Autonomous Seismic Recorders Dynamic Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seismic data acquisition methods result in many recording stations sitting idle for extended periods, leading to battery life issues and potential data integrity problems due to non-productive recording, especially when the range of seismic energy is limited and not all listening points are within range of active shot points.
Innovation Solution
The method involves creating a geophysical survey layout with a compact, low aspect ratio active listening patch and deploying autonomous recorders within this patch, allowing source trucks to cross receiver lines to efficiently move between shot points, and strategically redeploying recorders to maintain a compact, active recording area, reducing the number of required recorders and minimizing idle time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If autonomous recorders are deployed at all listening points during the entire survey, then complete coverage of the survey area is achieved, but battery life is depleted and data integrity is compromised due to extended idle recording periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic deployment of autonomous recorders by continuously moving them from completed survey areas to active survey areas. Recorders are retrieved from the rear of the active listening patch and redeployed to listening points in front of the active listening patch, transforming the system from static to dynamic operation. This allows the same physical recorders to serve multiple listening points throughout the survey duration, eliminating extended idle periods while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by temporarily removing recorders from listening points where seismic activity has completed and redeploying them to areas where recording is still needed. The system continuously recovers recorders from the rear of the active listening patch and redistributes them to the front, ensuring that recorders are always positioned where they can collect useful data, thereby preventing battery waste during idle periods.
2Reliability
If conventional cable geophones are used to cover the full width of receiver lines, then complete signal capture is achieved, but the number of required recording devices increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cable infrastructure from the seismic recording system, replacing it with autonomous, wireless recorders. Each recorder operates independently without requiring physical connection to a central cable system. This extraction eliminates the need for extensive cable networks while maintaining recording capability across the survey area, significantly reducing the quantity of physical infrastructure required.
Solution Approach 2:
The autonomous recorders serve multiple functions and multiple listening points throughout the survey. A single recorder can be deployed to different listening points at different times, replacing the need for dedicated recorders at each location. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of recording devices needed while ensuring complete signal capture across the entire survey area.
3Productivity
If source trucks follow traditional valley-based paths between receiver lines, then efficient progression is maintained, but the aspect ratio of the active listening patch becomes excessively large
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic repositioning of the active listening patch by continuously moving recorders from the rear to the front of the survey area. This dynamic adjustment maintains a compact, low aspect ratio configuration of the active listening patch regardless of the source truck's progression through the survey. The patch shape adapts continuously to the current survey position rather than extending across entire receiver line valleys.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to recording seismic data with autonomous seismic data recorders in a pattern where the recorders are deployed in a compact geographical array having a low aspect ratio keeping the recorders closer to the seismic source trucks and requiring fewer total recorders. The recorders are deployed to cover an active listening patch and the seismic source trucks progress from shot point to shot point within a defined source path that provides for a pattern of recorder movements from behind the active listening patch to a location in front of the active patch.