Seismic Sensor Cable Spacer Design for Flow Noise Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seismic streamers with gel-filled filler materials face challenges in effectively canceling flow noise due to limited shear stiffness and availability of gel, which degrades noise averaging and affects seismic data quality.
Innovation Solution
Increasing the separation between spacers in the seismic sensor cable to at least 25 centimeters, allowing more gel volume for noise cancellation, and designing spacers with recessed regions to enhance gel communication and availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If spacers are placed close together in the cable, then the cable structure is compact and easy to manufacture, but the volume of gel filler material is limited which reduces noise cancellation effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The cable is segmented into intervals between spacers, with each interval containing gel filler material. By increasing the separation between spacers, larger intervals are created that can accommodate more gel volume, improving noise cancellation while maintaining manufacturability through standardized spacer-based segmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The spacing parameter between spacers is changed from conventional close spacing to at least 25 centimeters. This parameter change increases the volume available for gel filler material, thereby improving flow noise cancellation effectiveness
2Reliability
If gel filler material volume is increased for better noise cancellation, then flow noise is reduced, but the cable becomes more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Spacers serve as intermediary elements that define the geometry and volume for gel filler material placement. By using spacers as mediators between the cable skin and the gel, the system achieves improved noise cancellation without requiring complex manufacturing processes, as the spacers simplify the gel injection and distribution
3Quantity of substance
If spacers are separated by at least 25 centimeters, then more gel volume is available for noise attenuation, but the cable length and material requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The gel filler material is concentrated in specific local regions between spacers rather than being uniformly distributed throughout the entire cable. This local quality approach allows maximization of gel volume in noise-critical regions while minimizing overall cable length and material requirements
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 significantly improves flow noise cancellation, enhancing the quality of seismic data acquisition by increasing the volume and area of continuous gel available for noise attenuation.
Implementation Method 1
Conventional seismic streamers with gel-filled filler materials face challenges in effectively canceling flow noise due to limited shear stiffness and availability of gel
Implementation Method 2
The spacer includes at least one extended portion to support the skin
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a cable; and seismic sensors that are disposed in the cable. The apparatus also includes spacers that are distributed in the cable such that each seismic sensor is disposed in an interval of the cable separating a different adjacent pair of the spacers. The spacers of each pair are separated by at least twenty-five centimeters.