Method and apparatus for deployment of ocean bottom seismometers

• US 8,534,959 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2005
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• 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., Mitchell, Stephen W., Boone, William E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pinnock, Tara M.
• Application Number:
  US11/037,031
• Publication Number:
  US 20060159524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,165 Days
• Field of Search: 405/190, 405/209, 405/109, 405/210, 181/112, 181/101, 181/110, 181/114, 181/120, 181/122, 114/312, 114/321, 414/137.1, 367 14- 16, 367/131, 367/133, 367/141, 367/153
• US Class Current: 405/209
• 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 carousel or 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. 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 removeably 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,

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.

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

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conveyor comprises a non-linear belt.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said robotic arm is attached to said remotely operated vehicle.

12. A method of deploying ocean bottom seismic data receivers from the deck of a marine vessel into a body of water having a surface and a seabed, said method comprising the steps of:

a. removeably loading a plurality of ocean bottom seismic data receivers in a carrier;

b. attaching said carrier to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV);

c. launching said remotely operated vehicle from the marine vessel located adjacent the surface of the body of water;

d. guiding the remotely operated vehicle with the attached carrier to a position adjacent the seabed;

e. causing said plurality of receivers to be removed from said carrier and placed on the seabed;

f. providing a wireless modem on a receiver and on said remotely operated vehicle; and

g. utilizing said wireless modem to provide communication with said receiver and said ROV.