Active Streamer Steering for Wide-Azimuth Seismic Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional marine seismic data acquisition methods face challenges in acquiring high-quality data in structurally complex areas with strong currents, obstructions, and difficult near-surface conditions, often requiring multiple vessels and leading to entanglement and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
The method involves towing a marine seismic spread with a source and multiple streamers in a generally curved advancing path, actively steering the streamers, and recording reflections from sub-sea geologic features, allowing for efficient acquisition of wide- and rich-azimuth data using a single vessel or minimal equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple vessels are used to acquire wide-azimuth towed streamer seismic data, then data quality and azimuth coverage are improved, but operational complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of multiple vessels into a single vessel by integrating both the seismic source and streamer array on one platform. This merging eliminates the need for multiple vessels while maintaining wide-azimuth data acquisition capability, directly resolving the contradiction between data quality and operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The single vessel is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the seismic source platform and the streamer towing platform. This multi-functionality allows the vessel to replace what traditionally required multiple specialized vessels, reducing complexity while preserving data quality
2Measurement precision
If streamers are closely spaced to achieve high trace density, then imaging resolution is improved, but risk of entanglement and damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic streamer steering that allows streamers to actively adjust their positions in real-time. This dynamic control enables streamers to maintain optimal spacing for high-resolution imaging while automatically preventing entanglement by adjusting positions when potential conflicts are detected, thus resolving the contradiction between imaging resolution and streamer safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates real-time monitoring and feedback control of streamer positions. This feedback mechanism detects potential entanglement conditions and triggers corrective steering actions, allowing the system to maintain closely spaced streamers for high resolution while preventing damage through active safety monitoring
3Device complexity
If conventional survey methods are used in structurally complex areas, then equipment simplicity is maintained, but imaging capability of complex features deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the seismic survey into multiple curved shooting paths that systematically cover complex sub-sea geologic regions. This segmentation of the acquisition geometry, combined with active streamer steering, enables the simplified single-vessel equipment to achieve imaging capability comparable to or exceeding that of conventional multi-vessel systems in structurally complex areas
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances seismic imaging with reduced costs and increased data quality by minimizing equipment usage and reducing redundancy in azimuths, while providing a higher fold and improved signal-to-noise ratio.
Implementation Method 1
shooting the source while towing the marine seismic spread in the generally curved advancing path; and recording reflections from sub-sea geologic features using the receivers
Implementation Method 2
recording reflections from sub-sea geologic features using the receivers during the generally curved advancing path
Implementation Method 3
recording reflections from sub-sea geologic features using the receivers
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for use in marine seismic surveying includes a method and an apparatus. In one aspect, the method includes towing a seismic spread including a source multiple streamers on a generally curved advancing path, the streamers being actively steered. The source is fired and data is acquired on the curve. In other aspects, the method is performed with only a single vessel or the generally curved advancing path is a sincurve advancing path. The method may include a dual circular shoot in another aspect. And, in yet another aspect, the invention includes an apparatus comprised of a computing apparatus on board a tow vessel receiving positioning data from the marine seismic streamers. It is also programmed to: sail the tow vessel in a generally curved advancing path and actively steer the marine seismic streamers through the generally curved advancing path.