Marine geophysical damper system. At least some of the example embodiments are methods of manufacturing a geophysical data product including obtaining geophysical data by a sensor streamer; and recording the geophysical data on a tangible computer-readable medium. The obtaining may include: towing a sensor streamer and a dilt buoy, the dilt buoy coupled to a proximal end of the sensor streamer by a line, the sensor streamer is submerged in a body of water and the dilt buoy is disposed at the surface the body of water; and during the towing measuring movement of the dilt buoy caused by surface wave action; and selectively damping relative movement between the dilt buoy and the sensor streamer, the relative movement caused by the surface wave action, and the selectively damping by a damper associated with the line.

Embodiments may be directed to marine geophysical surveying and associated methods. At least one embodiment may be directed to incorporation of a lock mechanism in a sensor streamer that interlocks the outer jacket with one or more of the spacers to prevent relative rotation between the outer jacket. An embodiment may provide a sensor streamer that includes an outer jacket, a plurality of spacers, and a locking mechanism. The outer jacket may be elongated in an axial direction and comprise an outer jacket surface and an inner jacket surface. The plurality of spacers may be positioned in the outer jacket at spaced apart locations in the axial direction, wherein each of the plurality of spacers comprises a spacer body having an outer spacer surface. The locking mechanism may interlock the outer jacket with at least one of the plurality of spacers.

A retriever system for retrieving a marine equipment. The retriever system comprises a hollow body having a first opening, a cap adapted to close the first opening of the hollow body and adapted to be removed. A buoyancy assembly housed in the hollow body and adapted to exit the hollow body when the cap is removed. A linkage system maintains the buoyancy assembly linked to the hollow body of the retriever system. The buoyancy assembly comprises first inflatable element and a second inflatable element, and an inflating system configured to, when activated, inflate the first inflatable element, so as to enable exiting of at least the second inflatable element of the buoyancy assembly out of the hollow body. Said inflating system is configured to start or to continue inflating the second inflatable element when said second inflatable element is out of the hollow body.

Techniques are disclosed relating to towing source elements and geophysical sensors through a body of water using one or more unmanned tow vessel. In some embodiments, a plurality of unmanned tow vessels are configured to tow one or more signal sources and/or one or more streamers. The plurality of unmanned tow vessels may, in some embodiments, traverse various sail paths along a surface of a body of water in order to acquire geophysical data relating to formations disposed below the bottom of the body of water.

A system can include a float, a winch, a line, and a collapsible fairing. The winch can be coupled to the float. The line can be associated with the winch, where the winch is configured to extend and retract the line. The collapsible fairing can surround the line. Extension and retraction of the line can cause the collapsible fairing to extend and collapse.

A submersible node and a method and system for using the node to acquire data, including seismic data is disclosed. The node incorporates a buoyancy system to provide propulsion for the node between respective landed locations by varying the buoyancy between positive and negative. A first acoustic positioning system is used to facilitate positioning of a node when landing and a second acoustic positioning system is used to facilitate a node transiting between respective target landed locations.

Techniques are disclosed relating to towing source elements and geophysical sensors through a body of water using one or more unmanned tow vessel. In some embodiments, a plurality of unmanned tow vessels are configured to tow one or more signal sources and/or one or more streamers. The plurality of unmanned tow vessels may, in some embodiments, traverse various sail paths along a surface of a body of water in order to acquire geophysical data relating to formations disposed below the bottom of the body of water.

A system can include a float, a winch, a line, and a collapsible fairing. The winch can be coupled to the float. The line can be associated with the winch, where the winch is configured to extend and retract the line. The collapsible fairing can surround the line. Extension and retraction of the line can cause the collapsible fairing to extend and collapse.

A marine seismic data acquisition system and method of conducting a marine seismic survey are disclosed. The system incorporates one or more surface vessels, and a plurality of autonomous nodes for acquiring seismic data at one or more seabed locations. Each node comprises a USBL, SSBL or SBL transducer and USBL, SSBL or SBL acoustic modem. A first acoustic positioning system is operable between one of the surface vessels and the nodes, the first acoustic positioning system being a USBL, SSBL or SBL system. Each node of the plurality of autonomous nodes has a USBL, SSBL or SBL beacon address, with respective groups of nodes having the same beacon address. The nodes are configured such that no two nodes with the same beacon address can actively communicate over an associated USBL, SSBL or SBL modem at the same time.

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.