Method and apparatus for deployment of ocean bottom seismometers

• US 20070258774A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magseis FF, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fairfield Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, James, Fyffe, Roger, Fisseler, Glenn, Ray, Clifford
• Granted Patent: US 8,075,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 405/190
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/00 Buoys floating decoys, e.g. for waterfowl A01M31/06; means for indicating the location of underwater objects B63C7/26; life-buoys, e.g. rings B63C9/08; mountings of acoustic transducer in underwater equipment, e.g. sonobuoys G10K11/006; electric cables supported on or from floats H02G9/12
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/18 having means to control attitude or position, e.g. reaction surfaces or tether
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/02 Oceanography
• CPC Class Codes: B63C 11/00 Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects composition of chemical substances for use in breathing apparatus A62D9/00; swimming aids or equipment A63B31/00 - A63B35/00; submarines B63G8/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/004 autonomously operating
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/005 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/007 by means of a physical link to a base, e.g. wire, cable or umbilical
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/00 Underwater vessels, e.g. submarines; Equipment specially adapted thereforsubmarine hulls B63B3/13; diving chambers with mechanical link, e.g. cable, to a base B63C11/34; divers' sleds B63C11/46; torpedoes F42B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3852 to the seabed
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3861 control of source arrays, e.g. for far field control

Abstract

A deployment and retrieval apparatus for ocean bottom seismic receivers, the apparatus being a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) having a carrier attached thereto and carrying a plurality of receivers. The carrier comprises a frame in which is mounted a structure for seating and releasing said receivers. The structure may comprise a movable conveyor or fixed parallel rails or a barrel. The structure includes a discharge port on said frame and a discharge mechanism for removing and retrieving said receivers. A method for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers comprises the steps of loading a carrier with a plurality of receivers, attaching said carrier to an ROV, utilizing said ROV to transport the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed and thereafter utilizing said ROV to remove receivers from said carrier and place the receivers on the seabed.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. An apparatus for deployment of ocean bottom seismic data receivers, said apparatus comprising:

a. a remotely operated vehicle; and

b. a carrier attached to said remotely operated vehicle, wherein said carrier is disposed to carry at least two ocean bottom seismic data receivers removably secured therein,

c. said carrier further comprising a frame and a movable conveyor housed within said frame, wherein said plurality of receivers can be disposed on said conveyor.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said conveyor comprises a liner track.

43. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said conveyor comprises a non-liner track.

44. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said conveyor comprises a liner belt.

45. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said conveyor comprises a non-linear belt.

46. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said carrier comprises multiple movable conveyors housed within said frame.

47. The apparatus of claim 41, further comprising buoyancy material attached to said frame.

48. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein said conveyor is movable to selectively position a receiver adjacent the discharge port.

49. The apparatus of claim 48 further comprising a discharge mechanism for causing said receiver adjacent the discharge port to be ejected from said discharge port.

50. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a spring for urging said receiver through said discharge port.

51. The apparatus of claim 48, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a robotic arm for moving said receiver through said discharge port.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said carrier.

53. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said remotely operated vehicle.

54. An apparatus for deployment of ocean bottom seismic data receivers, said apparatus comprising

a. a remotely operated vehicle;

and

b. a carrier attached to said remotely operated vehicle, wherein said carrier is disposed to carry at least two ocean bottom seismic data receivers removably secured therein,

c. said carrier further comprising a frame and at least one barrel defined along a central axis and having an inner chamber and first and second ends, wherein said plurality of receivers can be axially disposed within said barrel, said barrel having a discharge port at one end thereof.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said receivers are axially movable within said barrel to selectively position a receiver adjacent the discharge port.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein said carrier comprises two barrels attached to one another so as to be parallel to one another.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, further comprising a plurality of inserts formed of buoyancy material, wherein said inserts are disposed between adjacent receivers when said receivers are seated in said barrel.

58. The apparatus of claim 54 further comprising a pump in fluid communication with inner chamber.

59. The apparatus of claim 58, wherein said pump is attached adjacent the end of said barrel opposite said discharge port for pumping buoyancy fluid into said inner chamber.

60. The apparatus of claim 55 further comprising a discharge mechanism for causing said receiver adjacent the discharge port to be ejected from said discharge port.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a spring for urging said receiver through said discharge port.

62. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a robotic arm for moving said receiver through said discharge port.

63. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said carrier.

64. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said remotely operated vehicle.

65. The apparatus of claim 62, wherein said robotic arm comprises a suction cup for engaging said receivers.

66. An apparatus for deployment of ocean bottom seismic data receivers, said apparatus comprising

a. a remotely operated vehicle;

and

b. a carrier attached to said remotely operated vehicle, wherein said carrier is disposed to carry at least two ocean bottom seismic data receivers removably secured therein,

c. said carrier further comprising a frame and a set of parallel rails rigidly mounted within said housing, wherein said plurality of receivers can be slidably mounted between said rails.

67. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said rigid parallel rails form a linear path within said frame.

68. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said rigid parallel rails form a non-linear path within said frame.

69. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said carrier comprises at least three sets of parallel rails mounted within said housing.

70. The apparatus of claim 66, further comprising buoyancy material attached to said frame.

71. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said rails are defined by a first end and a second end and wherein the second end of said rails extend from the discharge port.

72. The apparatus of claim 71, wherein said second end of said rails are tapered to form a fork for engaging receivers.

73. The apparatus of claim 66, wherein said rails are defined by a first end and a second end and wherein the second end of said rails terminate adjacent the discharge port.

74. The apparatus of claim 73, further comprising a deployment set of rails adjacent said discharge port, wherein said deployment rails are perpendicularly movable relative to the second end of said rigid rails, from a first position in which said deployment rails are aligned with said rigid rails to a second position where said deployment rails are disposed for releasing or grasping a receiver.

75. The apparatus of claim 74, wherein said deployment rails are tapered to form a fork for engaging receivers.

76. The apparatus of claim 74, further comprising a piston for linearly moving said deployment rails between said first and second positions.

77. The apparatus of claim 66, further comprising a plurality of caps that attach to said receivers, wherein each cap comprises opposing sides that are notched so as to be engaged by said parallel rigid rails.

78. The apparatus of claim 66 wherein said receivers are disposed on said rails to be slidable to a position adjacent the discharge port.

79. The apparatus of claim 78 further comprising a discharge mechanism for causing a receiver adjacent the discharge port to be ejected from said discharge port.

80. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a spring for urging said receiver through said discharge port.

81. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a robotic arm for moving said receiver through said discharge port.

82. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said carrier.

83. The apparatus of claim 81, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said remotely operated vehicle.

84-122. -122. (canceled)

123. An apparatus for attachment to an ROV and disposed to carry a plurality of seismic data receivers, the apparatus comprising:

a frame for attachment to said ROV;

a first conveyor disposed within said frame; and

a discharge port adjacent said conveyor.

124. The apparatus of claim 123 further comprising a second conveyor disposed within said frame.

125. The apparatus of claim 123 wherein said conveyor has a first end and a second end and wherein said discharge port is adjacent said second end.

126. The apparatus of claim 123 wherein said conveyor comprises a linear belt.

127. The apparatus of claim 126 wherein said conveyor further comprises rollers around which said belt is disposed.