Mobil Oil Corporation

Robert O Guenther

Donald F Huffhines

Charles D Ray

James W Krall

A system for deploying and retrieving a seismic source assembly from a marine seismic vessel. The system comprises a guide track which is secured to the underside of an upper deck of the vessel. The chain which absorbs most of the strain due to towing passes through the track and is safely confined therein during the deployment and retrieval of the source assembly. A connector is attached to the chain at each point where a seismic source and a buoy line is to be attached. As the chain is unreeled and as each connector approaches the track, a source and a buoy line is attached to that respective connector. The track is constructed so a connector on the chain with both a source and a buoy line attached can pass therethrough. This procedure is continued until the seismic source assembly is deployed. The procedure is reversed to retrieve the source assembly.

System for deploying and retrieving seismic source assembly from marine

A structure is provided for protecting a depth control device used on a marine seismic cable where the device is of the type having a hull formed in two parts and a pair of wings pivotably mounted thereon. The protective structure is comprised of a pair of framelike structures and a ring structure. A framelike structure is mounted on the hull just forward of each wing and extends outward at an angle greater than the angle formed by the leading edge of the wing. This provides an unbroken path from the hull to the wing along which an obstacle, e.g., buoy line, can slide over the control device without becoming lodged in the gap normally existing between the wing and the hull. The ring structure is positioned on the seismic cable just forward of the control device to protect the device against a buoy line or the like becoming lodged in the gap which is inherently present when the two parts of the hull are joined about a seismic cable. Not only does the present invention protect the depth control device, but it also prevents damage to the buoy lines.

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Irving, TX, United States of America

Robert O Guenther