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US 8,787,111 B2Granted
Devices and methods for positioning TOWs in marine seismic systems
AssigneeWesternGeco L.L.C.
InventorsLars Borgen, Martin Howlid
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for deploying seismic tows, such as seismic streamers, from a common carrier rope for conducting marine seismic surveys. The deployment system generally comprises a carrier rope having at least one deflector urging the carrier rope laterally relative to the towing vessel and seismic tows that are independently moveable along the deployed carrier rope to desired locations from which to be deployed. The carrier rope may be deployed from the tow vessel into the water prior to deploying the seismic streamer(s) into the water.
Claims17
A method for performing a marine seismic survey, comprising:
- deploying into the water from a tow vessel a carrier rope comprising an outer deflector urging the deployed carrier rope laterally relative to the path of the moving tow vessel;
- positioning a first seismic streamer in the water from the deployed carrier rope, wherein a first streamer-connector moveably connects the first seismic streamer to the deployed carrier rope and the positioning comprises moving the first streamer-connector laterally along the deployed carrier rope;
- positioning a second seismic streamer in the water from the deployed carrier rope laterally-spaced from the first seismic streamer, wherein a second streamer-connector moveably connects the second seismic streamer to the deployed carrier rope and the positioning comprises moving the second streamer-connector laterally along the deployed carrier rope;
- towing the laterally-spaced seismic streamers from the carrier rope over a survey area;
- repositioning one of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer while towing the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer from the carrier rope over the survey area, the repositioning comprising moving the one of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer laterally along the deployed carrier rope independent of movement of the other of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer along the deployed carrier rope;
- and
- conducting marine seismic survey operations while towing the laterally spaced seismic streamers over the survey area.
4 more elements
A system for independently deploying and positioning seismic streamers in the water to conduct marine seismic surveys, the system comprising:
- a carrier rope comprising an outer deflector to create, when deployed from a towing vessel, a sideways force to urge the deployed carrier rope laterally away from the path of the towing vessel;
- a first seismic streamer comprising a streamer-connector to moveably attach the first seismic streamer to the deployed carrier rope, thereby to independently position the first seismic streamer from a location on the deployed carrier rope;
- and
- a second seismic streamer comprising a second streamer-connector to moveably attach the second seismic streamer to the carrier rope, thereby to independently position the second seismic streamer from the deployed carrier rope;
- wherein each of the first streamer-connector and the second streamer-connector can be moved on the deployed carrier rope independent and separate of the movement of the other of the first streamer-connector and the second streamer-connector thereby facilitating independent positioning of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer from the deployed and towed carrier rope.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- deploying into the water from a tow vessel a carrier rope comprising an outer deflector urging the deployed carrier rope laterally relative to the path of the moving tow vessel;
- deploying a first seismic streamer in the water from the deployed carrier rope, wherein a first streamer-connector moveably connects the first seismic streamer to the deployed carrier rope;
- deploying a second seismic streamer in the water from the deployed carrier rope, wherein a second streamer-connector moveably connects the second seismic streamer to the deployed carrier rope;
- and
- positioning one of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer while towing the carrier rope, the positioning comprising moving the one of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer laterally along the deployed carrier rope independent of movement of the other of the first seismic streamer and the second seismic streamer along the deployed carrier rope.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.