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System for sorting seismic data in marine surveys

  • US 4,561,073 A
  • Filed: 05/13/1982
  • Issued: 12/24/1985
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1981
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In a system for measuring and collecting data from seismic surveys at sea with the aid of a vessel including at least one seismic signal transmitter operatively connected to the vessel to be towed thereby, at least one acoustic streamer cable operatively connected to the vessel to be towed thereby having means located along said cable for measuring reflection signals produced by said at least one transmitter, and position defining means at the locations of said reflection signal measuring means, the improvement comprising:

  • means to subdivide an area to be surveyed into a grid of individual rectangles of a defined size and geographical position;

    said at least one streamer cable being divided along its length into a plurality of subgroups of said reflection signals measuring means and respective position defining means so that the subgroups provide seismic data of near-traces from the subgroup closest to the vessel, distant-traces from the subgroup farthest from the vessel and middle-traces from at least one subgroup between said nearest and farthest subgroup;

    control means to continuously receive and sort independently and simultaneously data from said near-traces, middle-traces and distant-traces to obtain and transmit the measured reflection and position defining data therefrom;

    a computing unit for receiving and processing said measured reflection and position defining data and transferring it to the respective individual rectangles of said grid and computing from said measured reflection and position defining data the configuration and position of the subgroups of the streamer cable;

    display means to continuously during the surveying operation display control data, recording data and streamer cable position on a grid of individual rectangles corresponding to the rectangles formed by subdividing the area being surveyed to show the coverage of said data in the individual rectangles of the grid;

    means to evaluate said displayed data operatively connected to the vesses'"'"'s navigation system for use in navigating the vessel;

    means to compare said measured reflection and position defining data with known data to determine the degree of coverage in the area being surveyed so that a single pass of the vessel over said area produces a substantially complete survey; and

    means to store said data.

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