METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING WATERBOTTOM SUBSIDENCE

摘要

A system for monitoring subsidence and/or rising of a waterbottom has pressure sensors along the interior of a sealed tube that rests on the waterbottom and is filled with a low pressure liquid so that subsidence or rising of the waterbottom can be deduced from subsidence and/or rising of a section of the tube and associated pressure variations measured by the sensors due to variation of the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid in the tube. The tube interior is divided into segments by valves during descent to protect the sensors against hydrostatic pressure of the liquid within the tube during installation. The use of a low pressure liquid in the tube allows the use of sensitive pressure sensors which are able to monitor pressure variations of ˜0.001 Bar associated with a waterbottom subsidence of ˜1 cm, at a waterdepth of >km where the ambient water pressure may be >100 Bar.