The present disclosure is directed to a skid structure for underwater seismic exploration. The system can include an underwater vehicle comprising a skid structure. A conveyor is provided in the skid structure. The conveyor includes a first end and a second end opposite the first end. A capture appliance is provided at the first end of the conveyor. The capture appliance includes an arm to close to hold a case storing one or more ocean bottom seismometer (“OBS”) units, and to open to release the case. The capture appliance includes an alignment mechanism to align an opening of the case with the first end of the conveyor. A deployment appliance can be at the second end of the conveyor. The deployment appliance can place an OBS unit of the one or more OBS units onto the seabed to acquire seismic data from the seabed.

The present disclosure is directed to underwater seismic exploration with a helical conveyor and skid structure. The system can include an underwater vehicle comprising a sensor to identify a case having a hydrodynamic shape, wherein the case stores one or more ocean bottom seismometer (“OBS”) units. The underwater vehicle includes an arm. The underwater vehicle includes an actuator to position the arm in an open state above a cap of the case, or to close the arm. The underwater vehicle can move the arm to a bottom portion of the case opposite the cap. An opening of the case can be aligned with the conveyor of the underwater vehicle. The conveyor can receive, via the opening of the case, a first OBS unit of the one or more OBS units. The conveyor can move the first OBS unit to the seabed to acquire seismic data from the seabed.

Systems and methods for boosting low content of received signals involve a vessel (102) towing port side (205) and starboard side (210) impulsive source arrays. The port side and starboard side impulsive source arrays are selectively actuated for a plurality of sequential shots having different signatures.

A computing system and method for mitigating, in a first seismic survey, cross-talk generated by a second seismic survey. The method includes performing the first seismic survey with a first survey seismic source driven by a first survey pilot sweep, performing the second seismic survey with a second survey seismic source, simultaneously with the first seismic survey, recording with first survey seismic sensors (i) first survey seismic signals that originate from the first survey seismic source and (ii) second survey seismic signals that originate from the second survey seismic source, selecting another first survey pilot sweep, which has less cross-correlation noise with the second survey seismic signals than the first survey pilot sweep, and continuing the first seismic survey with the another first survey pilot sweep.

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.

Embodiments of dynamic gain adjustments in seismic surveys are described. One method of acquiring a seismic survey includes determining an arrival time at a seismic receiver of a downgoing seismic wavefield associated with a seismic source based at least in part on an estimated position of the seismic source, an estimated position of the seismic receiver, or combinations thereof. The method also includes adjusting a gain of the seismic receiver based at least in part on the determined arrival time of the downgoing seismic wavefield in order to, for example, help prevent overdriving or clipping of the seismic receiver when the downgoing seismic wavefield arrives at or passes by the seismic receiver.

Methods of analyzing and optimizing a seismic survey design are described. Specifically, the sampling quality is analyzed as opposed to the overall quality of the whole survey. This allows for analysis of the impact of the offsets, obstacles, and other aspects of the survey on the sampling quality, which will improve the ability to compress the resulting data and minimize acquisition footprints.

Presented are methods and a system for efficiently acquiring seismic data based on a virtual seismic spread. A streamer vessel and a source vessel are used in combination and in a specific spatial arrangement collect seismic data. The source arrays can be fired simultaneously, creating blended seismic data that is separated with a deblending algorithm or sequentially to collect seismic data directly. The virtual seismic spread can be configured to reduce survey time or decrease capital costs and health safety and environment exposure based on the size of the streamer array towed by the streamer vessel.

A seismic data acquisition system is configured to collect seismic data. The system includes a marine source array configured to be attached to a fixed structure floating at the water surface and including vibratory source elements; and a controller configured to control the vibratory source elements so that a beam formed by the source array is steerable.

One embodiment includes receiving distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data for responses associated with seismic excitations in an area of interest. The area of interest includes a sea surface, the water column, a seafloor, and a subseafloor. The seismic excitations are generated by at least one seismic source in the area of interest. The responses are detected by at least one fiber optic sensing apparatus configured for DAS that is in the water column, on the seafloor, in a wellbore drilled through the seafloor and into the subseafloor, or any combination thereof. The embodiment includes determining a function of speed of sound in water using the DAS data, and correcting a digital seismic image associated with the area of interest using the function of speed of sound in water to generate a corrected digital seismic image.