Abstract: Systems and methods for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers. In some embodiments, the system includes a carrier containing receivers. The carrier can include a frame having a mounted structure (e.g., a movable carousel, movable conveyor, fixed parallel rails, or a barrel) for seating and releasing the receivers (e.g., axially stacked). The structure can facilitate delivering receivers to a discharge port on the frame. The system can include a discharge mechanism for removing receivers from the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes loading a carrier with receivers, transporting the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed, and using an ROV to remove receivers from the carrier and place the receivers on the seabed. In some embodiments, an ROV adjacent the seabed engages a deployment line that guides receivers from the vessel down to the ROV for “on-time” delivery and placement on the seabed.

Abstract: A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus and method of transferring seismic equipment to and from a marine vessel and subsurface location. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel includes a deck having a plurality of seismic sensor devices stored thereon, two remotely operated vehicles, each comprising a seismic sensor storage compartment, and a seismic sensor transfer device comprising a container for transfer of one or more of the seismic sensor devices from the vessel to the sensor storage compartment of at least one of the two remotely operated vehicles.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers. In some embodiments, the system includes a carrier containing receivers. The carrier can include a frame having a mounted structure (e.g., a movable carousel, movable conveyor, fixed parallel rails, or a barrel) for seating and releasing the receivers (e.g., axially stacked). The structure can facilitate delivering receivers to a discharge port on the frame. The system can include a discharge mechanism for removing receivers from the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes loading a carrier with receivers, transporting the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed, and using an ROV to remove receivers from the carrier and place the receivers on the seabed. In some embodiments, an ROV adjacent the seabed engages a deployment line that guides receivers from the vessel down to the ROV for “on-time” delivery and placement on the seabed.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus and method of transferring seismic equipment to and from a marine vessel and subsurface location. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel includes a deck having a plurality of seismic sensor devices stored thereon, two remotely operated vehicles, each comprising a seismic sensor storage compartment, and a seismic sensor transfer device comprising a container for transfer of one or more of the seismic sensor devices from the vessel to the sensor storage compartment of at least one of the two remotely operated vehicles.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus and method of transferring seismic equipment to and from a marine vessel and subsurface location. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel includes a deck having a plurality of seismic sensor devices stored thereon, two remotely operated vehicles, each comprising a seismic sensor storage compartment, and a seismic sensor transfer device comprising a container for transfer of one or more of the seismic sensor devices from the vessel to the sensor storage compartment of at least one of the two remotely operated vehicles.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a seismic cable is described. In one embodiment, a method for performing a seismic survey in a water column is described. The method comprises providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a cable handling device adjacent the cable storage device. The flexible cable comprises a specific gravity that is greater than a specific gravity of water in the water column. The method further comprises routing the flexible cable to pass adjacent a workstation disposed on the vessel, deploying a free end of the flexible cable into the water column, attaching at least one of a plurality of seismic sensor units to the cable as the cable passes the workstation, and controlling the motion of the vessel and the rotational speed of the cable handling device to allow the flexible cable to rest on the bottom of the water column.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The vessel includes a cable storage device disposed on a deck of the vessel, a workstation disposed on the vessel, a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck, and a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel, and at least one conveyor belt to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage rack.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a seismic cable is described. In one embodiment, a method for performing a seismic survey in a water column is described. The method comprises providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a cable handling device adjacent the cable storage device. The flexible cable comprises a specific gravity that is greater than a specific gravity of water in the water column. The method further comprises routing the flexible cable to pass adjacent a workstation disposed on the vessel, deploying a free end of the flexible cable into the water column, attaching at least one of a plurality of seismic sensor units to the cable as the cable passes the workstation, and controlling the motion of the vessel and the rotational speed of the cable handling device to allow the flexible cable to rest on the bottom of the water column.

Abstract: A real-time, marine acoustic monitoring system and method for detecting, tracking, recording, analyzing, communicating and otherwise obtaining and manipulating data indicative of marine presence and/or activity, and using such data to avoid or mitigate detrimental impact on the marine environment. The system includes sub-sea instrumentation packages (SPs) including sensors recording acoustic signals and other sensor data that allow elapsed and/or real-time, in-situ data communications and control of the individual instrumentation packages and system configuration. Each SP may have wireless, acoustic, and/or optical modules or components to enable the communication between SPs and/or other collection points such as surface vessels, ROVs, sub-sea transceivers, or AUVs.

