A submersible sound system may include a housing, an end piece, an elastic membrane, an end cap affixed to the elastic membrane, and a subwoofer speaker system disposed within the housing and supported by a speaker support. A bubble sound source may be defined by the speaker support, the speaker diaphragm, an anterior end of the housing, the elastic membrane, and the end cap. The housing, end piece, and a posterior surface of the speaker support may form a sealed enclosure. The sound system may include a tuning pipe disposed between the sealed enclosure and the bubble sound source. A Helmholtz resonator may be disposed anteriorly of the speaker system. Multiple sound system may be assembled to form a cluster. The cluster may be defined by the vertices of regular polyhedron. The sound systems may be controlled to maintain the speaker systems within acceptable thermal limits.

Downhole tools and methods for detecting a downhole obstruction within a wellbore. The downhole tools include a positioning mechanism, which is configured to facilitate positioning of the downhole tool within a target region of a wellbore of a hydrocarbon well, an acoustic pulse generator, which is configured to generate an acoustic pulse within a wellbore liquid that extends within the wellbore and fluidly contacts the downhole tool, and a sensor assembly, which is configured to detect a reflected acoustic pulse within the wellbore liquid. The methods include positioning a downhole tool within a target region of a wellbore, generating an acoustic pulse, propagating the acoustic pulse within a wellbore liquid, and reflecting the acoustic pulse from a downhole obstruction. The methods also include propagating a reflected acoustic pulse within the wellbore liquid, receiving the reflected acoustic pulse, and characterizing the downhole obstruction based upon the reflected acoustic pulse.

Downhole tools and methods for detecting a downhole obstruction within a wellbore. The downhole tools include a positioning mechanism, which is configured to facilitate positioning of the downhole tool within a target region of a wellbore of a hydrocarbon well, an acoustic pulse generator, which is configured to generate an acoustic pulse within a wellbore liquid that extends within the wellbore and fluidly contacts the downhole tool, and a sensor assembly, which is configured to detect a reflected acoustic pulse within the wellbore liquid. The methods include positioning a downhole tool within a target region of a wellbore, generating an acoustic pulse, propagating the acoustic pulse within a wellbore liquid, and reflecting the acoustic pulse from a downhole obstruction. The methods also include propagating a reflected acoustic pulse within the wellbore liquid, receiving the reflected acoustic pulse, and characterizing the downhole obstruction based upon the reflected acoustic pulse.

Method and seismic source for generating seismic waves in a borehole. The seismic source includes a housing; an actuator mechanism located inside the housing and configured to generate a fluctuating pressure; a flexible membrane attached to the housing and configured to hold a fluid; and a coupling device covered by the flexible membrane and configured to generate a static pressure on the flexible membrane.

Method and seismic source for generating seismic waves in a borehole. The seismic source includes a housing; an actuator mechanism located inside the housing and configured to generate a fluctuating pressure; a flexible membrane attached to the housing and configured to hold a fluid; and a coupling device covered by the flexible membrane and configured to generate a static pressure on the flexible membrane.

A method for separating the unknown contributions of two or more sources from a commonly acquired set of wavefield signals representing a wavefield where the contributions from different sources are both encoded by means of the principles of signal apparition and as well as by means of different source encoding techniques.

A method for separating the unknown contributions of two or more sources from a commonly acquired set of wavefield signals representing a wavefield where the contributions from different sources are both encoded by means of the principles of signal apparition and as well as by means of different source encoding techniques.

A method for generating acoustic waves under water includes actuating first and second pistons with an actuator system provided inside an enclosure of a source element, to generate a wave having a first frequency, and actuating the first and second pistons with a pressure mechanism attached to the enclosure, to control a pressure of a fluid inside the enclosure such that a pressure of the fluid is substantially equal to an ambient pressure of the enclosure. The enclosure has first and second openings and the first and second pistons are configured to close the first and second openings.

A method for generating acoustic waves under water includes actuating first and second pistons with an actuator system provided inside an enclosure of a source element, to generate a wave having a first frequency, and actuating the first and second pistons with a pressure mechanism attached to the enclosure, to control a pressure of a fluid inside the enclosure such that a pressure of the fluid is substantially equal to an ambient pressure of the enclosure. The enclosure has first and second openings and the first and second pistons are configured to close the first and second openings.

Disclosed are dipole sources and associated methods. An example system may include a dipole source a first marine seismic vibrator and a second marine seismic vibrator. The first marine seismic vibrator may include two or more sound radiating surfaces. The second marine seismic vibrator may also include two or more sound radiating surfaces. A relative position of the second marine seismic vibrator to the first marine seismic vibrator may be fixed. The first marine seismic vibrator may be positioned above the second marine seismic vibrator in a towing configuration. The system may further include a control system operable to control the dipole source such that the first marine seismic vibrator is operating substantially 180 out of phase with the second marine seismic vibrator.