Ultrasonic cleaning of marine geophysical equipment
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- towing geophysical equipment behind a survey vessel; and
cleaning the geophysical equipment while the geophysical equipment is being towed, wherein the cleaning is performed at least in part by transmission of ultrasonic sound by one or more transducers coupled to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) controlled via a cable connected to a chase vessel.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various methods and apparatuses for facilitating cleaning of submerged geophysical equipment using sound waves transmitted at ultrasonic frequencies are disclosed. In some embodiments, one or more transducers may be configured to transmit sound at one or more ultrasonic frequencies. The sound at ultrasonic frequencies may be transmitted in the vicinity of submerged geophysical equipment, such as a sensor streamer towed behind a survey vessel. Obstructions (e.g., barnacle larvae) adhering to surfaces of the geophysical equipment may be loosened or removed altogether when ultrasonic transmissions occur within its vicinity. The transducers used to transmit the ultrasonic frequencies may be implemented in various ways, such as being attached to a remote operated vehicle, a cleaning unit, or as being an integral component of the geophysical equipment.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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towing geophysical equipment behind a survey vessel; and cleaning the geophysical equipment while the geophysical equipment is being towed, wherein the cleaning is performed at least in part by transmission of ultrasonic sound by one or more transducers coupled to a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) controlled via a cable connected to a chase vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 15)
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7. A method, comprising:
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towing geophysical equipment including a sensor streamer behind a vessel; a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) attaching a streamer cleaning unit (SCU) to the sensor streamer at a first position; while traversing from the first position to a second position, the SCU cleaning the sensor streamer by transmission of ultrasonic frequencies from one or more ultrasonic transducers; subsequent to attaching the SCU to the sensor streamer at the first position, the ROV detaching from the SCU; and subsequent to the SCU traversing from the first position to the second position, the ROV re-attaching to the SCU to detach the SCU from the sensor streamer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16)
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17. A method, comprising:
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towing geophysical equipment including a sensor streamer behind a vessel; a streamer cleaning unit (SCU) attaching to the sensor streamer at a first position, wherein the SCU is configured to; traverse from the first position to a second position on the sensor streamer; and while traversing from the first position to the second position, clean the sensor streamer by transmission of ultrasonic frequencies from one or more ultrasonic transducers; after attaching the SCU to the sensor streamer at the first position, a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) detaching from the SCU; and after the SCU traverses from the first position to the second position, the ROV re-attaching to the SCU to detach the SCU from the sensor streamer.
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Specification