Electronic unit for a streamer

An electronic unit is constructed having a casing, at least partially flexible, at least partially made of a polymer material. The casing extends along a longitudinal axis (X) between two lateral ends and has a hollow cylindrical core for housing a portion of a core cable of a streamer, and a plurality of walls outwardly extending from the hollow cylindrical core, delimiting spaces configured for housing electronics, and having free ends. One of the walls and the hollow cylindrical core of the casing have a through-slot that extends longitudinally over a total length of the casing from one lateral end to another lateral end. An electronic board has at least one flexible part and configured for at least partially resting on free ends of at least two of the plurality of walls.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority from European Patent Application No. 15 305 087.7, filed on Jan. 27, 2015, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention is the marine geophysical survey equipment due to acquire seismic data information coming back from the seabed and its subsurface formations layers after a source signal has been triggered from the surface.

The invention particularly concerns an electronic unit, also called node, for processing seismic data issued from seismic sensors. Such an electronic unit is configured to be included in an active section of a streamer, sensing the seismic signals.

The invention may be applied in particular to the oil prospecting industry using seismic method (sea oil survey), but may be of interest for any other field, which requires a system performing geophysics data acquisition in a marine environment.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

As shown inFIG. 1, a network of seismic streamers10, referenced10ato10e,is towed by a seismic vessel11. A seismic streamer10generally includes a seismic telemetry cable, extending along the seismic streamer10and adapted to transmit seismic data towards the vessel.

A seismic streamer10generally includes different kinds of seismic devices, i.e. devices involved in the management of the seismic data, and especially:seismic sensors30, such as hydrophones or geophones or accelerometers or the like, arranged along the streamer10and adapted for detecting acoustic signals;electronic units, also called nodes20, distributed in series along the streamer10at intervals that are not necessarily regular, each node20being associated with a given set of seismic sensors30, the nodes20particularly processing seismic data issued from seismic sensors30;telemetry modules40, also called concentrators, arranged along the seismic cable of the streamer10, each associated with a given set of nodes20in particular for providing power supply and retrieving seismic data acquired by the nodes.

The seismic telemetry cable may also be adapted to transmit seismic quality control data, also called “QC data”, towards or from the seismic vessel11. These data relate to the quality control of the aforementioned seismic devices during their functioning, such as battery level, sensor status, memory status, synchronization availability, etc. For the sake of simplification, we shall refer in the following description to seismic data. It should be noted that seismic quality control data are applicable as well in this description.

The seismic streamer10also includes auxiliary equipment, i.e. “non-seismic devices” or “devices not involved in the management of the seismic data”. Such auxiliary equipment may be:a head buoy12which typically supports the head end of the streamer10connected to the vessel11;a tail buoy13which typically supports the tail end of the streamer10;navigation control devices, commonly referred to as positioning birds14, which are installed at intervals that are not necessarily regular, for example every 50, 150, 300 or 450 meters, along the streamer10and used to control the depth and lateral position of the streamer10;environmental sensors, not shown in the figures;cameras, not shown in the figures;etc.

In other words, auxiliary equipment supplements the aforesaid seismic devices such as the seismic sensors, nodes and telemetry modules, to allow a good operation of the seismic acquisition system.

FIG. 2illustrates in detail the block referenced A inFIG. 1, which is a portion of the streamer10a.InFIG. 2, each bird14includes a body1equipped with motorized pivoting wings2allowing to modify the position of the streamers laterally between them by a horizontal driving and drive the streamers in immersion by a vertical driving. The nodes20are represented by hatched squares inFIGS. 1 and 2.

The nodes20are connected to the concentrators40via electrical wires, not shown in the figures. More precisely, all the nodes20are arranged in series along the electrical wires from the head end to the tail end of the streamer10. Each node20is associated with a given set of seismic sensors30and is adapted in particular to collect seismic data issued from this set of seismic sensors30and to digitize them, if necessary, before sending them, via the concentrators40and the seismic telemetry cable, towards the vessel11. Control data may be also transmitted from the vessel towards the nodes20, via the concentrators40and the seismic telemetry cable, for proper functioning of the seismic acquisition system.

