Patent US3786408A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3786408A
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Method and apparatus for offshore geophysical exploration with low power seismic source
Assignee: Texaco Inc
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Filing: 1972-01-03
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Granted: 1974-01-15
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Expires: 1992-01-03
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to novel methods and apparatus for making offshore geophysical surveys with a low power seismic source. A first vessel, which is provided with air guns or the like, is anchored at a predetermined location, while a second vessel tows a streamer cable along a preselected course past the first vessel. The second vessel transmits command signals to cause the air guns on the first vessel to be fired at appropriate intervals, whereby a sequence of seismic pulses is refracted along a common path on the course, and whereby each of these pulses is detected by succeeding receiver stations of the cable. All of the pulses detected at a common surface point are gathered for each of the various common surface points along the course, and are then stacked to provide a single pulse of greatly improved signal-to-noise ratio for each common surface point. The stacked signals may then be arranged to provide a refraction profile of the course, in order to define traps and the like in subterranean earth formations.
Inventors
- 👤 W Jenkinson
- 👤 P Marke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01V; G01V1/00; G01V1/38; G01V1/3808
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising defining a preselected course of travel through at least one predetermined surface point in said area, establishing a source of seismic energy at a preselected geographically fixed source location in said area, towing a plurality of seismic sensors in trailing arrangement along said course whereby each of said sensors is towed to and through said surface point, generating seismic energy at said source location as each of said sensors reaches said surface point, deriving from each of said sensors a signal representative of the magnitude of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point, and collecting and stacking said signals into a single signal representative of a summation of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising defining a preselected course of travel through at least one predetermined surface point in said area, establishing a source of seismic energy at a preselected geographically fixed source location in said area, towing a plurality of seismic sensors in trailing arrangement along said course whereby each of said sensors is towed to and through said surface point, generating seismic energy at said source location as each of said sensors reaches said surface point, deriving from each of said sensors a signal representative of the magnitude of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point, and collecting and stacking said signals into a single signal representative of a summation of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising towing a plurality of seismic sensors trailingly to and through a predetermined surface point in said offshore area, generating seismic energy at a preselected geographically fixed source location according to the arrival of each of said sensors at said surface point, deriving from each of said sensors a signal representative of a characteristic of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point, and combining said signals into a recordable function of the sum of the seismic energy received by said sensors at said surface point.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
97 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising towing a plurality of seismic sensors trailingly to and through a predetermined surface point in said offshore area, generating seismic energy at a preselected geographically fixed source location according to the arrival of each of said sensors at said surface point, deriving from each of said sensors a signal representative of a characteristic of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point, and combining said signals into a recordable function of the sum of the seismic energy received by said sensors at said surface point.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method described in claim 2, wherein said combining step includes collecting said signals derived by each of said sensors and characteristic of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point, and stacking said collected signals into a single signal substantially representative of a summation of the seismic energy arriving at said surface point in substantial coincidence with the arrival of said sensors at said surface point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method described in claim 3, further comprising defining a course of travel through said predetermined surface point, towing said plurality of sensors along said course and sequentially through said surface point, and generating seismic energy at said source location in relationship with the arrival of each of said plurality of sensors at said surface point.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method described in claim 4, further comprising determining the location of each of said sensors at said surface point, generating a discrete burst of seismic energy at said source location in time dependent relationship to the arrival of each of said sensors at said surface point, and deriving from each of said sensors a signal functionally related to the arrival of one of said bursts of seismic energy at said surface point.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method described in claim 5, further including generating a plurality of command signals in time dependent relationship to the arrival of each of said sensors at said surface point, generating a corresponding plurality of discrete bursts of seismic energy in response to said command signals, and generating a notification signal announcing the occurrence of each of said bursts of seismic energy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method described in claim 6, wherein said command signals are generated at predetermined locations along said course and wherein said notification signals are generated at said source location.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising towing a plurality of seismic sensors to and through at least one predetermined surface point on a preselected course of travel through said area, generating at a preselected geographically fixed source location in said area a plurality of discrete bursts of seismic energy in time dependent correlation with the arrivals of said sensors at said surface point on said course, deriving from said sensors a corresponding plurality of signals each characteristic of the arrival of one of said bursts of seismic energy at said surface point, and collecting and stacking said signals into a single recordable representation of a summation of the seismic energy arriving at said surface location.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
