Array grouping of seismic sensors in a marine streamer for optimum noise attenuation

• US 8,553,490 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PGS Geophysical As (PGS ASA)
• Original Assignee: PGS Geophysical As (PGS ASA)
• Inventors: Tabti, Hocine, Hillesund, yvind
• Primary Examiner(s): BREIER, KRYSTINE E
• Application Number:
  US11/983,571
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,160 Days
• Field of Search: 367/15, 367 20- 24
• US Class Current: 367/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/201 Constructional details of seismic cables, e.g. streamers integrated optoseismic systems G01V1/226; line connectors in general H01R, transducer mountings in general G10K11/004
• 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

Abstract

A marine seismic streamer includes at least one particle motion sensor array. The array includes a plurality of particle motion sensors disposed at spaced apart locations along the streamer. Outputs of the particle motion sensors are functionally coupled to form an array. A number of the particle motion sensors and a spacing between adjacent particle motion sensors are selected to attenuate noise in a selected mode of propagation and within a selected wavenumber range. The streamer includes means for weighting a signal output of each particle motion sensor in the at least one array. A signal weight applied to each sensor by the means for weighting is selected to optimize attenuation of the noise.

Claims

1. A marine seismic streamer, comprising:

a plurality of particle motion sensor arrays disposed along the streamer at longitudinally spaced apart positions, each particle motion sensor array including a plurality of particle motion sensors disposed at spaced apart locations along the streamer, outputs of the particle motion sensors coupled to form an array, a spacing between each adjacent particle motion sensor and a signal weight of each particle motion sensor in a particle motion sensor array being individually selected to attenuate noise in a selected mode of propagation and within a selected wavenumber range wherein at least one particle motion sensor has a weight or spacing different from another particle motion sensor in the array.

2. The streamer of claim 1 wherein the particle motion sensors comprise geophones.

3. The streamer of claim 1 wherein the signal weight comprises a resistor coupled in series with an output of the respective particle motion sensor.

4. The streamer of claim 1 further comprising an array of pressure responsive sensors associated with each array of particle motion sensors.

5. The streamer of claim 4 wherein the pressure responsive sensors comprise hydrophones.

6. The streamer of claim 4 wherein a longitudinal center of each particle motion sensor array and a longitudinal center of each array of pressure responsive sensors are located at substantially a same longitudinal position along the streamer.

7. The streamer of claim 4 wherein a spacing and a signal weight for each sensor is selected to minimize a value of a cost function, the cost function related to a wavenumber response of the particle motion sensors.

8. The streamer of claim 1 wherein the signal weight is selected by selecting a value of a resistor coupled in series with a signal output of the particle motion sensor.