Abstract: A coupler for a cable includes a body portion having integral first and second ends and an integral gate having a key entry region, wherein the body portion has a free space at least partially enclosed by an inner surface of the body portion and the gate. A complimentary coupling ring includes an integral perimetal body having a head section, a foot section, and two arm sections therebetween, wherein at least one of the arm sections has a key region, wherein the key region consists of a solid, integral portion of the at least one arm section. A coupler/coupling ring assembly comprises a coupler and a coupling ring that is removeably engageable with the coupler. The coupler/coupling ring assembly is suited for interconnecting lengths of cable, particularly suited for, but not limited to, undersea applications such as attaching a seismic data recording device to the coupler via the coupling ring.

Abstract: A coupler including an at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion having a longitudinal axis, which further includes an integral first and second, axially opposed ends that have a taper along the longitudinal axis. The coupler includes an integral gate consisting of two axially opposed, disconnected tongue sections having an open space there between. The at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion has an open space at least partially enclosed by an inner surface of the body portion and disposed over at least a portion of the at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion. The external body portion is characterized by a maximum radial dimension, including a circumferential region of the at least partially cylindrically shaped external body portion intermediate the first and second axially opposed ends where the gate is disposed.

Abstract: A coupler for a load-bearing, non-signal-transmitting cable includes a body portion having integral first and second ends and an integral gate having a key entry region, wherein the body portion has a free space at least partially enclosed by an inner surface of the body portion and the gate. A complimentary coupling ring includes an integral perimetal body having a head section, a foot section, and two arm sections therebetween, wherein at least one of the arm sections has a key region, further wherein the key region consists of a solid, integral portion of the at least one arm section. A coupler/coupling ring assembly includes a coupler and a coupling ring that is removeably engageable with the coupler. The coupler/coupling ring assembly is particularly suited for interconnecting lengths of load-bearing, non-signal-transmitting cable, particularly suited for, but not limited to, undersea applications such as attaching a seismic data recording device to the coupler via the coupling ring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a seismic cable is described. In one embodiment, a method for performing a seismic survey in a water column is described. The method comprises providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a cable handling device adjacent the cable storage device. The flexible cable comprises a specific gravity that is greater than a specific gravity of water in the water column. The method further comprises routing the flexible cable to pass adjacent a workstation disposed on the vessel, deploying a free end of the flexible cable into the water column, attaching at least one of a plurality of seismic sensor units to the cable as the cable passes the workstation, and controlling the motion of the vessel and the rotational speed of the cable handling device to allow the flexible cable to rest on the bottom of the water column.

Abstract: A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The vessel includes a cable storage device disposed on a deck of the vessel, a workstation disposed on the vessel, a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck, and a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel, and at least one conveyor belt to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage rack.

Abstract: A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

Abstract: A method for performing a seismic survey in a water column includes providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a cable handling device adjacent the cable storage device. The flexible cable comprises a specific gravity that is greater than a specific gravity of water in the water column. The method further comprises routing the flexible cable to pass adjacent a workstation disposed on the vessel, deploying a free end of the flexible cable into the water column, attaching at least one of a plurality of seismic sensor units to the cable as the cable passes the workstation, and controlling the motion of the vessel and the rotational speed of the cable handling device to allow the flexible cable to rest on the bottom of the water column.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for deploying a plurality of seismic sensor units into a water column is provided. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The vessel includes a cable storage device disposed on the vessel, a workstation disposed on a deck of the vessel, a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck, and a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel, and at least one conveyor belt to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage rack.

Abstract: Systems and methods for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers. In some embodiments, the system includes a carrier containing receivers. The carrier can include a frame having a mounted structure (e.g., a movable carousel, movable conveyor, fixed parallel rails, or a barrel) for seating and releasing the receivers (e.g., axially stacked). The structure can facilitate delivering receivers to a discharge port on the frame. The system can include a discharge mechanism for removing receivers from the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes loading a carrier with receivers, transporting the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed, and using an ROV to remove receivers from the carrier and place the receivers on the seabed. In some embodiments, an ROV adjacent the seabed engages a deployment line that guides receivers from the vessel down to the ROV for “on-time” delivery and placement on the seabed.