Method and apparatus for deployment of ocean bottom seismometers

• US 8,075,226 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magseis FF, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fairfield Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Thompson, James N., Ray, Clifford H., Fisseler, Glenn D., Fyffe, Roger L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAYO-PINNOCK, TARA LEIGH
• Application Number:
  US11/711,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20070258774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 405/190, 405/209, 405/210, 367/133, 367 14- 16, 367/131, 367/141, 367/153, 181/112, 181/101, 181/110, 181/114, 181/120, 181/122, 114/312, 114/321, 414/137.1, 222/622
• 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 includes a frame in which is mounted a structure for seating and releasing the receivers. The structure may include a movable conveyor or fixed parallel rails or a barrel. The structure includes a discharge port on the frame and a discharge mechanism for removing and retrieving the receivers. A method for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers includes the steps of loading a carrier with a plurality of receivers, attaching the carrier to an ROV, utilizing the ROV to transport the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed and thereafter utilizing the ROV to remove receivers from the carrier and place the receivers on the seabed.

Claims

1. 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 two separate conveyors, each housed within said frame, wherein said plurality of receivers can be disposed on said conveyors,

d. wherein each of said conveyors is defined along a linear path and is disposed to move receivers along its respective linear path, wherein each linear path has a first end and a second end and extends between its first end and second end.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conveyor comprises a linear track.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said carrier comprises multiple separate, movable conveyors housed within said frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising buoyancy material attached to said frame.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a discharge port, wherein said conveyor is movable to selectively position a receiver adjacent the discharge port.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a discharge mechanism for causing said receiver adjacent the discharge port to be ejected from said discharge port.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a spring for urging said receiver through said discharge port.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said discharge mechanism comprises a robotic arm for moving said receiver through said discharge port.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said carrier.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said remotely operated vehicle.

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

a remotely operated vehicle; and

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,

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,

wherein said conveyor comprises a belt, and

wherein said conveyor is defined along a linear path and is disposed to move receivers along its linear path, wherein said path has a first end and a second ends and linearly extends between its first end and second end.

12. 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 elongated conveyor disposed within said frame;

a second elongated conveyor disposed within said frame,

wherein each of said conveyors is defined along a linear path and is disposed to move receivers along its respective linear path, wherein each linear path has a first end and a second end and extends between its first end and second end; and

a discharge port adjacent the second ends of said conveyor paths.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said discharge port is adjacent said second end.

14. 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,

wherein said conveyor comprises a belt and rollers around which the linear belt is disposed, and

wherein said conveyor is defined along a linear path and is disposed to move receivers along its linear path, wherein said path has a first end and a second ends and linearly extends between its first end and second end.

15. 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,

d. said movable conveyor comprising a plurality of spaced apart rollers around which is disposed a closed loop, elongated conveyor belt having an inner surface and an outer surface, the outer surface characterized by a width of sufficient breadth to support a plurality of receivers disposed along the length of said belt, said plurality of spaced apart rollers disposed to support the inner surface of said belt along its length.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said elongated conveyor belt has a first end and a second end and a roller is disposed at each end, each end roller characterized by an axis around which said roller is disposed to rotate, said conveyor belt disposed around said end rollers so that said axii of said rollers are substantially parallel with the width of said belt.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said elongated conveyor belt has a first end and a second end and said belt is disposed around said rollers so as to define a linear travel path of said outer surface from the first end to the second end.