Systems and methods are provided to detect and localize targeted objects buried in the seabed. A targeted area of the seabed may be scanned with a sub-bottom profiler based on predetermined parameters. A localization engine may model the sub-bottom profiler data using a Levenberg-Marquardt non-linear least squares determination. Distance measurements may be based on the modeled data, including a vertical range based on a slant range measured from the sub-bottom profiler to the closest points on the exterior of the targeted objects. The location of the targeted objects may be based on the measurements. In some embodiments, the sub-bottom profiler may be mounted on an unmanned underwater vehicle having thrusters to navigate the vehicle toward the targeted area to excavate and sidescan the targeted object.

An autonomous underwater seismic wave generation system includes a housing, and an autonomous navigation system, a propulsion system and a seismic wave generator, each connected to the housing. The autonomous navigation system can navigate the autonomous underwater seismic wave generation system to subsea locations including a location on a seabed. The propulsion system can drive the autonomous underwater seismic wave generation system to the location on the seabed. The seismic wave generator can couple to the location on the seabed to generate seismic waves at the location on the seabed.

A method for processing vertical seismic profiling (VSP) data is provided. The method includes receiving VSP data in response to seismic energy applied to the formation, processing a down-going portion of the VSP data associated with a down-going wave field, outputting a first set of estimation values based on processing the down-going portion of the VSP data, the first set of estimation values estimating at least one of slowness or velocity, processing an up-going portion of the VSP data associated with an up-going wave field, outputting a second set of estimation values based on processing the up-going portion of the VSP data, the second set of estimation values estimating at least one of slowness or velocity, and determining an estimation associated with the formation based on the first and second sets of estimation values.

A method for imaging non-specular seismic events as well as correlating non-specular events with physically measurable quantites in a volume of Earth's subsurface. Includes entering as input to a computer signals detected by a plurality of seismic sensors disposed above and/or within the volume in response to actuation of at least one seismic energy source above and/or within the volume. Parameter analysis is performed to populate the initial model with point-wise, best-fit wavefront travel-time approximations. Imaging is performed to obtain undifferentiated specular and non-specular representations of the volume. Specular boundaries are mapped using the imaged volume and using the boundaries to form a model of specular components of the volume. Beamforming is used to characterize seismic attributes associated with specular and non-specular reflections as separate and differentiated data sets.

Seismic soil probe (1) comprising a body for insertion into the soil, a seismic sensor (3) located at a first region of the body, and a seismic generator (2) located at a second region of the body for emitting seismic signals. The seismic generator (2) comprises a hammer (6), a biasing member (7) for biasing the hammer (6) into contact with a surface (21), and an actuator (5) operable to move the hammer (6) against the bias away from the surface (21) to a primed position and to release the hammer (6) from the primed position for impacting the surface (21) to generate a seismic wave signal.

The present invention relates to a seismic source array for deploying a seismic source array, comprising a housing and a plurality of seismic sources suspending from the housing, each source being configured for generating a pressure pulse signal, wherein the array further comprises a protective structure attached to the housing and defining a protective space near the housing, wherein the seismic sources in a first position relative to the housing suspend from the housing such as to be arranged in the protective space defined by the protective structure, and wherein at least one of the seismic sources suspends from the housing by means of a suspension structure configured for moving the at least one seismic source to a second position relative to the housing, the second position being located outside the protective space.

Seismic node systems can be configured for acquiring seismic sensor data with an array of seismic receivers or nodes deployable in a survey area, each receiver or node having a seismic sensor for acquiring the seismic sensor data, a clock, a controller and local memory. The seismic sensor can data characterize a seismic wavefield proximate the seismic receivers in the survey area. Quality control data can be generated based on the seismic sensor data and associated timing information provided by the respective clock, and incorporated into a seismic data flow for recording in the local memory.

Embodiments herein describe techniques for performing acoustic imaging when collocated pressure and three-directional pressure gradient measurements are available. Such measurements become available through the use of a hydrophone and a 3-component geophone or accelerometer when the containing node is neutrally buoyant, or nearly neutrally buoyant, and is coupled to the water column, rather than grounded and thus coupled to the ocean bottom sediments.

A method includes receiving desired locations of nodes for deployment on a seabed of a seismic survey where each of the nodes includes a sealed housing and, within the sealed housing, at least one battery and spaced seismic sensors electrically powered by the at least one battery; determining locations of the nodes as deployed on the seabed where at least some of the determined locations differ from their corresponding desired locations; acquiring seismic data sensed by the spaced seismic sensors of the nodes where the acquired seismic data corresponds to the determined locations; and, based at least in part on the acquired seismic data, a spacing of the spaced seismic sensors and the desired locations, generating seismic data for the desired locations.

Systems and methods are provided for a magneto-seismic exploration of a subsurface region. An electromagnetic source may transmit time-varying electromagnetic field into the subsurface region, in the presence of a static or time-varying magnetic field, such that a component of the electric field associated with the time-varying electromagnetic field is substantially parallel to an interface between two subsurface formations in the subsurface region, wherein the electric field interacts with the static or time-varying magnetic field and creates a Lorentz force in each of the subsurface formations. One or more seismic receivers may detect a seismic signal generated by a Lorentz force change at the interface between the two subsurface formations. A computer system may be programmed to process and present the detected seismic signal.