PARTICLE MOTION VECTOR MEASUREMENT IN A TOWED, MARINE SEISMIC CABLE

• US 20090296529A1
• Filed: 05/21/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lars Boergen, Nils Halvor Heieren, Oyvind Teigen, Vidar A. Husom
• Original Assignee: Lars Boergen, Nils Halvor Heieren, Oyvind Teigen, Vidar A. Husom
• Inventors: Husom, Vidar A., Heieren, Nils Halvor, Boergen, Lars, Teigen, Oyvind
• Application Number:
  US12/469,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20090296529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/178
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/181 Geophones
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 1/20 Arrangements of receiving elements, e.g. geophone pattern
• 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

Abstract

A particle motion sensor, includes: a sensing element capable of sensing a particle motion vector from a change in position thereof, and a packing material in which the sensing element is positioned, wherein the particle motion sensor is symmetric about its longitudinal axis and has a center of gravity coincident with its volumetric center. An apparatus includes a streamer; a plurality of acoustic sensors distributed along the streamer; and a plurality of particle motion sensors distributed along the streamer, at least one particle motion sensor being symmetric about its longitudinal axis and having a center of gravity coincident with its volumetric center.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A particle motion sensor, comprising:

a micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer capable of sensing a particle motion vector from a change in position thereof; and

a packing material in which the sensing element is positioned.

17. The particle motion sensor of claim 15, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

18. The particle motion sensor of claim 15, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer comprises one of three single-axis, orthogonally oriented, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometers.

19. The particle motion sensor of claim 15, wherein the packing material comprises:

a fluid;

a deformable, expanded foam body;

a polymer with added micro-spheres;

or

a low density plastic.

16. (canceled)

20. An apparatus comprising:

a streamer;

a plurality of acoustic sensors distributed along the streamer; and

a plurality of particle motion sensors distributed along the streamer, at least one particle motion sensor including;

a micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer capable of sensing a particle motion vector from a change in position thereof; and

a packing material in which the sensing element is positioned.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each of the particle motion sensors is co-located with one of the acoustic sensors.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the acoustic sensors comprise a plurality of hydrophones.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer comprises one of three single-axis, orthogonally oriented, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometers.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the packing material comprises:

a fluid;

a deformable, expanded foam body;

a polymer with added micro-spheres;

or

a low density plastic.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an acoustic source.

21. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. A streamer, comprising:

a seismic streamer cable;

a plurality of seismic sensors distributed along the seismic cable;

a packing material filling voids in the seismic streamer cable; and

a micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer disposed in the packing material.

30. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer is co-located with one of the seismic sensors.

31. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer is co-located with the seismic sensor in a single sonde.

32. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer is a three-axis micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

33. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer is one of three, orthogonally oriented, single axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometers.

36. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the cable comprises:

a power lead;

a command and control line; and

a data line.

37. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the streamer is a fluid-filled streamer.

38. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the streamer is a solid streamer.

39. The streamer of claim 29, wherein the streamer defines a pocket and further comprises a fluid filling the pocket in which the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer is disposed.

34. (canceled)

35. The streamer of claim 34, wherein the packing material comprises:

a fluid;

a deformable, expanded foam body;

a polymer with added micro-spheres;

or

a low density plastic.

40. A particle motion sensor for use in a streamer, the particle motion sensor comprising:

a packing material; and

a micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer disposed within the packing material.

42. The particle motion sensor of claim 40, wherein the accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

43. The particle motion sensor of claim 40, wherein the accelerometer comprises one of three single-axis, orthogonally oriented, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometers.

45. The particle motion sensor of claim 40, wherein the packing material comprises:

a fluid;

a deformable, expanded foam body;

a polymer with added micro-spheres;

or

a low density plastic.

46. The particle motion sensor of claim 40, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer comprises a monocrystalline semiconductor device.

47. The particle motion sensor of claim 40, wherein the micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer comprises an inertial mass on the free end of a cantilevered beam.

41. (canceled)

44. (canceled)

48. A particle motion sensor for measuring seismic wavefield in water, comprising:

a sensing element capable of sensing a particle motion vector from a change in position thereof; and

a packing material in which the sensing element is positioned;

wherein the sensing element is a velocity meter or an accelerometer comprising a micro electro-mechanical system.

50. The particle motion sensor of claim 48, wherein the accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

51. The particle motion sensor of claim 48, wherein the sensing element comprises a three single-axis, orthogonally oriented, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometers.

52. The particle motion sensor of claim 48, wherein the packing material comprises:

a fluid;

a deformable, expanded foam body;

a polymer with added micro-spheres;

or

a low density plastic.

49. (canceled)

53. A particle motion sensor, comprising:

a packing material;

a plurality of components including at least one sensing element, the components being disposed in the packing material in a manner defining an aperture through which a cable may extend.

55. The particle motion sensor of claim 53, wherein the sensing element comprises a velocity meter or an accelerometer.

56. The particle motion sensor of claim 55, wherein the accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

57. The particle motion sensor of claim 55, wherein the sensing element comprises three single-axis, orthogonally oriented, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometers.

58. The particle motion sensor of claim 53, wherein the packing material comprises:

a fluid;

a deformable, expanded foam body;

a polymer with added micro-spheres;

or

a low density plastic.

59. The particle motion sensor of claim 53, wherein the cable comprises:

a power lead;

a command and control line; and

a data line.

54. (canceled)

60. A particle motion sensor, comprising:

a sensing element capable of electrically communicating with, while structurally de-coupled from, a streamer and capable of sensing a particle motion vector from a change in position thereof, and

a fluid packing material in which the sensing element is positioned.

61. The particle motion sensor of claim 60, wherein the particle motion sensor is symmetric about its longitudinal axis and has a center of gravity coincident with its volumetric center.

62. The particle motion sensor of claim 60, wherein the sensing element comprises an accelerometer.

63. The particle motion sensor of claim 62, wherein the accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.

64. An apparatus comprising:

a streamer;

a plurality of acoustic sensors distributed along the streamer; and

a plurality of particle motion sensors distributed along the streamer, at least one particle motion sensor including;

a sensing element capable of electrically communicating with, while de-coupled from, a streamer and capable of sensing a particle motion vector from a change in position thereof; and

a fluid packing material in which the sensing element is positioned.

65. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the particle motion sensor is symmetric about its longitudinal axis and has a center of gravity coincident with its volumetric center.

66. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein each of the particle motion sensors is co-located with one of the acoustic sensors.

67. The apparatus of claim 64, wherein the acoustic sensors comprise a plurality of hydrophones.

68. The particle motion sensor of claim 64, wherein the sensing element comprises an accelerometer.

69. The apparatus of claim 68, wherein the accelerometer comprises a three-axis, micro electro-mechanical system accelerometer.