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New seismic seafloor acquisition technology offerings proliferate

The benefits of acquiring data on the seafloor seem obvious. So do the challenges. If the installation is permanent, numerous surveys for 4D monitoring can be acquired very cheaply. If it’s a temporary node acquisition, the nodal positions can be located and repeated very accurately. Also, if multi-component data is required, the seafloor is the only way to get it. But as depth increases, so do costs and the ability to get everything to work at high pressures. For permanent installations, the trend is for purely fiber optic systems, in part to mitigate potential longevity problems with water/electricity. Four companies showcased their seafloor systems at EAGE, recently held in London, and are presented here. PGS Fiber optic sensor systems have been under development for 10 years at the company. Several generations of prototypes have been produced. Ongoing projects include applications for streamers and near-field airgun recording.