Apparatus and methods for cleaning an ocean bottom cable

摘要

A cleaning apparatus (100) for an ocean bottom cable (19) including a plurality of node casings (5), each containing at least one sensor capsule (9). During retrieval, an initial flushing device flushes the assembled cable with seawater before the capsules (9) are separated from the casings (5) in a loading/unloading apparatus (300). A washing tunnel (110) is configured to flush the sensor capsule (9) with water supplied from a freshwater tank (115) through a waterfeed pipe (117). Preferably, the cleaning apparatus also comprises a secondary flushing device for flushing the components with seawater after separation, and a drying tunnel (120). Separate conveyors convey the sensor capsules (9) and the node casings (5) to their respective destinations, such that each component may be flushed in seawater and/or freshwater and/or dried as required. The cleaning apparatus is optimized to use a minimum of freshwater and energy.

主权项

1. A cleaning apparatus for an ocean bottom cable including a plurality of node casings interconnected by stress elements comprising:
an initial flushing device configured to flush the ocean bottom cable with seawater; a loading/unloading apparatus disposed downstream from the initial flushing device, wherein the loading/unloading apparatus is configured to unload a sensor capsule from a node casing during retrieval of the ocean bottom cable to a seismic survey vessel; a washing tunnel disposed downstream from the loading/unloading apparatus, wherein the washing tunnel is configured to flush the sensor capsule with water supplied from a freshwater tank through a waterfeed pipe and water nozzles; first conveyor means configured to convey the sensor capsule from the unloading apparatus to a service station during said retrieval and in an opposite direction during a deployment; and second conveyor means configured to convey the stress elements and node casings from the loading/unloading apparatus to a storage reel during said retrieval and in the opposite direction during the deployment.