Patents by Inventor Andre Stenzel

Andre Stenzel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20150030393
    Abstract: Depth triggers for marine geophysical survey cable retriever systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments include causing a submerged geophysical survey cable to surface. In some cases, the causing the cable to surface may include: fracturing a frangible link wherein the frangible link, before the fracturing, affixes position of a piston within a cylinder bore of a housing coupled to the geophysical survey cable, and the fracturing of the frangible link responsive to pressure exerted on a face of the piston as the geophysical survey cable reaches or exceeds a predetermined depth; moving the piston within the cylinder bore; and deploying a mechanism that makes the geophysical survey cable more positively buoyant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Youlin Hu
  • Patent number: 8926222
    Abstract: Depth triggers for marine geophysical survey cable retriever systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments include causing a submerged geophysical survey cable to surface. In some cases, the causing the cable to surface may include: fracturing a frangible link wherein the frangible link, before the fracturing, affixes position of a piston within a cylinder bore of a housing coupled to the geophysical survey cable, and the fracturing of the frangible link responsive to pressure exerted on a face of the piston as the geophysical survey cable reaches or exceeds a predetermined depth; moving the piston within the cylinder bore; and deploying a mechanism that makes the geophysical survey cable more positively buoyant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Youlin Hu
  • Patent number: 8882391
    Abstract: Retriever systems for marine geophysical survey cables. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including causing a submerged sensor streamer to surface by flooding an intermediate chamber with water, the intermediate chamber defined within a cylinder of a housing coupled to the sensor streamer, the flooding of the intermediate chamber responsive to the sensor streamer reaching or exceeding a predetermined depth; and responsive to flooding the intermediate chamber moving a first piston within the cylinder; and thereby puncturing a seal of a compressed gas cylinder responsive to movement of the first piston, the puncturing makes the sensor streamer more positively buoyant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Youlin Hu, Troy L. McKey, III
  • Patent number: 8753038
    Abstract: A marine geophysical survey cable retriever system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including causing a submerged survey cable to surface. In some cases, causing the submerged survey cable to surface includes: shedding ballast weights when the survey cable reaches or exceeds a first predetermined depth; and inflating a lifting bag when the survey cable reaches or exceeds a second predetermined depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Troy L. McKey, III, Youlin Hu
  • Publication number: 20130309017
    Abstract: Retriever systems for marine geophysical survey sensor streamers. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including attaching a retriever system to a sensor streamer by: wrapping a lifting bag assembly at least partially around the sensor streamer, the lifting bag assembly comprising a deflated lifting bag, a gas cylinder, and a depth trigger mechanism; and covering the lifting bag assembly with an outer cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Andre STENZEL, Youlin HU, Troy L. MCKEY, III
  • Patent number: 8514664
    Abstract: A system comprises marine geophysical equipment, adapted for towing through a body of water; and tightly fitting covers, attached to the marine seismic equipment, to fill-in indentations in the marine geophysical equipment, for gathering marine geophysical data. A method comprises marine geophysical equipment having tightly fitting covers, to fill-in indentations in the marine geophysical equipment, attached thereto, for gathering marine geophysical data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Bruce William Harrick, Andre Stenzel
  • Patent number: 8469634
    Abstract: Depth triggers for marine geophysical survey cable retriever systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including causing a submerged geophysical survey cable to surface. The cause may include: moving a piston within a cylinder of a housing coupled to the geophysical survey cable, the moving of the piston responsive to pressure exerted on a face of the piston as the geophysical survey cable reaches or exceeds a predetermined depth, wherein the movement of the piston overcomes a force created by interaction between two materials, the force latches the piston in place at depths above the predetermined depth; and responsive to the piston overcoming the force that latches the piston deploying a mechanism that makes the geophysical survey cable more positively buoyant, the deploying responsive to movement of the piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: PGS Geophysical AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Youlin Hu
  • Publication number: 20130094332
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for using an impact-activated device for repelling sharks from marine geophysical survey equipment. An embodiment discloses a marine geophysical survey system, comprising: marine geophysical survey equipment configured to be located in a body of water when in operation; and an impact-activated device coupled to the marine geophysical equipment, wherein the impact-activated device comprises a circuit configured to release a shark repellent in response to a pre-determined impact on the impact-activated device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: April 18, 2013
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Bruce William Harrick, Andre Stenzel
  • Publication number: 20130028663
    Abstract: Retriever systems for marine geophysical survey cables. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including causing a submerged sensor streamer to surface by flooding an intermediate chamber with water, the intermediate chamber defined within a cylinder of a housing coupled to the sensor streamer, the flooding of the intermediate chamber responsive to the sensor streamer reaching or exceeding a predetermined depth; and responsive to flooding the intermediate chamber moving a first piston within the cylinder; and thereby puncturing a seal of a compressed gas cylinder responsive to movement of the first piston, the puncturing makes the sensor streamer more positively buoyant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Andre STENZEL, Youlin HU, Troy L. MCKEY, III
  • Publication number: 20130028046
