Method and system of performing geophysical surveys with autonomous underwater vehicles

摘要

Performing a geophysical survey beneath a surface obstruction, or around a fixed object or formation. At least some of the example embodiments include: programming a towing pattern into an autonomous underwater vehicle; and towing a sensor streamer under the surface obstruction, or around the fixed object or formation by the autonomous underwater vehicle. In some of the embodiments, the sensor streamer comprises a distributed sensor in the form of an optical fiber. In some of the embodiments, the optical fiber is encapsulated in an outer covering of resilient material, the resilient material exposed to the water during the towing.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
performing a geophysical survey by
programming a towing pattern into an autonomous underwater vehicle;towing a sensor streamer by the autonomous underwater vehicle, the sensor streamer comprising:
a distributed sensor in the form of an optical fiber encapsulated in an outer covering of resilient material, the resilient material exposed to the water during the towing, wherein the outer covering has an acoustic impedance between the acoustic impedance of water and the acoustic impedance of the optical fiber; anda plurality of depth control devices at spaced intervals along the senor streamer, wherein the depth control devices each include a main body and a plane and are each configured to adjust a depth of the sensor streamer;retracting the sensor streamer onto a spool carried by the autonomous underwater vehicle; andcarrying the main body and the plane of each of the depth control devices on the spool.