Bridle bite adjustment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11048003-B2
Application number	US-201916714926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 16, 2019
Priority date	Dec 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

A system for bridle bite adjustment can include a tow rope coupled to a paravane at a first position on a lever arm and a spur line coupled to the paravane at a second position on the lever arm. The system can also include a winch to adjust a deployed length of the tow rope. The tow rope and the lever arm can adjust a bridle bite of the paravane by when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch, thereby balancing tension between the tow rope and the spur line.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system, comprising:
a spreader line configured to be coupled to one or more towable objects;
a paravane;
a lever arm coupled to the paravane and having first and second ends;
a tow rope coupled to the lever arm at the first end;
a spur line coupled to the lever arm at the second end and also coupled to the spreader line; and
a winch coupled to the tow rope and configured to adjust a deployed length of the tow rope, wherein the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to adjust a bridle bite of the paravane when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the winch is configured to adjust the deployed length of the tow rope from a marine survey vessel.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the lever arm is positioned proximal to the winch, and the second end of the lever arm is positioned distal to the winch;
the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to lower the bridle bite when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch to increase tension on the tow rope; and
the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to raise the bridle bite when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch to decrease tension on the tow rope.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the lever arm is positioned distal to the winch, and the second end of the lever arm is positioned proximal to the winch;
the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to raise the bridle bite when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch to increase tension on the tow rope; and
the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to lower the bridle bite when the deployed length of the tow rope is adjusted by the winch to decrease tension on the tow rope.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first end of the lever arm is coupled to the paravane via a bridle strap.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein:
the tow rope and the bridle strap comprise a unitary line that passes through the first end of the lever arm.

7. A method, comprising:
adjusting a bridle bite of a first paravane deployed in a fluid volume and towed by a marine survey vessel by adjusting a deployed length of a first tow rope coupled to a first end of a first lever arm thereby balancing tension between the first tow rope and a first spur line coupled to a second end of the first lever arm; and
adjusting a bridle bite of a second paravane deployed in the fluid volume and towed by the marine survey vessel by adjusting a deployed length of a second tow rope coupled to a first end of a second lever arm thereby balancing tension between the second tow rope and a second spur line coupled to a second end of the second lever arm,
wherein the first spur line and the second spur line are coupled to a spread of streamers towed by the marine survey vessel.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first end of the first lever arm and the first end of the second lever arm are positioned proximal to the marine survey vessel and the second end of the first lever arm and the second end of the second lever arm are positioned distal to the marine survey vessel.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising adjusting the deployed length of the first tow rope and the deployed length of the second tow rope based on a speed of the marine survey vessel relative to the fluid volume.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising adjusting the bridle bite of the first paravane and the second paravane to maintain substantially consistent streamer separation within the spread of streamers.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the bridle bite of the first paravane comprises decreasing tension on the first tow rope to create more tension on the first spur line and a lowered bridle bite of the first paravane.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the bridle bite of the first paravane comprises increasing tension on the first tow rope to reduce tension on the first spur line and raise the bridle bite of the first paravane.

13. The method of claim 7 , wherein adjusting the deployed length of the first tow rope comprises:
adjusting a tension of a first bridle strap coupling the first end of the first lever arm to the first paravane; and
adjusting a tension of a second bridle strap coupling the second end of the second lever arm to the paravane.

14. A system, comprising:
a paravane;
a lever arm comprising a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the paravane by a tow rope and the second end coupled to the paravane by a spur line;
a spread of streamers coupled to the spur line; and
a winch coupled to the tow rope and configured to adjust a deployed length of the tow rope,
wherein the lever arm and the tow rope are configured to adjust a bridle bite of the paravane when the winch adjusts the deployed length of the tow rope, thereby changing a tension between the tow rope and the spur line; and
wherein streamer separation within the spread of streamers changes responsive to the adjusted bridle bite.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the first end of the lever arm is positioned distal to the winch; and
the second end of the lever arm is positioned proximal to the winch.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to adjust the bridle bite when tension on the tow rope is increased by the winch to create more tension on the spur line and a lowered bridle bite of the paravane.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to adjust the bridle bite when tension on the tow rope is decreased by the winch to reduce tension on the spur line and raise the bridle bite of the paravane.

18. The system of claim 14 , wherein:
the first end of the lever arm is coupled to a first end of the paravane by a first bridle strap; and
the second end of the lever arm is coupled to a second end of the paravane by a second bridle strap.

19. The system of claim 14 , wherein the paravane is coupled to a marine survey vessel via the tow rope.

20. The system of claim 14 , wherein the tow rope and the lever arm are configured to dynamically adjust the bridle bite while the paravane and the spread of streamers are deployed in a fluid volume.

Assignees

• Pgs Geophysical As

Inventors

• Lindberg Daniel

Classifications

• B63B2211/02

  Oceanography · CPC title

• G01V1/3826 Primary

  dynamic steering, e.g. by paravanes or birds · CPC title

• B63B21/16

  using winches (winches per se B66D) · CPC title

• B63B21/20

  Adaptations of chains, ropes, hawsers, or the like, or of parts thereof · CPC title

• B63B21/66

  Equipment specially adapted for towing underwater objects or vessels, e.g. fairings for tow-cables ({paravanes for dragging fishing nets A01K73/02; } salvaging underwater vessels or objects B63C7/00; towed underwater vessels B63G8/42) · CPC title