Marine Vibratory Source Spatial Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Geophysical marine surveys face challenges in balancing the spacing and use of signal sources and sensors to achieve desired coverage while minimizing equipment complexity and cost, and reducing environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a geophysical survey system that deploys seismic sources in different zones based on threshold offset distances, with lower frequency sources used at greater offsets and higher frequency sources within a limited area to optimize signal coverage and reduce energy consumption and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple vibratory sources are deployed across the survey area, then signal coverage and data quality improve, but equipment complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by deploying vibratory sources with different frequency characteristics in different spatial zones. Low-frequency sources are positioned in first zones while high-frequency sources are positioned in second zones, allowing each location to have the specific frequency type most suitable for that area's geological characteristics and survey requirements, thereby optimizing signal coverage without uniformly increasing equipment complexity across the entire survey area
2Area of stationary object
If vibratory sources are deployed at greater offset distances, then survey area coverage improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by varying the frequency parameter of vibratory sources based on their offset distance from the vessel. Low-frequency sources are deployed at greater offset distances where they can effectively cover larger areas with lower energy consumption, while high-frequency sources are deployed at smaller offset distances where their higher energy output is more efficiently utilized for detailed subsurface imaging
3Measurement precision
If high-frequency vibratory sources are used, then data resolution improves, but environmental impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by restricting high-frequency vibratory sources to specific second zones where high resolution data is most critically needed, while using low-frequency sources in first zones where the environmental impact of high-frequency sources would be unnecessarily severe. This spatial differentiation allows the survey to achieve high resolution where required while minimizing environmental disturbance in other 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 simplifies survey arrays, reduces system complexity, and improves data quality by tailoring source deployment and frequency emissions to specific zones, enhancing the effectiveness of geophysical data collection while minimizing equipment and environmental impact.
Implementation Method 1
Acoustic waves generated by the source may then be transmitted into the earth's crust and then reflected back and captured at the geophysical sensors
Implementation Method 2
lower frequency sources used at greater offsets and higher frequency sources within a limited area
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed relating to geophysical surveying. In some embodiments, a marine survey vessel tows multiple sensor streamers in addition to vibratory sources deployed relative to the sensor streamers. In some embodiments, the vessel tows vibratory sources emitting energy within different frequency bands in different deployment zones. In some embodiments, one or more sources are driven with different sweep functions, different activation patterns, and/or different sweep lengths. Various disclosed techniques for manufacturing a geophysical data product may potentially simplify equipment used for towing sources, reduce survey complexity without reducing resolution, increase resolution without increasing survey complexity, improve energy content recovered from deep reflections, and/or reduce the environmental impact of emitting seismic energy.