Survey optimization and cost reductions are ongoing challenges for the marine seismic petroleum exploration industry. The present research intends to improve seismic streamer steering as well as to reduce time on line-changes, where the streamer spread is turned 180 degrees. Sea current estimation and prediction of future streamer state are important aspects of improved streamer steering, which will increase survey efficiency and quality.
A seismic streamer simulator has been validated against full scale proprietary data from two seismic survey line-changes. The streamer spread has 12 cables of slightly more than 4 km length each, with 13 control birds for each streamer. Interpolated Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) measured sea current is introduced at the streamer nodes. Two streamer tension cells are installed at each streamer, giving validation of simulated tension.
Secondly, a sea current estimation algorithm has been validated against the interpolated ADCP current data for the two line-changes.