This disclosure presents a streamer filler material that is a low density gel formed from a two-part, mix-curable polymer, and methods of making streamers using such materials. One embodiment of the filler material features a two-part silicone gel mixed with a paraffinic oil. The two-part silicone gel can make up 15% to 25%, by weight or volume, of the mixture. Methods of making such materials include forming a first unreactive mixture having a first reactant, promoter, and/or catalyst and a second unreactive mixture having a second reactant, promoter, and/or catalyst and mixing the first and second mixtures in a paraffinic oil system to make a gel. The streamer can be loaded with the filler by pumping or extruding the mixture.

A harness plug and methods of use. Example devices include an arcuate portion and a lateral portion disposed at an outer periphery of the arcuate portion. The arcuate portion is configured to engage with arcuate portion of a hole within a spacer. A method of using the harness plug includes molding a harness plug about a portion of a cable bundle and inserting the cable bundle into an arcuate portion of a hole in the spacer through a lateral portion of the first hole. The harness plug is pressed into the arcuate portion of a hole in the spacer. A streamer spacer for use with the harness plug includes a hole having a portion having an arcuate shape and a second portion lateral to and abutting the arcuate portion and extending to a periphery of an elongate body of the streamer spacer.

A method for calculating a tension (T) in a towed antenna. The method includes towing the antenna in water, wherein the antenna includes plural particle motion sensors distributed along the antenna; measuring with the plural particle motion sensors vibrations that propagate along the antenna; calculating a value of a phase velocity (vp) of the vibrations that propagate along the antenna based on (1) an offset between two particle motion sensors and (2) a time delay of the vibrations that propagate from one of the two particle motion sensors to another one of the two particle motion sensors; selecting a relation that links the phase velocity (vp) to the tension (T); and using the value of the phase velocity and the relation to determine the tension (T) at various locations of the plural particle motion sensors along the antenna.

A deployment module according to the present application enables both compact stowage of a sensor array and expansion of the sensor array into a three-dimensional volumetric array shape that enables improved directionality of the sensors during operation. The deployment module includes a support shell that is configured to retain a cable of the sensor array separately from sensors of the sensor array and an expandable deployment body formed of a superelastic shape memory alloy that uses superelasticity and stored energy for deployment of the sensor array. During deployment, the deployment body is removed from the support shell and the sensors are subsequently pulled out of the support shell. The deployment body then expands and holds the cable to retain the three-dimensional volumetric shape of the deployed array.

A plurality of sensors and a controller are disposed in a marine seismic streamer. Each of the sensors comprises an enclosure having two opposing interior walls, first and second piezoelectric elements disposed on the opposing interior walls, a third piezoelectric element disposed on a flexible substrate within the enclosure between the opposing interior walls, a pressure signal output node and an acceleration signal output node disposed on the exterior surface of the enclosure. A combined pressure signal derived from the pressure signal output nodes of the plural sensors is coupled to a pressure signal input of the controller. A combined acceleration signal derived from the acceleration signal output nodes of the plural sensors is coupled to an acceleration signal input of the controller. The streamer may be towed, and the combined pressure and acceleration signals may be recorded in a computer-readable medium.

There is provided a casing for a towable sonar apparatus, comprising: a tubular member, wherein the tubular member comprises a foam member or a mesh member; a first layer around the tubular member, wherein the first layer is porous.

A production method for a headline sonar cable characterized by steps of: a. providing a first strength member (14); b. coupling to strength member (14) a conductor (122); c. forming a layer of polymeric material about the combination of strength member (14) and conductor (122) while ensuring that the conductor remains slack; d. forming a flow shield around the layer of polymeric material, thus forming an elongatable internally located conductive structure; and e. braiding a strength-member jacket layer (52) of polymeric material around the elongatable internally located conductive structure while ensuring that the conductor is slack when surrounded by the jacket layer (52). For another embodiment, an optical fibre is wrapped around the exterior of the layer of polymeric material within which is enclosed a braided conductor formed about the first strength member (14). Other embodiments employ further thermo-plastic layers and further sheaths and further conductors.

Embodiments relate to a sensor cable that may be reconfigurable to have various combinations of seismic sensors. An apparatus may comprise a sensor cable and seismic sensors distributed throughout a volume of the sensor cable and along all three axes of the sensor cable, wherein the seismic sensors are assigned to sampling groups that are reconfigurable and not hardwired.

A seabed object detection system is provided. The system can include a receiver array including a first streamer and a second streamer. The system can include a first plurality of receivers coupled with the first streamer and a second plurality of receivers coupled with the second streamer. The system can include a receiver array cross-cable to couple with the first streamer and the second streamer. The system can include a source array including a first source and a second source. The system can include a first source cable coupled with the first source and a second source cable coupled with the second source. The system can include a source array cross-cable to couple with the first source cable and the second source cable. The system can include a first lateral cable to couple with a first diverter and second lateral cable to couple with a second diverter.

The present invention relates to the field of marine towing operations for marine seismic survey systems and seismic data gathering. More specifically, the present invention relates to seismic sources and receiver sensor cables, streamers, floats etc., that have means for adjusting and keeping a desired position in an array during a tow behind a vessel. The apparatus comprises a body (10) with means for being towed behind a vessel, means for connecting with and supporting and steering submerged marine seismic equipment laterally in the water and means for remote control from vessel. The body (10) of the apparatus has a forward positioned float unit (16) with an elongated rear float (12) hinged at the rear of the forward float. The forward float unit has vertical wings (18, 18′) with means for adjusting angle of attack in water.