Underwater node for seismic surveys and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9448311-B2
Application number	US-201313755541-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 31, 2013
Priority date	Jan 31, 2013
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A method, system and a marine node for recording seismic waves underwater. The node includes a first module configured to house a seismic sensor; bottom and top plates attached to the first module; a second module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the second module including a first battery and a data storage device; and a third module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the third module including a second battery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A marine autonomous seismic node for recording seismic waves underwater, the node comprising:
a first module configured to house a seismic sensor pack, wherein the seismic sensor pack detects the seismic waves;
bottom and top plates attached to the first module;
a second module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the second module including a first battery;
a third module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the third module including a second battery; and
a data storage device housed within the node, the data storage device comprising non-volatile memory; wherein both of the second module comprising a first battery and the third module comprising a second battery are independently removable from the node without removing the first module from the node or the data storage device from the node.

2. The node of claim 1 , wherein the seismic sensor pack includes a hydrophone and three geophones.

3. The node of claim 1 , wherein the second and third modules have the same weight.

4. The node of claim 1 , wherein the first module has a rectangular cuboid shape and the second and third modules have a shape of a half of a cylinder.

5. The node of claim 1 , wherein the shape of the node is a cylinder.

6. The node of claim 1 , wherein the second module has an interface that connects to an interface of the first module to exchange power and data.

7. The node of claim 1 , wherein the third module has an interface that connects to an interface of the first module to exchange power.

8. The node of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device is located in the first module.

9. The node of claim 1 , further comprising:
an attaching device configured to lock the second and third modules to the first module.

10. The node of claim 9 , wherein the attaching device includes at least one clamp.

11. The node of claim 9 , wherein the attaching device includes a band.

12. The node of claim 9 , wherein the attaching device includes a sleeve.

13. The node of claim 1 , wherein the first module is configured to remain in the node when the second or third modules are removed.

14. The node of claim 1 , wherein the node is configured for redeployment after the second or third modules are removed and replaced.

15. The node of claim 1 , wherein the data storage device is coupled to the first module by a wireless interface connector.

16. The node of claim 1 , further comprising a first connector interface between the second module and the first module and a second interface connector between the third module and the first module, wherein the first and second interface connectors comprise a wireless interface.

17. The node of claim 1 , wherein the second module and third module are on opposing sides of the first module within the node.

18. A marine autonomous seismic node for recording seismic waves underwater, the node comprising:
a chassis;
bottom and top plates attached to the chassis;
a first module configured to slide between the top and bottom plates to removably attach to the chassis and configured to house a seismic sensor pack, wherein the seismic sensor pack detects the seismic waves; and
a second module configured to slide between the top and bottom plates to removably attach to the chassis and configured to house a battery; and
a data storage device comprising non-volatile memory,
wherein the battery provides electrical power to the seismic sensor pack;
wherein the second module comprising the battery may be removed from the node without removing the first module from the node or the data storage device from the node.

19. The node of claim 18 , wherein the first module comprises:
a recording unit for digitizing electrical signals from the seismic sensor pack;
and a storage device for storing the digitized signals from the recording unit.

20. The node of claim 18 , wherein the seismic sensor pack includes a hydrophone and three geophones.

21. The node of claim 18 , wherein the first and second modules have a same weight.

22. The node of claim 18 , wherein the first and the second modules have a shape of a half a cylinder and the shape of the node is a cylinder.

23. The node of claim 18 , wherein the second module has an interface that connects to an interface of the first module to exchange power and data.

24. The node of claim 18 , further comprising:
an attaching device configured to lock the second module to the first module, wherein the attaching device includes at least one of a clamp, a band, or a sleeve.

25. A marine autonomous seismic node for recording seismic waves underwater, the node comprising:
a housing;
a first unit attached to the housing and configured to house a seismic sensor; and
a second unit removably attached to the housing and configured to house a battery;
a third unit attached to the housing and configured to house a data storage device,
wherein the second unit comprising the battery is independently removable from the node without removing the first unit from the node or the data storage device from the node.

26. The node of claim 25 , wherein the housing comprises a bottom plate and top plate, such that the first and second units are located between the bottom and top plates, wherein at least the second unit is configured to be removed from the node without removal of the bottom plate or top plate.

27. The node of claim 25 , wherein the battery is a pressure-sealed battery pack configured to couple with the first unit by sliding the second unit into contact with the first unit.

28. A method for seismically surveying a subsurface, the method comprising:
placing an autonomous seismic node on the ocean bottom, the node including
a first module configured to house a seismic sensor pack, bottom and top plates attached to the first module,
a second module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the second module including a first battery,
a third module removably attached to the first module and configured to slide between the bottom and top plates, the third module including a second battery, and
a data storage device located in the node comprising non-volatile memory;

recording seismic data with the seismic sensor pack;
storing the seismic data in the data storage device;
retrieving the node from water;
replacing at least one of the second module with the first battery or the third module with the second battery with corresponding modules having their batteries charged, wherein the first module and the data storage device is configured to remain in the node when the second module with the first battery or the third module with the second battery is replaced; and
redeploying the node for further seismic data acquisition.

29. The method of claim 28 , wherein the node may be independently redeployed without redeploying other nodes.

Assignees

• Seabed Geosolutions Bv

Inventors

• Maxwell Peter

Classifications

• G01V2210/1427

  Sea bed · CPC title

• G01V1/38

  specially adapted for water-covered areas (G01V1/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01V1/18 Primary

  Receiving elements, e.g. seismometer, geophone {or torque detectors, for localised single point measurements} · CPC title