1009results about "Towing/pushing equipment" patented technology

A device and a method for laterally steering a streamer cable towed underwater behind a seismic survey vessel. The device includes a cable-steering assembly rotatably attached to a streamer cable. The assembly includes a body to which one or more wings are mounted. The wings are arranged to pivot about pivot axes. The assembly is ballasted so that the pivot axes of the wings are largely in a vertical plane. A conventional cable-leveling bird is converted to one version of a cable-steering device by ballasting to maintain the pivot axes of the bird's wings largely vertical. With an orientation sensor for sensing the orientation of the wings, the cable-steering device adjusts the angle of the wings to provide a sideward component of force to steer the streamer.

The technique disclosed herein includes a method and apparatus for controlling streamer steering devices to maintain a coil streamer shape that gives coverage for a coil shooting plan. The technique uses solved positions and a target coil streamer shape identified in the shooting plan to determine steering instructions to the streamer steering devices along the streamer.

A marine seismic streamer steering device comprises at least two hinged sections pivotally coupled to each other and connected between two adjacent sections of the seismic streamer, and a bend control unit that controls bending of the hinged sections relative to the longitudinal axis of the seismic streamer. The steering device further comprises a roll sensor which determines rotational orientation of the body and transmits the orientation to the bend control unit, a lateral position sensor which determines lateral position of the body and transmits the lateral position to the bend control unit, and a depth sensor which determines depth of the body and transmits the depth to the bend control unit. The bend control unit then controls the bending of the hinged sections based on the transmitted rotational orientation, lateral position, and depth of the body.

A turbine integrated within a hydrofoil extracts energy from a free-flowing motive fluid. In the preferred embodiment, the turbine is of the crossflow variety with runner blades coaxial to the width of the hydrofoil. The foremost edge of the hydrofoil comprises a slot covered by a continuously adjustable gate for controlling the overall drag imposed by the turbine. The hydrofoil mounts to a sailing vessel by means of a gimbal on a structure affixed to the hull, enabling the turbine to optimally respond to changes in direction of the free-flowing motive fluid and facilitating guidance and stability of the vessel. Both axes of the gimbal have a combination of auxiliary generator and motor with a locking mechanism. Engaging the motor and locking mechanism controls the guidance and stability of the overall vessel, and the pitch of the hydrofoil. Disengaging the locking mechanism and motor permits any change in direction of the motive fluid to affect the gimbal thereby extracting energy via the auxiliary generators. To further control drag and output power over a range of flow velocities, the preferred turbine comprises a DC generator with voltage feedback controlling field excitation, coupled to a voltage and current regulating circuit that performs electrolysis of water to produce hydrogen fuel. The hydrogen fuel tank also functions as the vessel's ballast having adjustable draft depending upon its fullness. Integrated remote control simultaneously optimizes vessel guidance, velocity, drag, stability, ballast depth, and electrolysis processes.

A paravane for a marine seismic survey system includes a float and at least one diverter operatively coupled to the float. The diverter is configured to redirect flow of water past the paravane with respect to a direction of motion of the paravane through water. The paravane also includes a steering device. The steering device is configured to controllably redirect the flow of water so as to control an amount of lateral force generated by the paravane.

A seismic survey system includes a winch having a winch cable coupleable to a source array towable between two deflected lead-ins, a positioning system for determining a current position of the source array and a controller for adjusting the winch to modify the current position of the source array to a desired crossline position. The winches may be attached to the deflected lead-ins or mounted on a tow vessel. The winches exert lateral forces on the source array, derived from the deflected lead-ins, to control the inline position of the source array. A method includes positioning a seismic source array in tow behind a vessel comprises determining a current position of the source array and adjusting a lateral force applied to the source array to move the source array to a desired crossline position. Optionally, by adjusting the gun cable winch, the inline position may be controlled.

A method and apparatus for a seismic cable is described. The apparatus includes a plurality of cable segments comprising at least a first cable segment and a second cable segment coupled by a connector. The connector comprises a cylindrical body having a first diameter, a portion of the body having a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter and centrally positioned between opposing ends of the body, a first coupling section having a terminating end of the first cable segment anchored therein, and a second coupling section having a terminating end of the second cable segment anchored therein, at least a portion of the first and second coupling sections being rotatably coupled to respective ends of the body, wherein the connector isolates the first cable segment from the second cable segment. A method of deployment and retrieval of the seismic cable is also described.

An attractive wake tower assembly of a unique, generally U-Shaped configuration that can be readily pivotally mounted on powerboats of various constructions to enable the wake tower assembly to be pivoted from an upstanding to a lowered position. The wake tower assembly is of a high-strength, simple construction that does not interfere with the visibility of the boat operator. Each of the side members of the assembly has an upper portion and a lower portion, each of which is generally oval in cross section. The lower portion of each of the side members have a first width and the upper portion of each of the side members have a first width; and a bight portion interconnecting the upper portions of the sides, the bight portion being generally circular in cross section.