Marine vessel for seismic sources

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11360231-B2
Application number	US-201916245999-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2019
Priority date	Apr 7, 2016
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A vessel system includes a hull configured to provide buoyancy, one or more seismic sources configured to generate seismic energy, and a deployment apparatus configured to deploy the seismic sources from the hull to a water body or water column. A control system can be configured to operate the deployment apparatus, in order to deploy the seismic sources.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vessel system comprising:
a hull configured to provide buoyancy;
a compressed air source configured to provide compressed air;
one or more seismic sources configured to generate seismic energy;
a deployment apparatus mounted on the hull, the deployment apparatus configured to deploy the one or more seismic sources from the hull to a water column, wherein the deployment apparatus comprises a slipway on which the one or more seismic sources slide to reach the water column aft of the vessel system, wherein the slipway has at least one of a V- or U-shaped cross section; and
a source line configured to provide the compressed air from the compressed air source to the one or more seismic sources deployed to the water column for generating the seismic energy to propagate through the water column.

2. The vessel system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more seismic sources, when deployed to the water column, are part of a source array that includes one or more other seismic sources deployed to the water column from another vessel system, the vessel system further comprising an autonomous control system mounted on the hull and configured to maintain spacing of the one or more seismic sources with respect to the one or more other seismic sources deployed to the water column by the another vessel system.

3. The vessel system of claim 2 , wherein the autonomous control system is further configured to cause the deployment apparatus to deploy the one or more seismic sources to the water column in response to arrival at a location, wherein arrival at the location is based on received positional data.

4. The vessel system of claim 3 , wherein the autonomous control system is further configured to cause the hull to navigate to the location using the received positional data.

5. The vessel system of claim 3 , further comprising a wireless interface configured to receive the positional data.

6. The vessel system of claim 1 , wherein the hull comprises two or more hull components spaced across a midline of the vessel system, the deployment apparatus being configured to deploy the one or more seismic sources to the water column along the midline, between the two or more hull components.

7. The vessel system of claim 1 , wherein the deployment apparatus further comprises a roller configured to deploy the one or more seismic sources to the water column from the slipway, and a winch configured to pay out the source line when the one or more seismic sources are deployed.

8. The vessel system of claim 1 , further comprising a depth sensor configured to determine a depth of the one or more seismic sources, wherein the one or more seismic sources are configured to generate the seismic energy based at least in part on the depth.

9. The vessel system of claim 1 , further comprising a speed sensor configured to determine a speed of the vessel through the water column, wherein the deployment apparatus is configured to deploy the one or more seismic sources based at least in part on the speed.

10. The vessel system of claim 1 , wherein the compressed air source comprises a compressor mounted on the hull and configured to provide the compressed air to the source line.

11. The vessel system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more seismic sources comprise one or more air guns configured to generate the seismic energy from the compressed air, such that the seismic energy propagates through the water column.

12. The vessel system of claim 1 , further comprising a positioning system configured to provide a speed and position of the vessel system, wherein the deployment apparatus is configured to deploy the one or more seismic sources based at least in part on the speed or position.

13. The vessel system of claim 12 , wherein the vessel system is self-propelled and further comprising a navigational system configured to navigate the vessel system through the water column based on the speed and position.

14. A method comprising:
positioning a tender in a desired seismic survey area; and
deploying a plurality of vessels to a water column from the tender, wherein deploying the vessels comprises:
flooding a deck area of the tender; and

positioning respective hulls of the plurality of vessels in the water column from the flooded deck area, the respective hulls configured to provide buoyancy and each of the plurality of vessels having a respective deployment system configured to deploy a respective one or more seismic sources from the respective hull to the water column;
deploying the respective one or more seismic sources of each of the plurality of vessels to the water column along a respective source line;
generating compressed air on each of the plurality of vessels, wherein the respective source line associated with each of the plurality of vessels is configured to provide the compressed air to the respective one or more seismic sources; and
generating seismic energy from the compressed air, wherein the respective one or more seismic sources associated with each of the plurality of vessels are configured to generate a seismic wavefield propagating through the water column in the form of acoustic waves.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, at each of the plurality of vessels:
determining a respective depth of the respective one or more seismic sources in the water column; and
generating the seismic energy from the compressed air based at least in part on the respective depth.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, at each of the plurality of vessels:
determining a respective speed of the respective one or more seismic sources through the water column; and
deploying the respective one or more seismic sources to the water column based at least in part on the respective speed.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the respective one or more seismic sources comprise one or more air guns configured to generate the seismic wavefield from the compressed air.

18. A method comprising:
deploying a plurality of vessels to a water column by:
positioning the plurality of vessels with respect to one or more slipways or docking bays on a tender positioned in a desired survey area; and
lowering a respective hull of each of the plurality of vessels into the water column thereby, the respective hulls configured to provide buoyancy and wherein each of the plurality of vessels comprises a respective deployment system configured to deploy a respective one or more seismic sources from the respective hull to the water column;

deploying the respective one or more seismic sources of each of the plurality of vessels to the water column along a respective source line;
generating compressed air on each of the plurality of vessels, wherein the respective source line associated with each of the plurality of vessels is configured to provide the compressed air to the respective one or more seismic sources; and
generating seismic energy from the compressed air, wherein the respective one or more seismic sources associated with each of the plurality of vessels are configured to generate a seismic wavefield propagating through the water column in the form of acoustic waves.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, at each of the plurality of vessels:
determining a respective depth of the respective one or more seismic sources in the water column; and
generating the seismic energy from the compressed air based at least in part on the respective depth.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising, at each of the

Assignees

• Ion Geophysical Corp

Inventors

• Dudley Timothy A
• Schneider Curt

Classifications

• G01V1/3861

  control of source arrays, e.g. for far field control · CPC title

• G01V1/3826

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

• G01V1/137

  which fluid escapes from the generator in a pulsating manner, e.g. for generating bursts {, airguns} · CPC title

• B63B2211/02

  Oceanography · 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