Marine vessel working deck for handling of shallow water ocean bottom seismometers

• US 20080192569A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 08/14/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magseis FF, LLC
• Original Assignee: Glenn D. Fisseler, Hal B. Haygood, James N. Thompson, Ray Clifford H
• Inventors: Fisseler, Glenn D., Thompson, James N., Haygood, Hal B., Ray, Clifford H.
• Granted Patent: US 7,804,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/15
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/166 Arrangements for coupling receivers to the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/18 Receiving elements, e.g. seismometer, geophone or torque detectors, for localised single point measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/247 Digital recording of seismic data, e.g. in acquisition units or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/38 specially adapted for water-covered areas G01V1/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3808 Seismic data acquisition, e.g. survey design
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3852 to the seabed
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 2210/1427 Sea bed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/39 Cord and rope holders

Abstract

A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

Claims

1-74. -74. (canceled)

75. A method for deploying a seismic data collection system in water comprising the steps of:

a. Providing a cable having a first end and a second end;

b. Providing at least one seismic data collection unit adjacent said cable;

c. Deploying the first end of said cable in the water;

d. Paying out said cable into the water at a first velocity;

e. While said cable is paying out into the water, moving said seismic data collection unit along a path adjacent to said cable;

f. Accelerating said seismic data collection unit along said path until it reaches a speed of approximately said first velocity;

g. Attaching said seismic data collection unit to said cable when said cable and said seismic data collection unit are moving at approximately the same velocity; and

h. Releasing said seismic data collection unit attached to said cable into the water.

76. The method of claim 75, further comprising the steps of providing a flotation system and attaching said flotation system to one of said ends of said cable.

77. The method of claim 76, further comprising the steps attaching a flotation system to each end of said cable.

78-85. -85. (canceled)

86. A working deck configuration for a marine vessel for deployment and retrieval of seismic data recorder units, said deck configuration comprising:

a. at least one rack for storing seismic data recorder units, said rack having at least two slots defined therein, wherein each slot is disposed for receipt of a seismic data recorder unit;

b. a conveyor system running adjacent said rack and extending to the edge of the deck;

c. a robotic arm positioned adjacent said storage rack and said conveyor system, said robotic arm disposed for engaging said data recorder units and moving them between said storage rack slots and said conveyor system;

d. a cable containment mechanism deployed on said deck, said cable containment mechanism having a cable disposed thereon;

e. a cable engine deployed on said deck for paying out and retrieving said cable, wherein said cable containment mechanism and cable engine are arranged to permit the cable to extend along a path parallel to the conveyor belt.

87-126. -126. (canceled)

127. A working deck configuration for a marine vessel for deployment and retrieval of seismic data recorder units, said deck configuration comprising:

a. at least one rack for storing seismic data recorder units, said rack having at least two slots defined therein, wherein each slot is disposed for receipt of a seismic data recorder unit;

b. a conveyor system running adjacent said rack and extending to the edge of the deck;

c. a robotic arm positioned adjacent said storage rack and said conveyor system, said robotic arm disposed for engaging said data recorder units and moving them between said storage rack slots and said conveyor system;

d. a cable containment mechanism deployed on said deck, said cable containment mechanism having a cable disposed thereon;

e. a cable engine deployed on said deck for paying out and retrieving said cable, wherein said cable containment mechanism and cable engine are arranged to permit the cable to extend along a path that intersects with said conveyor system.

128. The configuration of claim 127, wherein said conveyor system has a first end and a second end and wherein the first end of said conveyor system is disposed adjacent said storage rack and robotic arm and the second end of said system is disposed adjacent said cable.

129. The configuration of claim 128, wherein said cable extends along a path perpendicular to at least a portion of the conveyor system.

130. The configuration of claim 127, further comprising a cable grabber for constraining said cable.

132. The configuration of claim 130, wherein said cable grabber is positioned downstream of said intersection of the conveyor system and cable and wherein said cable engine is positioned upstream of said intersection of the conveyor system and cable.

133. The configuration of claim 130, further comprising a cable release system to release cable constrained by said cable grabber.

134. The configuration of claim 132, wherein said cable release system comprises at least two actuators spaced apart from one another, wherein said cable release system will release said cable only when both actuators are simultaneously operated.

131. (canceled)

135. A method for deploying a seismic data collection system in water comprising the steps of:

a. providing a cable having a first end and a second end;

b. storing a multiplicity of seismic data collection units in a storage structure adjacent said cable;

c. providing a conveyor extending from a position adjacent said storage structure to a position adjacent said cable;

d. deploying the first end of said cable in the water;

d. paying out said cable into the water at a first velocity;

e. while said cable is paying out into the water, moving a seismic data collection unit along the conveyor belt from the storage structure to the cable;

f. when said seismic data collection unit is adjacent said cable, interrupting deployment of said cable;

g. attaching said seismic data collection unit to said cable when said cable deployment is interrupted; and

h. after the seismic data collection unit has been attached, resuming deployment of said cable into the water.