    Abstract: Depth triggers for marine geophysical survey cable retriever systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments include causing a submerged geophysical survey cable to surface. In some cases, the causing the cable to surface may include: fracturing a frangible link wherein the frangible link, before the fracturing, affixes position of a piston within a cylinder bore of a housing coupled to the geophysical survey cable, and the fracturing of the frangible link responsive to pressure exerted on a face of the piston as the geophysical survey cable reaches or exceeds a predetermined depth; moving the piston within the cylinder bore; and deploying a mechanism that makes the geophysical survey cable more positively buoyant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Youlin Hu
  • Publication number: 20130028662
    Abstract: A marine geophysical survey cable retriever system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including causing a submerged survey cable to surface. In some cases, causing the submerged survey cable to surface includes: shedding ballast weights when the survey cable reaches or exceeds a first predetermined depth; and inflating a lifting bag when the survey cable reaches or exceeds a second predetermined depth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Troy L. McKey, III, Youlin Hu
  • Publication number: 20130029548
    Abstract: Depth triggers for marine geophysical survey cable retriever systems. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including causing a submerged geophysical survey cable to surface. The cause may include: moving a piston within a cylinder of a housing coupled to the geophysical survey cable, the moving of the piston responsive to pressure exerted on a face of the piston as the geophysical survey cable reaches or exceeds a predetermined depth, wherein the movement of the piston overcomes a force created by interaction between two materials, the force latches the piston in place at depths above the predetermined depth; and responsive to the piston overcoming the force that latches the piston deploying a mechanism that makes the geophysical survey cable more positively buoyant, the deploying responsive to movement of the piston.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Youlin Hu
  • Publication number: 20120176858
    Abstract: A marine sensor cable comprises a jacket covering an exterior of the sensor cable, wherein the jacket comprises an outer portion containing biocide disposed in a co-extrusion process. A method for producing a marine sensor cable jacket comprises providing a co-extruder to construct a polyurethane jacket for a sensor cable with a first extruder constructing an inner portion of the jacket and a second extruder constructing an outer portion of the jacket; producing a mixture of thermo polyurethane and biocide; supplying thermo polyurethane to the first extruder; supplying the mixture of thermo polyurethane and biocide to the second extruder; and constructing the polyurethane jacket with the outer portion containing the biocide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Bruce William Harrick
  • Publication number: 20120176860
    Abstract: Systems and methods comprise marine geophysical equipment with polyurethane-based material at least partially covering a surface. The surface also at least partially coated with a suspension medium and with a biocide. A method comprises disposing such marine geophysical equipment in a body of water. A method comprises applying a suspension medium and a biocide to a surface at least partially covered with a polyurethane-based material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Bruce William Harríck, Steven Michael Roberts
  • Publication number: 20110255369
    Abstract: A system comprises marine geophysical equipment, adapted for towing through a body of water; and tightly fitting covers, attached to the marine seismic equipment, to fill-in indentations in the marine geophysical equipment, for gathering marine geophysical data. A method comprises marine geophysical equipment having tightly fitting covers, to fill-in indentations in the marine geophysical equipment, attached thereto, for gathering marine geophysical data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce William Harrick, Andre Stenzel
  • Publication number: 20110174207
    Abstract: A system comprises towed marine seismic equipment marine seismic equipment, adapted for towing through a body of water; and a coating of copper particles covering the marine seismic equipment to protect from marine growth. A method comprises towing marine seismic equipment having a coating of copper particles thereon to protect from marine growth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce William Harrick, Andre Stenzel
  • Publication number: 20110110187
    Abstract: A system comprises towed marine seismic equipment marine seismic equipment, adapted for towing through a body of water; and a surface covering, with longitudinal ribs, attached to the marine seismic equipment to reduce drag. A method comprises towing marine seismic equipment having a surface covering, with longitudinal ribs, attached thereto to reduce drag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Inventors: Bruce William Harrick, Andre Stenzel
  • Patent number: 7926614
    Abstract: A marine seismic streamer includes a jacket substantially covering an exterior of the streamer. At least one strength member is disposed along the length of the jacket. A sensor mount is coupled to the strength member. At least one particle motion sensor is suspended within the sensor mount at a selected location along the jacket. The at least one particle motion sensor is suspended in the jacket by at least one biasing device. A mass of the particle motion sensor and a force rate of the biasing device are selected such that a resonant frequency of the particle motion sensor within the sensor jacket is within a predetermined range. The sensor mount is configured such that motion of the jacket, the sensor mount and the strength member is substantially isolated from the particle motion sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: PGS Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Stig Rune Lennart Tenghamn, Andre Stenzel
  • Publication number: 20110058449
    Abstract: A seismic streamer includes a jacket covering an exterior of the streamer. At least one strength member extends the length of the jacket. The strength member is formed as a substantially flat belt having a width to thickness ratio of at least 10. At least one sensor holder is coupled to the at least one strength member. The at least one sensor holder includes at least one arcuate opening for receiving the at least one strength member. The at least one arcuate opening is laterally displaced from a center of the at least one sensor holder such that when the at least one strength member is disposed therein the at least one strength member is substantially tube shaped and substantially coaxial with the jacket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventor: Andre Stenzel
  • Publication number: 20100165792
    Abstract: A seismic streamer includes at least one elongated strength member. The seismic streamer further includes a substantially rigid sensor holder coupled to the strength member and fixed in position relative to the strength member. The streamer includes at least one particle motion sensor coupled to the sensor holder and fixed in position relative to the sensor holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Andre Stenzel, Qyvind Hillesund, Nils Lunde, Stian Hegna