Shell Offshore Inc.

Garron J Chaisson

Anthony M Zibilich, Jr

Mancel C Beam

A marine cable deployment apparatus for deploying marine seismic cable from a ship which reduces tension force on the cable at the cable storage reel when the cable storage reel (drum) is winding out the cable. Marine cable is subject to a longitudinal tension force which can damage the marine cable when it is deployed from a storage reel. The apparatus of this application reduces the longitudinal tension force on a portion of marine cable so that the portion of cable can be deployed from a storage reel. The apparatus includes a collar attached to the marine cable and a cable deployment tool which is placed around the marine cable. The cable deployment tool has dogs which engage the collar and a locking ring which holds the dogs in place. The cable is deployed with the deployment tool accompanying the deployed cable. A line between the deployment tool and the ship provides an opposing force to the longitudinal tension force on the cable trailing behind the collar. After the portion of cable is deployed the opposing force on the cable retrieval tool is reduced to a point that the deployed portion of cable assumes the longitudinal tension force on the cable trailing behind the collar. The tension on the line is released. The locking ring slides back on the deployment tool releasing the dogs from the collar. The deployment tool is pulled back along the cable to the ship to attach to the next portion of cable to be deployed.

Growing community of inventors

Mandeville, LA, United States of America

Garron J Chaisson