Fiber optic streamer monitoring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017371069-A1
Application number	US-201715491765-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 19, 2017
Priority date	Jun 24, 2016
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes collecting spectral data from fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed at locations along a fiber optic component positioned along a streamer; and analyzing the spectral data to produce measurements of bend of an axis of the streamer proximate the locations. A streamer monitoring system includes: a fiber optic component positioned along a streamer; a plurality of fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed at locations along the fiber optic component; a light source optically coupled to the fiber optic component and configured to interrogate the fiber Bragg grating sensors; a photodetector optically coupled to the fiber optic component and configured to collect spectral data from the interrogated fiber Bragg grating sensors; and a spectral analyzer in communication with the photodetector and configured to analyze the spectral data to produce measurements of bend of an axis of the streamer proximate the locations along the fiber optic component.

First claim

1 . A method comprising:
collecting spectral data from fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed at locations along a fiber optic component positioned along a streamer; and analyzing the spectral data to produce measurements of bend of an axis of the streamer proximate to the locations.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
analyzing the spectral data to produce measurements of at least one of:
elongation of the streamer in an axial direction proximate the locations along the fiber optic component; and
twist of the streamer about the axis proximate to the locations along the fiber optic component.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a physical characteristic of at least a portion of the streamer from the measurements.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising taking operational action steps in response to determining the physical characteristic.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing the spectral data occurs in near-real time.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting temperature data with fiber optic distributed temperature sensing (FDTS) sensors at FDTS locations distributed along a length of a FDTS fiber optic component positioned along the streamer.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting geophysical data with a plurality of geophysical sensors at a plurality of longitudinal positions along the streamer at the same time as the collecting spectral data.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising towing the streamer through a body of water.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising manufacturing a geophysical data product with the spectral data and the measurements.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising recording the geophysical data product on a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium suitable for importing onshore.

11 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing geophysical analysis onshore on the geophysical data product.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising calibrating a streamer monitoring system, wherein the streamer monitoring system comprises:
the fiber Bragg grating sensors; a light source optically coupled to the fiber optic component and configured to interrogate the fiber Bragg grating sensors; a photodetector optically coupled to the fiber optic component and configured to collect the spectral data from the interrogated fiber Bragg grating sensors; and a spectral analyzer in communication with the photodetector and configured to analyze the spectral data.

13 . A streamer monitoring system comprising:
a fiber optic component positioned along a streamer; a plurality of fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed at locations along the fiber optic component; a light source optically coupled to the fiber optic component and configured to interrogate the fiber Bragg grating sensors; a photodetector optically coupled to the fiber optic component and configured to collect spectral data from the interrogated fiber Bragg grating sensors; and a spectral analyzer in communication with the photodetector and configured to analyze the spectral data to produce measurements of bend of an axis of the streamer proximate the locations along the fiber optic component.

14 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the spectral analyzer is also configured to analyze the spectral data to produce measurements of at least one of:
elongation of the streamer in an axial direction proximate to the locations along the fiber optic component; and twist of the streamer about the axis proximate to the locations along the fiber optic component.

15 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the fiber optic component is positioned along the streamer such that, at a cross-section of the streamer, a first fiber Bragg grating sensor and a second fiber Bragg grating sensor are distributed throughout the cross-section of the streamer.

16 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , further comprising a second fiber optic component having a second plurality of fiber Bragg grating sensors and positioned along the streamer such that, at a cross-section of the streamer, a first fiber Bragg grating sensor from the fiber optic component and a second fiber Bragg grating sensor from the second fiber optic component are distributed throughout the cross-section of the streamer.

17 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the light source is selected from a group consisting of a coherent light source, a broadband light source, and a narrowband swept laser.

18 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the fiber optic component spans a length of the streamer.

19 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating sensors are distributed at 0.15 and 0.30 inch intervals along the fiber optic component.

20 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , further comprising a fiber optic distributed temperature sensing sensor.

21 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , further comprising a plurality of geophysical sensors at a plurality of longitudinal positions along the streamer.

22 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 21 , wherein at least one geophysical sensor is selected from a group consisting of a seismic sensor and an electromagnetic sensor.

23 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the fiber optic component is an optical fiber bundle.

24 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the fiber optic component is a multi-core optical fiber.

25 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the fiber optic component is within the streamer.

26 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , further comprising an interferometer.

27 . The streamer monitoring system of claim 13 , wherein the fiber Bragg grating sensors are multiplexed serially along the fiber optic component.

28 . A geophysical survey system comprising:
a plurality of streamers, each streamer comprising:
a plurality of geophysical sensors at a plurality of longitudinal positions along the streamer;
a fiber optic component positioned along the streamer; and
a plurality of fiber Bragg grating sensors distributed at locations along the fiber optic component;
a recording system; and a communication channel from one or more of the fiber optic components to the recording system.

29 . The geophysical survey system of claim 28 , further comprising:
a light source optically coupled to the fiber optic components and configured to interrogate the fiber Bragg grating sensors; a photodetector optically coupled to the fiber optic components and configured to collect spectral data from the interrogated fiber Bragg grating sensors; and a spectral analyzer in communication with the photodetector and configured to analyze the spectral data to produce measurements of bend of an axis of the streamers proximate the locations along the fiber optic components.

30 . The geophysical survey system of claim 28 , wherein the communication channel comprises a second fiber optic component optically coupled between the streamer and the recording system.

Assignees

• Pgs Geophysical As

Inventors

• Malling Michael

Classifications

• G01V2210/72

  Real-time processing · CPC title

• G01V13/00 Primary

  Manufacturing, calibrating, cleaning, or repairing instruments or devices covered by groups G01V1/00 – G01V11/00 · CPC title

• G01K11/3206

  at discrete locations in the fibre, e.g. using Bragg scattering · CPC title

• G01V1/247

  Digital recording of seismic data, e.g. in acquisition units or nodes · CPC title

• G01D5/35316

  using a Bragg gratings · CPC title