Collision Avoidance for Instrumented Probes Deployed From a Seismic Vessel
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- towing a probe assembly, which includes a probe and a probe cable, and a seismic array from a seismic vessel underway in a body of water, wherein (a) the probe cable, which couples the probe to the seismic vessel, is deployed into the body of water via a cable guide that couples to the seismic vessel near the water surface of the body of water and below the lowest outside deck included in the stern of the seismic vessel, and (b) the seismic array includes cables and at least one of streamers and seismic source guns that couple to the seismic vessel via the cables;
acquiring water characteristic data, via the probe while the seismic vessel is advancing, under the seismic vessel'"'"'s own power, and actively towing the seismic array;
determining a location of a portion of the probe assembly while the seismic array is being actively towed and the probe is submerged below the water surface; and
based on the determined location of the portion of the probe assembly, altering a navigation module, included in the probe, to consequently steer the probe away from a portion of the seismic array.
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Abstract
One embodiment of the invention concerns a probe that couples to a seismic vessel via a tow cable. When deploying probes from a seismic vessel that is towing source arrays and streamers, the probe and its tow cable can tangle with elements of the towed seismic spread. However, a cable guide may be used to lessen the risk for such entanglement by guiding the tow cable into the water at a distance removed from the seismic spread. Also, the probe may be steerable to steer the probe and tow cable away from the seismic spread. Other embodiments are described herein.
46 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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towing a probe assembly, which includes a probe and a probe cable, and a seismic array from a seismic vessel underway in a body of water, wherein (a) the probe cable, which couples the probe to the seismic vessel, is deployed into the body of water via a cable guide that couples to the seismic vessel near the water surface of the body of water and below the lowest outside deck included in the stern of the seismic vessel, and (b) the seismic array includes cables and at least one of streamers and seismic source guns that couple to the seismic vessel via the cables; acquiring water characteristic data, via the probe while the seismic vessel is advancing, under the seismic vessel'"'"'s own power, and actively towing the seismic array; determining a location of a portion of the probe assembly while the seismic array is being actively towed and the probe is submerged below the water surface; and based on the determined location of the portion of the probe assembly, altering a navigation module, included in the probe, to consequently steer the probe away from a portion of the seismic array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An article comprising a medium storing instructions that enable a processor based system to, when a probe assembly and a seismic array are actively towed from a seismic vessel, (a) acquire water characteristic data via a probe;
- (b) determine a location of a portion of the probe assembly; and
(c) based on the determined location of the portion of the probe assembly, alter a navigation module, included in the probe, to consequently steer the probe away from a portion of the seismic array;wherein the probe assembly includes the probe and a probe cable, the probe cable to couple the probe to the seismic vessel that is underway in a body of water and actively towing the seismic array, which includes cables and at least one of streamers and seismic source guns that couple to the seismic vessel via the cables. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
- (b) determine a location of a portion of the probe assembly; and
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21. A system comprising:
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a probe assembly including a probe and a probe cable, the probe cable to couple the probe to a seismic vessel, underway in a body of water, that is actively towing a seismic array that includes cables and at least one of streamers and seismic source guns that couple to the seismic vessel via the cables; and a probe guide, which is configured to couple to the seismic vessel near the water surface of the body of water, to deploy the probe cable into the body of water at an initial water entry point that is closer to the seismic vessel than initial water entry points for each of the cables coupling the at least one of the streamers and the seismic source guns to the seismic vessel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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Specification