Depth steerable seismic source array
AssigneePGS Geophysical AS
InventorsVidar Hovland, Tore Steinsland, Karl Petter Elvestad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A steerable seismic energy source includes at least one float. The floatation device includes a device for changing buoyancy thereof. A frame is coupled to the at least one float. At least one seismic energy source is suspended from the frame. At least one steering device is coupled to the floatation device or the frame. The at least one steering device includes at least one control surface and a control surface actuator coupled to the control surface. The actuator is configured to rotate the control surface to generate hydrodynamic lift at least in a vertical direction.
Claims15
A method for operating a seismic energy source in a body of water, comprising:
- suspending at least one seismic energy source from a floatation device, the floatation device towed in the water by a tow vessel;
- reducing buoyancy of the floatation device to cause submergence thereof in the event of a navigation hazard proximate the water surface.
A method for manufacturing a geophysical data product, comprising:
- suspending at least one seismic energy source in a body of water from a floatation device, the floatation device towed in the water by a tow vessel;
- reducing buoyancy of the floatation device to cause submergence thereof in the event of a navigation hazard proximate the water surface;
- activating the at least one seismic energy source;
- detecting seismic energy in the body of water resulting from actuating the at least one seismic energy source;
- and
- recording data corresponding to the detected seismic energy on a non-transitory computer-readable medium.
A method for operating a seismic energy source in a body of water, comprising:
- towing, by a tow vessel, a floatation device coupled to at least one seismic energy source;
- and
- in response to a navigation hazard proximate the water surface, reducing buoyancy of the floatation device to cause the floatation device to submerge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.