121 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising towing a plurality of seismic sensors to and through at least one predetermined surface point on a preselected course of travel through said area, generating at a preselected geographically fixed source location in said area a plurality of discrete bursts of seismic energy in time dependent correlation with the arrivals of said sensors at said surface point on said course, deriving from said sensors a corresponding plurality of signals each characteristic of the arrival of one of said bursts of seismic energy at said surface point, and collecting and stacking said signals into a single recordable representation of a summation of the seismic energy arriving at said surface location.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method described in claim 8, further comprising determining the arrival of each of said sensors at said surface point, generating a command signal in time dependent relationship to said determination of arrival, generating each of said plurality of discrete bursts in response to a command signal, and generating a corresponding plurality of notification signals for announcing each of said bursts.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising towing a plurality of seismic sensors trailingly to and sequentially through first and second predetermined surface points on a course of travel through said area, generating a plurality of discrete bursts of seismic energy at a preselected geographically fixed source location in said area in time dependent relationship to the arrival of said sensors at saiD surface points, deriving from each of said sensors a first signal characteristic of seismic energy arriving at said surface point and a second signal characteristic of seismic energy arriving at said second surface point, collecting said first signals into a first functionally related group and said second signals into a second functionally related group, stacking said first group of collected signals to provide a single enhanced signal substantially representative of a summation of the seismic energy received by said sensors at said first surface point, and stacking said second group of collected signals to provide a single enhanced signal substantially representative of a summation of the seismic energy received by said sensors at said second surface point.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising towing a plurality of seismic sensors trailingly to and sequentially through first and second predetermined surface points on a course of travel through said area, generating a plurality of discrete bursts of seismic energy at a preselected geographically fixed source location in said area in time dependent relationship to the arrival of said sensors at saiD surface points, deriving from each of said sensors a first signal characteristic of seismic energy arriving at said surface point and a second signal characteristic of seismic energy arriving at said second surface point, collecting said first signals into a first functionally related group and said second signals into a second functionally related group, stacking said first group of collected signals to provide a single enhanced signal substantially representative of a summation of the seismic energy received by said sensors at said first surface point, and stacking said second group of collected signals to provide a single enhanced signal substantially representative of a summation of the seismic energy received by said sensors at said second surface point.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method described in claim 10, further comprising determining the arrivals of said sensors at each of said surface points on said course, generating a plurality of command signals in time dependent relationship to said arrivals of said sensors at said surface points, generating each of said bursts of seismic energy in response to one of said command signals, and generating a corresponding plurality of notification signals for announcing the occurrence of said bursts at said source location.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method described in claim 11, wherein said command signals are generated at a location on said course of travel and said notification signals are generated at said source location.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
137 words
A system for making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising a streamer cable composed of a plurality of receiver sections, towing means for towing said streamer cable along a preselected course of travel and to and through at least one preselected surface point in said area, a source of seismic energy fixedly positioned at a predetermined geographically fixed source location in said area, signalling means for actuating said energy source in time dependent relationship to the arrival of said receiver sections at said surface point and for deriving from said receiver sections signals representative of seismic energy arriving at said surface point from said source location, and means for collecting and stacking said signals into a single signal representative of a summation of the seismic energy received by said receiver sections at said surface location.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
137 words
A system for making geophysical measurements in a submerged offshore area, comprising a streamer cable composed of a plurality of receiver sections, towing means for towing said streamer cable along a preselected course of travel and to and through at least one preselected surface point in said area, a source of seismic energy fixedly positioned at a predetermined geographically fixed source location in said area, signalling means for actuating said energy source in time dependent relationship to the arrival of said receiver sections at said surface point and for deriving from said receiver sections signals representative of seismic energy arriving at said surface point from said source location, and means for collecting and stacking said signals into a single signal representative of a summation of the seismic energy received by said receiver sections at said surface location.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
The system described in claim 13, wherein said signalling means further comprises control means interconnected with said towing means for determining the arrival of said receiver sections of said cable at said surface point and for generating command signals in correlation therewith, and actuating means located at said source location and responsive to said command signals for actuating said source of seismic energy and for generating a notification signal in functional relationship to each such actuation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |