Powered sheave for node deployment and retrieval

A marine vessel, comprising:

• a cable storage device disposed on the vessel;
• a workstation disposed on a deck of the vessel;
• a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck adjacent the workstation;
• and
• a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel, the node storage and handling system comprising:
• a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation;
• a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel;
• and
• at least one conveyor mechanism to transfer nodes directly between the workstation and the node storage rack.

A method for performing a seismic survey in a marine environment, the method comprising:

• a deployment method for deploying a plurality of seismic sensor units into a water column, the deployment method comprising:
• providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a cable handling device;
• routing the cable to pass adjacent to a workstation disposed on the vessel;
• attaching an anchor device to a free end of the cable;
• deploying the free end of the cable into the water column along a ramp disposed on the vessel;
• adjusting a fall pattern of the cable in the water column by adjusting one or both of the forward speed of the vessel and a deployment speed of the cable handling device;
• and
• attaching at least one of the plurality of seismic sensor units to the cable as the cable passes the workstation.