior volume of an elongated cable by an external skin;
• positioning a buoyancy adjustable material inside of the interior volume of the cable;
• and
• stimulating the buoyancy adjustable material for controlling the buoyancy of the cable.

A method for providing a dynamically buoyant seismic streamer comprising:

• providing an elongated cable having an interior volume surrounded by an external skin;
• providing an electroactive polymer comprising a volume adjustable material positioned inside of the interior volume of the cable;
• and
• providing a stimulus comprising at least one of an electric, pH, chemical, stress or light stimulus, the at least on applied to the buoyancy adjustable material for controlling the buoyancy of the cable.

A method for dynamically controlling the buoyancy of a seismic streamer comprising:

• providing an elongated cable having an interior volume surrounded by an external skin;
• providing an electroactive polymer comprising a volume adjustable material positioned inside of the interior volume of the cable;
• providing a stimulus comprising at least one of an electric, pH, chemical, stress or light stimulus, the at least one stimulus applied to the electroactive polymer material for controlling the buoyancy of the cable, wherein the electroactive polymer material comprises at least one of a film, string, liquid, gel or solid, wherein the streamer exhibits a positive buoyancy in seawater when no stimulus is applied and the streamer exhibits a negative buoyancy in seawater when the stimulus is applied;
• and
• sensing environmental factors the affect the buoyancy of the streamer, wherein the controller adjusts the stimulus to the buoyancy adjustable material to account for changes in the environmental factors to maintain the streamer at a constant depth.