VARIABLE BUOYANCY CONTROL AND RECOVERY SYSTEM FOR SEISMIC DATA ACQUISITION

• Main Author: Andre W. Olivier
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.12.2018
• Subjects: AIRCRAFT CARRIERS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING; GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; MEASURING; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; RELATED EQUIPMENT; SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; SUBMARINES; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

A seismic apparatus includes one or more seismic cable systems configured to acquire seismic data, each seismic cable system having one or more of a cable jacket, a reservoir for a ballast fluid or other ballast medium, and an actuator or other transfer mechanism configured to transfer the ballast fluid between the reservoir and the seismic cable system during acquisition of the seismic data, e.g., where the ballast fluid is transferred to the seismic cable system within the cable jacket. A controller can be configured to adjust a buoyancy of the seismic cable system responsive to the transfer of the ballast fluid, e.g., where the internal volume expands or contract based on the fluid transfer.