US 7,016,260 B2Granted

Seismic data acquisition system using acquisition stations set on the sea bottom

AssigneeInstitut Francais du Petrole

InventorRénate Bary

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Abstract

The invention is a system designed for acquisition of seismic data by means of acquisition stations set on water bottom of a water body. The system comprises acquisition stations (DSAU) combining a streamlined boom suited to penetrate the bottom and thus couple seismic receivers with the underlying formation, a sealed body for electronic data acquisition and communication modules. These acquisition stations (DSAU) are placed in the water and drop to the bottom under the effect of gravity. Relay buoys (RCB) are positioned at the surface, each with a GPS positioning module, a radio link with a central station (CCRU), on a ship for example, and modules providing acoustic communication with bottom acquisition stations (DSAU), which are used to determine the position of the stations in relation to the relay buoys and to exchange control data and seismic data (good running order data or possibly seismic traces acquired if the conditions lend themselves thereto) to provide seismic prospecting or monitoring of an underground formation.

Claims59

Dependent claims

A system for acquiring of seismic data relative to an underwater underground formation, comprising:

a central control and acquisition station;
relay buoys which float on water, the buoys each including a control module, a positioning signal receiver providing satellite positioning of the buoy, and a radio transmitter for exchanging data with the central control and acquisition station;
bottom seismic signal acquisition stations, the bottom seismic signal acquisition stations each including a sealed body including a pressure detector and associated with a part or boom provided with a housing for seismic receivers, the bottom seismic signal acquisition stations descending under an effect of gravity to a water body bottom and penetrate the bottom so as to couple the seismic receivers with the underground formation to obtain the seismic data relative to the underwater underground formation, a control unit and a device for acquiring seismic data received by the seismic receivers in the part or boom and by the pressure detector;
and wherein
the relay buoys and bottom seismic acquisition stations are each provided with an acoustic transmission device including an acoustic transponder, an acoustic positioning module and an acoustic communication module for exchanging, by modem via the acoustic transponder, either positioning data, control data from the central control and acquisition station or seismic data acquired by the seismic receivers to be transmitted to the central control and acquisition station.

2 more elements

A method of seismic exploration or monitoring of an underwater underground formation by acquiring seismic data relative to the underwater underground formation, comprising:

installing, at a bottom of a water body, bottom seismic signal acquisition units comprising a part or boom provided with a housing for at least one seismic receiver and an acquisition module for seismic data received by each receiver, each acquisition unit falling under an effect of gravity, to the bottom of the water body and penetrating the bottom to couple the seismic receivers with the underground formation;
determining a position of each acquisition unit installed at the bottom;
emitting seismic waves from an underwater seismic source, receiving waves reflected by discontinuities of the underground formation in response to the seismic waves emitted in the formation and collecting the data received by the receivers of each acquisition unit;
recovering, by a central station, seismic data acquired by each seismic signal acquisition unit;
and
exchanging between relay buoys and the bottom seismic signal acquisition stations, positioning data, control data from a central station or seismic data acquired by the bottom seismic signal acquisition devices, for transmission to the central station by transmission means in each bottom seismic signal acquisition device and each relay buoy comprising an acoustic transponder, an acoustic positioning module and an acoustic communication module using a modem.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.