Fairfield Industries, Inc.

Magseis Ff LLC

Fairchild Industries, Inc.

Other

Glenn D Fisseler

Clifford H Ray

James Nelson Thompson

Hal B Haygood

Roger L Fyffe

William Guyton

Paul E Carroll

Stephen W Mitchell

William E Boone

Cliford H Ray

A wireless seismic data acquisition unit with a wireless receiver providing access to a common remote time reference shared by wireless seismic data acquisition units in a seismic system. The receiver can replicate local version of remote time epoch to which a seismic sensor analog-to-digital converter is synchronized. The receiver can replicate local version of remote common time reference to time stamp local node events. The receiver can be placed in a low power, non-operational state over periods of time during which the unit continues to record seismic data, thus conserving unit battery power. The system corrects the local time clock based on intermittent access to the common remote time reference. The system corrects the local time clock via a voltage controlled oscillator to account for environmentally induced timing errors.

Seismic data acquisition unit

A marine seismic exploration method and system comprised of continuous recording, self-contained ocean bottom pods characterized by low profile casings. An external bumper is provided to promote ocean bottom coupling and prevent fishing net entrapment. Pods are tethered together with flexible, non-rigid, non-conducting cable used to control pod deployment. Pods are deployed and retrieved from a boat deck configured to have a storage system and a handling system to attach pods to cable on-the-fly. The storage system is a juke box configuration of slots wherein individual pods are randomly stored in the slots to permit data extraction, charging, testing and synchronizing without opening the pods. A pod may include an inertial navigation system to determine ocean floor location and a rubidium clock for timing. The system includes mathematical gimballing. The cable may include shear couplings designed to automatically shear apart if a certain level of cable tension is reached.

Ocean bottom seismometer package

Systems and methods for deployment of ocean bottom seismic receivers into a body of water having a surface and a seabed. The system can include a remote operated vehicle (ROV) comprising a first wireless communication device. The system can include a seismic data receiver deployed on the seabed comprising a second wireless communication device. The first wireless communication device can be configured to communicate with the second wireless communication device. The ROV can move to a position adjacent to the seismic data receiver. The ROV can establish a wireless link with the seismic data receiver via the first communication device and second wireless communication device.

Method and system for deployment of ocean bottom seismometers

The transmission system combines a self-contained, wireless seismic acquisition unit and a wireless, line of site, communications unit to form a plurality of individual short-range transmission networks and also a mid-range, line of sight transmission network. Each seismic unit has a power source, a short-range transmitter/receiver disposed within a casing and a geophone disposed within the casing. Each wireless communications unit is formed of an elongated support structure on which is mounted an independent power source, mid-range radio transmitter/receiver; and a short-range transmitter/receiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the short-range transmitter/receiver of the acquisition unit. Preferably, when deployed, the acquisition unit is buried under the surface of the ground, while the wireless communications unit is positioned in the near vicinity of the buried unit so as to vertically protrude above the ground. The acquisition unit and the wireless communications unit communicate by short-range transmissions, while the wireless communications unit communicates with other seismic acquisition systems using mid-range radio transmission. When multiple seismic acquisition unit/wireless communications units are deployed in an array, the system can pass collected seismic and quality control data in relay fashion back to a control station and/or pass timing and control signals out to the array.

Method and system for transmission of seismic data

Systems and methods for deployment and retrieval of ocean bottom seismic receivers. In some embodiments, the system includes a carrier containing receivers. The carrier can include a frame having a mounted structure (e.g., a movable carousel, movable conveyor, fixed parallel rails, or a barrel) for seating and releasing the receivers (e.g., axially stacked). The structure can facilitate delivering receivers to a discharge port on the frame. The system can include a discharge mechanism for removing receivers from the carrier. In some embodiments, the method includes loading a carrier with receivers, transporting the carrier from a surface vessel to a position adjacent the seabed, and using an ROV to remove receivers from the carrier and place the receivers on the seabed. In some embodiments, an ROV adjacent the seabed engages a deployment line that guides receivers from the vessel down to the ROV for 'on-time' delivery and placement on the seabed.

A wireless seismic data acquisition unit with a wireless receiver providing access to a common remote time reference shared by wireless seismic data acquisition units in a seismic system. The receiver can replicate local version of remote time epoch to which a seismic sensor analog-to-digital converter is synchronized. The receiver can replicate local version of remote common time reference to time stamp local node events. The receiver can be placed in a low power, non-operational state over periods of time during which the unit continues to record seismic data, thus conserving unit battery power. The system corrects the local time clock based on intermittent access to the common remote time reference. The system corrects the local time clock via a voltage controlled oscillator to account for environmentally induced timing errors. The system provides a more stable method of correcting drift in the local time clock.

A self-contained, wireless seismic data acquisition unit having a cylindrically shaped case with smooth side walls along the length of the case. A retaining ring around the circumference is used to secure the cylindrical upper portion of the case to the cylindrical lower portion of the case. Interleaved fingers on the upper portion of the case and the lower portion of the case prevent the upper portion and the lower portion from rotating relative to one another. Ruggedized external electrical contacts are physically decoupled from rigid attachment to the internal electrical components of the unit utilizing electrical pins that 'float' relative to the external case and the internal circuit board on which the pins are carried. The seismic sensors in the unit, such as geophones, and the antennae for the unit are located along the major axis of the cylindrically shaped case to improve fidelity and timing functions.

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Houston, TX, United States of America

Glenn D Fisseler