Increased flexibility in marine seismic recording systems

Abstract

A new digital fibre optic streamer and recording system continues the trend towards finer spatial sampling, and more comprehensive and sophisticated electronic and quality control systems. However, at the same time it provides greater flexibility by giving a choice of hydrophone array lengths, and the option to use multiple streamers. Streamer noise analysis led to a revised design, with new materials, giving a very low tow noise level. The system can be configured as 1, 2 or 4 streamers, the multiple streamers giving increased efficiency in 3D data collection. For increased coherent noise attenuation, 3 or 5 streamer groups can be mixed before digitisation, in a weighted overlapping manner. The on-board streamer control system performs many in-water electronic tests on the streamer, while the field computer/recording system has a comprehensive range of seismic quality control and display functions. The system gives the ability to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the recorded data over a wide variety of conditions.