Methods for efficiently acquiring wide-azimuth towed streamer seismic data

A method for a survey design, comprising:

• identifying a desired region;
• and
• determining, using a processor, a plurality of generally curved advancing sail paths of a marine seismic spread, wherein:
• the marine seismic spread comprises a plurality of marine seismic streamers;
• and
• respective generally curved advancing sail paths in the plurality of generally curved advancing sail paths have a radius that is a function of a desired coverage fold for the desired region.

A method for a marine seismic acquisition, comprising:

• towing a marine seismic spread in a generally curved advancing path over a survey area to form a plurality of generally circular sail paths, wherein:
• the marine seismic spread includes a source and a plurality of marine seismic streamers, and
• respective generally circular sail paths in the plurality of generally circular sail paths have a radius that is a function of a width of the marine seismic spread;
• shooting the source while towing the marine seismic spread in the generally curved advancing path;
• and
• recording a plurality of reflections from the survey area.

A method for a marine seismic acquisition, comprising:

• towing a marine seismic spread in a generally curved advancing path over a survey area to form a plurality of generally circular sail paths, wherein:
• the marine seismic spread includes a source and a plurality of marine seismic streamers, and
• respective generally circular sail paths in the plurality of generally circular sail paths have a radius that is a function of a desired coverage fold for the survey area;
• shooting the source while towing the marine seismic spread in the generally curved advancing path;
• and
• recording a plurality of reflections from the survey area.

An apparatus, comprising:

• a tow vessel;
• an array of marine seismic streamers coupled to the tow vessel, each streamer including:
• a seismic cable,
• a plurality of receivers disposed on the seismic cable along the length thereof, and
• a plurality of steering devices;
• a first computing apparatus programmed to sail the tow vessel in a generally curved advancing path over a survey area to form a plurality of generally circular sail paths, respective generally circular sail paths having a radius that is a function of a width of the array of marine seismic streamers;
• and
• a second computing apparatus programmed to actively steer at least one marine seismic streamer in the array of marine seismic streamers through the generally curved advancing path.

A method for a survey design, comprising:

• identifying a desired region;
• and
• determining, using a processor, a plurality of generally curved advancing sail paths of a marine seismic spread, wherein:
• the marine seismic spread comprises a plurality of marine seismic streamers;
• and
• the plurality of generally curved advancing sail paths vary throughout a survey.

A method for designing a survey, comprising:

• identifying a desired region;
• and
• determining, using a processor, a plurality of generally curved advancing sail paths of a marine seismic spread over the desired region, wherein:
• the marine seismic spread comprises a plurality of marine seismic streamers;
• respective generally curved advancing sail paths in the plurality of generally curved advancing sail paths have a radius that is a function of a width of the marine seismic spread;
• the respective generally curved advancing sail paths are a function of a roll in a y-direction (“DY”) and a roll in an x-direction (“DX”);
• and
• the survey is configured to acquire full azimuth seismic data of the desired region.