Control devices for controlling the position of a marine seismic streamer

• US 9,395,458 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: WesternGeco LLC
• Original Assignee: WesternGeco LLC
• Inventors: Bittleston, Simon Hastings
• Primary Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US11/122,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20050209783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,093 Days
• Field of Search: 702/14, 702/94, 702/95, 702/97, 702/150, 702/158, 702/166, 367 12- 25, 114/244, 114/312, 181/110, 343/709, 701/21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3808 Seismic data acquisition, e.g. survey design
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/3826 dynamic steering, e.g. by paravanes or birds

Abstract

A control device or “bird” for controlling the position of a marine seismic streamer is provided with an elongate, partly flexible body which is designed to be electrically and mechanically connected in series with a streamer. In its preferred form, the bird has two opposed wings which are independently controllable in order to control the streamer'"'"'s lateral position as well as its depth.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a housing connectable in line between two sections of a marine seismic streamer;

first and second control surfaces that project laterally outward from the housing and that are independently rotatable with respect to each other so that, in a first configuration, an angle of inclination of a lateral surface of each of the first and second control surfaces is different, and, in a second configuration, an angle of inclination of a lateral surface of each of the first and second control surfaces is configured such that a same lift force is applied on each of the control surfaces; and

a control system in the housing responsive to control signals that selectively adjust respective angles of inclination of the lateral surfaces of the first and second control surfaces to have the first configuration, which causes the control surfaces to jointly operate to produce a rolling force on the housing, and the second configuration, which causes the control surfaces to jointly operate to produce a force to adjust lateral position of the streamer without producing a rolling force on the housing.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is constructed of material selected from aluminum, titanium, and combinations thereof.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more sensors in the housing for determining the angular position of the housing in a plane approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the streamer,

wherein the control system is responsive to at least one of the sensors.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the two control surfaces rotate about a common axis.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the two control surfaces comprise two opposed wings.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is adapted to be nonrotatably coupled to the streamer.

7. A device, comprising:

a bird connectable to a marine seismic streamer configured to flow through water;

the bird including first and second wings projecting outward from a housing, each of the first and second wings including a wing surface that extends from a leading edge of the respective first and second wings to a trailing edge of the respective first and second wings, the first and second wings being independently rotatable to adjust an angle of attack of the wing surfaces of the first and second wings with respect to a direction of travel of the housing during use; and

a control system that controls rotation of the first and second wings to have a first configuration where the wing surfaces of the first and second wings respectively have different angles of attack of with respect to a direction of travel of the housing that cause the first and second wings to jointly operate to produce a rolling force on the bird, and a second configuration where a same lift force is applied to the wing surfaces of the first and second wings respectively to cause the first and second wings to jointly operate to produce a force on the streamer to control lateral position of the streamer without producing a rolling force on the bird.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the wings are releasabley secured to the bird.

9. The device of claim 7, the bird comprising a body having a rigid in line housing and a flexible inline portion.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the body has a diameter approximately the same as a diameter of the streamer.

11. The device of claim 7 comprising a control system including sensors for sensing angular position of each of the two wings.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the control system further comprises:

a control circuit in communication with one or more sensors for sensing depth, lateral position, and roll angle of the bird.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the pair of wings are adapted to rotate about a common axis.

14. A method, comprising:

connecting a bird to a marine seismic streamer in series therewith between two sections of the marine seismic streamer; and

individually controlling angular position of first and second control surfaces of the bird to adjust lift of the first and second control surfaces so as to have

a first configuration where the first and second control surfaces jointly operate to produce a rolling force on the bird by

adjusting an angular position of the first control surface to increase lift of the first control surface, and

adjusting an angular position of the second control surface to decrease lift of the first control surface, and

a second configuration where a same lift force is applied to the first and second control surfaces such that a force to control lateral position of the marine seismic streamer is provided without producing a rolling force on the bird.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

determining position of the bird;

comparing the determined position of the bird to a desired position of the bird; and

rotating the control surfaces according to the comparison.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the control surfaces comprise two opposed wings.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the two control surfaces rotate about a common axis.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

measuring the roll angle of the bird using an inclinometer; and

using the measured roll angle in controlling the bird.

19. A streamer control device, comprising:

a body adapted to be mechanically and electrically connected in series between two sections of a multi-section marine seismic streamer;

first and second control surfaces that project laterally outward from the body and that are independently rotatable with respect to each other so that, in a first configuration, an angle of inclination of a lateral surface of each of the first and second control surfaces is different, and, in a second configuration, an angle of inclination of a lateral surface of each of the first and second control surfaces is configured such that a same lift force is applied on each of the surfaces;

an inclinometer mounted within the device to provide a roll angle signal indicating the roll angle of the device;

a control circuit adapted to selectively adjust respective angles of inclination of the lateral surfaces of the first and second control surfaces based on the roll angle signal to individually adjust lift of each control surface so as to provide the first configuration, which causes the control surfaces to jointly operate to produce a rolling force on the body, and the second configuration, which causes the control surfaces to jointly operate to produce a force to control lateral position of the marine seismic streamer without producing a rolling force on the body.

20. The streamer control device of claim 19, wherein the body further comprises:

a flexible, greater part of the body; and

a rigid, lesser part of the body.

21. The streamer of claim 20, wherein the flexible, greater part of the body houses at least one seismic sensor.

22. The streamer of claim 20, wherein the rigid, lesser part of the body houses a control system.

23. The streamer of claim 19, wherein the body houses at least one seismic sensor.

24. The streamer of claim 19, wherein the body houses said control circuit.

25. The streamer of claim 19, wherein the control surfaces are defined by vanes detachable during retrieval without disassembling the streamer.

26. The streamer of claim 19, wherein the control surfaces control the position of the device in both depth and lateral position.