136. A working deck configuration for a marine vessel for deployment and retrieval of seismic data recorder units, said deck configuration comprising:

a. at least one rack for storing seismic data recorder units, said rack having at least two rows defined thereon, wherein each row is disposed for receipt of a multiplicity of seismic data recorder units;

b. a cable containment mechanism deployed on said deck, said cable containment mechanism having a cable disposed thereon;

c. a conveyor system having a first end adjacent said rack and a second end adjacent said cable;

d. a cable engine deployed on said deck for moving said cable.

137. The configuration of claim 136, wherein said working deck is characterized by a deck edge and said cable engine is disposed between said deck edge and said cable containment mechanism.

138. The configuration of claim 137, wherein the second end of the conveyor is between the deck edge and the cable engine.

139. The configuration of claim 136, wherein said conveyor system further comprises a track and at least one shuttle movable along said track to transport recorder units along at least a portion of the length of said conveyor system.

140. The configuration of claim 136, wherein the cable containment mechanism is a cable spool.

141. The configuration of claim 136, wherein the cable containment mechanism is a cable bin.

142. The configuration of claim 136, wherein said configuration comprises at least two cable containment mechanisms each having a cable disposed thereon and at least two cable engines, each of said engines engaging a separate cable.

143. The working deck configuration of claim 136, wherein said conveyor system is a linear roller bed.

144. The working deck configuration of claim 139, wherein said conveyor system further comprises a linear roller bed and said track and at least one shuttle are positioned above said roller bed.

145. The working deck configuration of claim 139, wherein said conveyor system further comprises a linear roller bed extending from the first end to the second end of said conveyor system, wherein said track has a first end and a second end and said track is positioned such that the first end thereof is adjacent the first end of the conveyor system and said track extends along at least a portion of the length of said linear roller bed.

146. A working deck configuration for a marine vessel for deployment and retrieval of seismic data recorder units, said deck configuration comprising:

a. a conveyor system deployed on said deck and having a length defined by a first end and a second end;

b. a seismic data recorder unit acceleration mechanism positioned adjacent said conveyor system, said acceleration mechanism disposed for receipt of a recorder unit and capable of moving said recorder unit along an acceleration path from a first position to a second position;

c. a cable containment mechanism deployed on said deck, said cable containment mechanism having a cable disposed thereon; and

d. a cable engine deployed on said deck for moving said cable,

e. wherein said cable is guided adjacent to at least a portion of said acceleration path and a portion of said conveyor system.

147. The working deck configuration of claim 146, wherein said conveyor system is a linear roller bed and said acceleration path is a linear path.

148. The working deck configuration of claim 146, wherein said acceleration mechanism is positioned above said conveyor system.

149. The working deck configuration of claim 146, wherein said acceleration mechanism is positioned such that the first position of the acceleration path of said mechanism is adjacent the first end of the conveyor system and said acceleration path extends along at least a portion of the length of said conveyor system.

150. The working deck configuration of claim 146, wherein said acceleration mechanism is positioned such that the second position of the acceleration path of said mechanism is adjacent the first end of the conveyor system.

151. The working deck configuration of claim 146, further comprising at least one storage structure disposed for receipt of a plurality of seismic data recorder units, said storage structure having at least two rows defined thereon, wherein said rows are arranged one above the other.

152. The working deck configuration of claim 146, wherein said acceleration mechanism is a carriage.

153. A working deck configuration for a marine vessel for deployment and retrieval of seismic data recorder units, said deck is elongated and characterized by a deck edge, said configuration comprising:

a. at least one storage structure on which a plurality of seismic data recorder units are arranged;

b. a cable containment structure;

c. a cable held by said cable containment structure, wherein said cable extends from said cable containment structure to said deck edge;

d. at least one conveyor having a first end adjacent said storage structure and a second end adjacent said cable; and

e. a cable engine engaging said cable and positioned to propel cable between said cable containment structure and said deck edge.

154. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said storage structure is elongated.

155. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said storage structure has at least two rows, arranged one above the other, and wherein a plurality of seismic data recorder units are stored on each row.

156. The working deck configuration of claim 153, further comprising at least two elongated storage structures parallel to one another along the length of the deck.

157. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said cable engine comprises a first wheel and a second wheel and said cable is engaged by both wheels.

158. The working deck configuration of claim 153, further comprising a conveying system adjacent said conveyor first end and said storage structure and disposed to move seismic data recorder units therebetween.

159. The working deck configuration of claim 158, wherein said conveying system is a robotic arm.

160. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said conveyor is elongated and a portion of said conveyor is perpendicular to said cable so as to intersect said cable at the conveyor second end.

161. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said cable extends along a path perpendicular to at least a portion of the conveyor.

162. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said storage structure has a data retrieval interface.

163. The working deck configuration of claim 162, wherein said data retrieval interface is a connector for engaging a seismic data recorder unit.

164. The working deck configuration of claim 153, further comprising a plurality of said data retrieval interfaces.

165. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said storage structure has a battery charging interface.

166. The working deck configuration of claim 165, wherein said battery charging interface is a connector for engaging a seismic data recorder unit.

167. The working deck configuration of claim 153, further comprising a plurality of said battery charging interfaces.

168. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said cable containment structure is a container into which cable is laid.

169. The working deck configuration of claim 153, wherein said cable containment structure is a spool on which cable is wrapped.