Thruster-Equipped Tether Management System for Seismic Survey Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Performing large-scale ocean bottom seismic surveys is inefficient due to the need for numerous vessel passes to deploy hundreds or thousands of seismic data acquisition units, leading to excessive resource consumption and increased deployment time.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a tether management system (TMS) with a thruster, connected to an underwater vehicle deploying ocean bottom seismic data acquisition units. The TMS can move laterally relative to the vessel's direction of motion, allowing the underwater vehicle to deploy units at wider line spacings with fewer vessel passes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the vessel makes numerous passes to deploy seismic data acquisition units at specific positions, then the coverage area and survey quality are improved, but the deployment time and resource consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from linear deployment (single line behind vessel) to two-dimensional deployment area by enabling the underwater vehicle to move laterally perpendicular to the vessel's direction of travel. This allows seismic units to be deployed across a wider area simultaneously, reducing the number of vessel passes required while maintaining comprehensive survey coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The tether management system incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities with thrusters that allow the underwater vehicle to adjust its position in real-time during deployment. This dynamic adjustment enables the vehicle to reach lateral positions that would otherwise require multiple vessel passes, thereby reducing total deployment time while maintaining survey area coverage
2Productivity
If the line spacing between survey lines is increased, then the resource consumption and operation time are reduced, but the measurement precision and data quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
By enabling lateral movement perpendicular to the vessel's path, the system can maintain adequate spatial sampling for seismic precision while deploying units across wider areas. This dimensional expansion allows optimized line spacing that balances productivity with data quality requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The underwater vehicle acts as an intermediary between the vessel and the seabed deployment points. It can travel laterally to intermediate positions and deploy units at precisely spaced intervals, maintaining measurement precision while allowing the vessel to operate at higher productivity rates with wider line spacing
3Device complexity
If a traditional tether management system without thrusters is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the deployment versatility and adaptability to different survey configurations are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The thruster-equipped TMS provides multi-functionality by enabling both forward movement (with the vessel) and lateral movement (perpendicular to vessel). This universal movement capability allows the system to adapt to various survey configurations, line spacings, and deployment patterns that a simple towed system cannot achieve
Solution Approach 2:
The underwater vehicle with thrusters can autonomously adjust its own position and orientation during deployment operations. This self-positioning capability provides adaptability to different survey requirements without requiring complex external control systems, achieving versatility while managing complexity
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
The system reduces the number of vessel passes required for seismic surveys, thereby decreasing resource consumption and operation time while enabling more efficient deployment of seismic data acquisition units over wider areas.
Implementation Method 1
A system includes a tether management system (TMS) with a thruster, connected to an underwater vehicle deploying ocean bottom seismic data acquisition units
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to delivering nodes to an ocean bottom. A system can include a tether management system (TMS) towed by a vessel that moves on the surface of the ocean in a first direction. An underwater vehicle (UV) can be connected to the TMS and can move in a second direction that is different from the first direction. A thruster can be coupled to the TMS can cause the TMS to move in a third direction that is different from the first direction. A control unit can control the thruster to move the TMS in the third direction based on a cross-line location policy, and cause the UV to deploy nodes to target locations on the ocean bottom.