Fairfield Industries, Inc.

Jerry L Laws

James Nelson Thompson

Larry E Berges

Roger L Fyffe

In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The vessel includes a cable storage device disposed on a deck of the vessel, a workstation disposed on the vessel, a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck, and a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel, and at least one conveyor belt to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage rack.

Powered sheave for node deployment and retrieval

A method and apparatus for deploying a plurality of seismic sensor units into a water column is provided. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The vessel includes a cable storage device disposed on the vessel, a workstation disposed on a deck of the vessel, a ramp at least partially disposed on the deck, and a node storage and handling system disposed on the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler disposed between the cable storage device and the ramp, the cable handler having a cable disposed thereon and the cable defining a cable path passing over the workstation during a node deployment or retrieval operation, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and a stern of the vessel, and at least one conveyor belt to transfer nodes between the workstation and the node storage rack.

A configuration for the deck of a marine vessel, wherein parallel and perpendicular travel paths, for movement of individual OBS unit storage baskets, are formed along a deck utilizing, in part, the storage baskets themselves. A portion of the deck is divided into a grid defined by a series of low-to-the-deck perpendicular and parallel rails and each square in the grid is configured to hold an OBS unit storage basket. Around the perimeter of the grid is an external containment wall which has a greater height than the rails. Storage baskets seated within the grid are configured to selectively form internal containment walls. Opposing internal and external containment walls define travel paths along which a storage basket can be moved utilizing a low, overhead gantry. A basket need only be lifted a minimal height above the deck in order to be moved along a path. The containment walls and the deck itself constraining uncontrolled swinging of baskets, even in onerous weather or sea conditions. The system is flexible to meet the needs of a desired operation since the internal walls of the grid can be reconfigured as desired in order to free up a particular storage basket or define a particular travel path.

Storage and management system for seismic data acquisition units

A method and apparatus for deploying a plurality of seismic sensor units into a water column is provided. In one embodiment, a marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel includes a node storage and handling system disposed on a deck of the vessel. The node storage and handling system comprises a cable handler positioned adjacent a workstation proximate to a stern of the vessel, a node storage rack positioned between a bow and the stern of the vessel, the workstation being substantially parallel to a length of the node storage rack, and at least a first conveyor and a second conveyor positioned between the node storage rack and the workstation, wherein one of the first conveyor or the second conveyor is vertically movable relative to the node storage rack.

A marine vessel is provided. The marine vessel comprises a cable handling system disposed on the marine vessel between a leading end and a trailing end of the vessel. The cable handling system comprises a cable handler positioned proximate the trailing end and a cable storage device positioned forward of the cable handler, the cable storage device and the cable handler adapted to receive a flexible cable and define a portion of a cable path therebetween. The marine vessel also comprises a seismic device storage structure extending between the leading end and the trailing end and disposed substantially parallel to the cable path, a ramp coupled to a portion of the trailing end of the vessel aft of the cable handler, and a staging section disposed between the seismic device storage structure and the ramp to provide transfer of seismic devices between the seismic device storage structure and the ramp.

Node storage, deployment and retrieval system

Deck configuration for ocean bottom seismometer launch platforms

A method and apparatus for deploying a plurality of seismic sensor units into a water column is described. The method includes providing a length of flexible cable from a cable storage device disposed on a vessel to a powered sheave, the cable having a plurality of spaced apart attachment points, routing the cable from the powered sheave to pass adjacent a workstation disposed on the vessel, deploying a free end of the cable into the water column while increasing the motion of the vessel to a first speed, operating the vessel at the first speed while providing a deployment rate of the cable at a second speed, the second speed being greater than the first speed, decreasing the second speed of the cable as an attachment point approaches the work station, and attaching at least one of the plurality of seismic sensor units to the attachment point at the workstation.

A method and apparatus for storing, deploying and retrieving a plurality of seismic devices is described. The apparatus includes a ramp device coupled to a portion of a trailing end of a vessel, a cable handling device positioned between the ramp device and a leading end of the vessel to define a cable path across the ramp device, and at least one conveyor system having a first end located adjacent the ramp device and a second end extending toward the leading end of the vessel. A deployment method includes providing nodes from a storage area to a workstation where the nodes may be attached to a cable. A retrieval method includes routing a cable through a workstation to detach nodes from the cable section and transfer the detached nodes to the storage area.

Growing community of inventors

Huntsville, TX, United States of America

Jerry L Laws