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.

A sensor streamer stretch section. At least some of the example embodiments are methods including measuring at least one parameter related to noise while towing the sensor streamer through a body of water with a towing vessel, and adjusting at least one of a spring constant and a damping coefficient of a stretch section disposed proximate the sensor streamer such that the measured parameter is minimized.

A cable that include a hose having a conductor located thereabout. A first strength member layer is located about the conductor. A second strength member layer is located about the first strength member layer. A first jacket is located about the second strength member layer. The first jacket is fiber-reinforced. A second jacket is located about the first jacket. The second jacket is a contrasting color to the first jacket.

A method for calculating a velocity vp(f, T.sub.opt) of a spatially aliased wave that propagates along a cable includes tensioning the cable, wherein plural sensors are distributed along the cable; measuring with the plural sensors a parameter that is associated with vibrations that propagate along the cable; calculating a phase velocity vp(f) of the spatially aliased wave that propagates along the cable, as a function of a time frequency fin a spatial-temporal frequency domain FK; calculating a model-based velocity vp(f, T) of the spatially aliased wave as a function of the time frequency f and a tension T in the cable; and calculating the velocity vp(f, T.sub.opt) of the spatially aliased wave using a model-guided regression, which is based on the phase velocity vp(f) and the model-based velocity vp(f, T). The velocity vp(f, T.sub.opt) is a function of the temporal frequency f.

A hybrid cable for collecting data inside a well includes an electrical cable extending along a longitudinal axis of the hybrid cable, an optical fiber extending along the longitudinal axis, an armor that extends along the longitudinal axis, and encircles the electrical cable and the optical fiber, and a connecting device extending along the longitudinal axis, to enclose the electrical cable and the optical fiber, and to be enclosed by the armor. The connecting device has an unsmooth external surface.

A method for calculating a velocity vp(f, T.sub.opt) of a spatially aliased wave that propagates along a cable includes tensioning the cable, wherein plural sensors are distributed along the cable; measuring with the plural sensors a parameter that is associated with vibrations that propagate along the cable; calculating a phase velocity vp(f) of the spatially aliased wave that propagates along the cable, as a function of a time frequency fin a spatial-temporal frequency domain FK; calculating a model-based velocity vp(f, T) of the spatially aliased wave as a function of the time frequency f and a tension T in the cable; and calculating the velocity vp(f, T.sub.opt) of the spatially aliased wave using a model-guided regression, which is based on the phase velocity vp(f) and the model-based velocity vp(f, T). The velocity vp(f, T.sub.opt) is a function of the temporal frequency f.

A hybrid cable for collecting data inside a well includes an electrical cable extending along a longitudinal axis of the hybrid cable, an optical fiber extending along the longitudinal axis, an armor that extends along the longitudinal axis, and encircles the electrical cable and the optical fiber, and a connecting device extending along the longitudinal axis, to enclose the electrical cable and the optical fiber, and to be enclosed by the armor. The connecting device has an unsmooth external surface.

A seismic streamer includes an outer sheath that forms an interior region of the seismic streamer of which a portion is filled with a gel or liquid. The streamer also includes at least one stress member placed off-center in the interior region, and multiple sensors mounted proximate to a center of the interior region, where the sensors include a pressure sensor and a motion sensor. The streamer further includes multiple tilt sensors mounted along the interior region. A method of manufacturing a seismic streamer includes placing at least one stress member off-center along a first direction, mounting multiple spacers along the stress member, and affixing sensors to respective spacers, where the sensors include a pressure sensor and a motion sensor. The method further includes mounting tilt sensors along the first direction and affixing an outer sheath to the streamer that forms an interior region of the seismic streamer.

The invention notably relates to a method for controlling depth of a seismic cable having ballasts spaced apart along its length and providing a neutral buoyancy to the seismic cable, the seismic cable being adapted for midwater data acquisition, each end of the seismic cable being connected to a respective surface autonomous vessel exerting tension on the cable through a respective lead-in cable having a negative buoyancy, the method comprising, with respect to a target depth, varying the deployed length of each lead-in cable and/or the tension exerted on the cable by each respective surface autonomous vessel. This provides an improved solution for seismic prospecting in aquatic mediums.

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.