Seismic vibrator baseplate
AssigneeWesternGeco L.L.C.
InventorsWilliam A. C. Cannell, Malcolm Francis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
One example of a seismic vibrator system includes a baseplate having a bottom surface and a coupling mechanism, the coupling mechanism being operable to a deployed position; a hold-down mass connected to the baseplate; a lifting mechanism in operational connection with the hold-down mass and the baseplate to apply a selected hold-down weight to the baseplate; and a driving mechanism functionally connected to the baseplate to transmit seismic energy through the baseplate into a ground surface to which the baseplate is coupled, wherein the coupling mechanism is urged outward from the bottom surface and into physical contact with the ground surface when operated to the deployed position.
Claims19
A baseplate for coupling a seismic vibrator to the irregular contour of a ground surface to transmit seismic energy into the earthen formation below the ground surface, the baseplate comprising:
- a body having a substantially rigid bottom surface;
- and
- a substantially rigid coupling mechanism carried by the body, the substantially rigid coupling mechanism comprising a substantially non-ground piercing foot member that is extendable from the bottom surface to a deployed position in physical contact along the irregular contour of the ground surface below the baseplate.
A method for promoting coupling between a vibrator baseplate and ground surface having an irregular contour for transmitting seismic energy into an earthen formation, the method comprising:
- positioning a seismic vibrator in a selected location on the ground surface, the seismic vibrator having a baseplate and a hold-down mass, the baseplate including a body having a bottom surface and a substantially rigid coupling mechanism comprising a plurality of substantially non-ground piercing foot members;
- positioning the baseplate in physical contact with at least a portion of the irregular contour of the ground surface;
- applying hold-down weight to the baseplate;
- establishing substantially continuous physical and coupling contact along the irregular contour of the ground surface below the baseplate in response to deploying the plurality of substantially non-ground piercing foot members outward from the bottom surface against the irregular contour of the ground surface;
- and
- transmitting seismic energy to the earthen formation.
A seismic vibrator system for coupling to a ground surface having an irregular contour, the system comprising:
- a baseplate having a bottom surface;
- a substantially rigid coupling mechanism comprising a plurality of substantially non-ground piercing foot members, the substantially rigid coupling mechanism operable to a deployed position wherein the plurality of substantially non-ground piercing foot members are in substantially continuous physical contact along the irregular contour of the ground surface;
- a hold-down mass connected to the baseplate;
- a lifting mechanism in operational connection with the hold-down mass and the baseplate to apply a selected hold-down weight to the baseplate and the plurality of substantially non-ground piercing foot members;
- and
- a driving mechanism functionally connected to the baseplate to transmit seismic energy through the coupling of the baseplate and the substantially rigid coupling mechanism to the irregular contour of the ground surface when the plurality of substantially non-ground piercing foot members are in the deployed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.