Control system for positioning of marine seismic streamers
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B60P-003/10
B60P-003/06
G01V-001/00
출원번호
US-0454352
(2006-06-16)
우선권정보
GB-9821277.3(1998-01-10)
발명자
/ 주소
Hillesund,Oyvind
Bittleston,Simon Hastings
출원인 / 주소
Westerngeco, L.L.C.
대리인 / 주소
WesternGeco, L.L.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
21인용 특허 :
3
초록▼
A method of controlling a streamer positioning device ( 18) configured to be attached to a marine seismic streamer (12) and towed by seismic survey vessel (10) and having a wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing. The method includes the steps of: obtaining an estimated veloci
A method of controlling a streamer positioning device ( 18) configured to be attached to a marine seismic streamer (12) and towed by seismic survey vessel (10) and having a wing and a wing motor for changing the orientation of the wing. The method includes the steps of: obtaining an estimated velocity of the streamer positioning device, calculating a desired change in the orientation of the wing using the estimated velocity of the streamer positioning device, and actuating the wing motor to produce the desired change in the orientation of the wing. The invention also involves an apparatus for controlling a streamer positioning device including means for obtaining an estimated velocity of the streamer positioning device, means for calculating a desired change in the orientation of the wing using the estimated velocity of the streamer positioning device, and means for actuating the wing motor to produce the desired change in the orientation of the wing.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. A method comprising: (a) towing an array of streamers each having a plurality of streamer positioning devices there along, at least one of the streamer positioning devices having a wing; (b) transmitting from a global control system location information to at least one local
What is claimed is: 1. A method comprising: (a) towing an array of streamers each having a plurality of streamer positioning devices there along, at least one of the streamer positioning devices having a wing; (b) transmitting from a global control system location information to at least one local control system on the at least one streamer positioning devices having a wing; and (c) adjusting the wing using the local control system. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting comprises calculating, with the at least one local control system, a desired force on the at least one streamer positioning device using the location information, the desired force selected from a desired horizontal force, a desired vertical force, and both. 3. The method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the calculating comprises a localized conversion program that associates magnitude and direction of vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, or both displacements with magnitude and direction of the desired vertical force, the desired horizontal force, or both forces. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the global control system transmits a desired vertical depth for the at least one streamer positioning device and the local control system calculates magnitude and direction of the deviation between the desired vertical depth and actual depth. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the global control system transmits a desired horizontal displacement for the at least one streamer positioning device and the local control system calculates magnitude and direction of the deviation between the desired horizontal displacement and actual horizontal displacement. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising calculating velocity of at least one of the streamer positioning devices, wherein the calculating velocity comprises at least one of a) using a vessel speed received from a navigation system on a seismic survey vessel; b) compensating for the speed and heading of marine currents acting on the at least one streamer positioning device; and c) compensating for relative movement between the seismic survey vessel and the at least one streamer positioning device. 7. The method as claimed in claim 6, in which said step of adjusting the wing using the local control system is regulated to prevent the positioning device from stalling. 8. The method as claimed in claim 7, in which said step of using the location information to calculate desired forces on the at least one streamer positioning device is regulated by the global control system located on or near a seismic survey vessel that is configured into a feather angle mode, wherein the global control system attempts to direct the streamer positioning devices to maintain each of the streamers in a straight line offset from the towing direction of the marine seismic vessel by a certain feather angle, and into a turn control mode, wherein the global control system directs the streamer positioning devices to generate a force in the opposite direction of a turn at the beginning of the turn. 9. The method as claimed in claim 8, which said global control system is further configured into a streamer separation mode, wherein said global control system attempts to direct said streamer positioning device to maintain a minimum separation distance between adjacent streamers. 10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further including the step of displaying the position of said streamer positioning devices on said seismic survey vessel. 11. The method as claimed in claim 10, in which each streamer positioning device is attached to and unable rotate with respect to its streamer and further comprising the step of monitoring twist in said marine seismic streamers and calculating a desired change in the orientation of hydrodynamic deflecting surfaces of the streamer positioning devices to reduce said twist. 12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further including the step of obtaining the desired positions of at least some of the streamer positioning devices. 13. The method as claimed in claim 12, in which said desired force is projected onto a current force axis and orientation of hydrodynamic deflecting surfaces of the streamer positioning device is calculated that will produce said projected force at said calculated velocity. 14. The method as claimed in claim 13, in which the streamer positioning device is rotated to align the current force axis with said desired force and its hydrodynamic deflecting surface orientation is changed as the current force axis becomes more closely aligned with said desired force. 15. An array of seismic streamers towed by a towing vessel comprising: (a) a plurality of streamer positioning devices on or inline with each streamer, at least one of the streamer positioning devices having a wing; (b) a global control system transmitting location information to at least one local control system on the at least one streamer positioning device having a wing, the local control system adjusting the wing. 16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the local control system calculates forces selected from a desired horizontal force, a desired vertical force, and both, on the at least one streamer positioning device using the location information. 17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein local control system comprises a localized conversion program that associates magnitude and direction of vertical displacement, horizontal displacement, or both displacements with magnitude and direction of the desired vertical force, the desired horizontal force, or both forces. 18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the global control system transmits a desired vertical depth for the at least one streamer positioning device and the local control system calculates magnitude and direction of the deviation between the desired vertical depth and actual depth. 19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the global control system transmits a desired horizontal displacement for the at least one streamer positioning device and the local control system calculates magnitude and direction of the deviation between the desired horizontal displacement and actual horizontal displacement. 20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, comprising means for calculating velocity of at least one of the streamer positioning devices, wherein the means for calculating velocity comprises means selected from at least one of a) a navigation system on a seismic survey vessel calculating vessel speed; b) a current meter compensating for the speed and heading of marine currents acting on the at least one streamer positioning device; and c) a unit measuring relative movement between the seismic survey vessel and the at least one streamer positioning device. 21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20, wherein the local control system adjusting the wing includes a regulator to prevent the positioning device from stalling. 22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein use of the location information to calculate desired forces on the at least one streamer positioning device is regulated by the global control system located on or near a seismic survey vessel that is configured into a feather angle mode, wherein the global control system attempts to direct the streamer positioning devices to maintain each of the streamers in a straight line offset from the towing direction of the marine seismic vessel by a certain feather angle, and into a turn control mode, wherein the global control system directs the streamer positioning devices to generate a force in the opposite direction of a turn at the beginning of the turn. 23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22, in which the global control system is further configured into a streamer separation mode, wherein said global control system attempts to direct said streamer positioning device to maintain a minimum separation distance between adjacent streamers. 24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23, comprising a display of the position of said streamer positioning devices on said seismic survey vessel. 25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24, in which each streamer positioning device is attached to and unable rotate with respect to its streamer, and further comprising a monitoring component to monitor twist in said marine seismic streamers and a calculating unit for calculating a desired change in the orientation of hydrodynamic deflecting surfaces of the streamer positioning devices to reduce said twist. 26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25, further including the step of obtaining the desired positions of at least some of the streamer positioning devices. 27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26, in which said desired force is projected onto a current force axis and orientation of hydrodynamic deflecting surfaces of the streamer positioning device is calculated that will produce said projected force at said calculated velocity. 28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, in which the streamer positioning device is rotated to align the current force axis with said desired force and its hydrodynamic deflecting surface orientation is changed as the current force axis becomes more closely aligned with said desired force.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (3)
Workman Ricky L. ; Chambers Ronald Edward, Adaptive control of marine seismic streamers.
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