Concentrators40are assembled in series along the streamer10. Each concentrator40is associated with one or several nodes20for providing electrical power supply to these nodes20and for concentrating the seismic data issued from these nodes20. Then, the concentrators40transmit the concentrated data towards the vessel11via the seismic telemetry cable in order to be processed in the central unit located onboard the vessel11.

A known node assembly includes a single node with a horseshoe-shaped electronic unit casing and a complementary part for forming a generally cylindrical shape. The casing and complementary part are made of a metal, especially aluminum. In the horseshoe-shaped casing, there is a hollow horseshoe-shaped space for housing electronics, especially an electronic board. A disadvantage of such node is that the added weight to the streamer is high. The added weight alters the overall streamer weight, which is of prime importance in the seismic industry. The streamer needs particular buoyancy so that the streamer remains flat at a particular depth. Also, in such node, the electronic unit casing is prevented from water ingress thanks to a potting resin which is filled in the electronic board housing, sealing the node. However, the use of such potting resin makes the node manufacturing process very complex in terms of replicability and generates severe node design constraints, in particular inducing stresses on the electronic components when submitted to temperature change, the differential thermal coefficient of expansion between the different materials being high.

Another known assembly includes a cylindrical casing made of a metal material, especially aluminium, said casing being split into two symmetrical half cylindrical sub casing. Said casing forms a cylinder having a central hollow part for housing a portion of cable of the streamer and a half-cylindrical hollow space placed around the hollow core in each subcasing for housing electronic boards. Said casing houses two node electronics at one single location, which double the risk of node failure due to a particular damage at this specific location. Furthermore, said casing, including two node electronics, limits the added weight to the streamer but has the disadvantage to be longer than the previous embodiment. Indeed, the streamer with the assembly is to be winded up on a reel when stored. The longer the assembly, the greater the bending forces with which the electronic unit has to cope. Limiting the assembly length minimizes the overall forces and decreases consequently the risk of mechanical failure. Such an assembly also requires the addition of supplemental mounting pieces positioned at lateral ends of the assembly for mounting the nodes onto the streamer. These supplemental pieces add supplemental length to the assembly, so that the available length for the electronics is to be reduced for a similar size. The space for electronics is therefore not optimized.

OBJECT OF INVENTION

The invention, in at least one embodiment, is aimed especially at overcoming at least some of these different drawbacks of the prior art.

More specifically, it is a goal of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an electronic unit or node having a casing quite easy to manufacture.

It is another goal of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an electronic unit providing more space for housing electronics without increasing the size of the electronic unit.

It is another goal of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide an electronic unit substantially encompassed in the streamer diameter excluding its outer jacket.

It is another goal of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide electronic units limiting the added weight to the streamer.

It is another goal of at least one embodiment of the invention to provide electronic units having an even distribution of the weight relative to the inline axis of the streamer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

These objectives and others may be achieved thanks to the present invention, which proposes an electronic unit configured for being part of a streamer and for surrounding a core cable of the streamer, said electronic unit including at least:a casing, at least partially flexible, at least partially made of a polymer material, said casing extending along a longitudinal axis between two lateral ends and having:a hollow cylindrical core for housing a portion of said core cable of the streamer, anda plurality of wails outwardly extending from said hollow cylindrical core, delimiting spaces configured for housing electronics, and having free endswherein one of the walls and the hollow cylindrical core of the casing have a through-slot, said through-slot extending longitudinally over a total length of the casing between the lateral ends,an electronic board including at least one flexible part and configured for at least partially resting on said free ends of at least two of said plurality of walls.

Thanks to the invention, the lightweight of the material of the casing allows to achieve neutral buoyancy of the streamer.

Furthermore, the polymer material is chosen in particular for providing some flexibility to the electronic unit. The winding around a reel therefore does not create as much stresses as in prior art made of metal, the overall stiffness of the assembly being decreased. Also, for a similar area available to implement electronics, the length of the electronic unit will be diminished, limiting the stresses induced when winded up. By “flexible”, it is to be understood that the casing is preferably made of a polymer material having an elongation at yield in the range 30% to 60% and/or a tensile strength at yield in the range 20 MPa to 70 MPa. The electronic unit may be aimed at processing data issued from at least one seismic sensor. Alternatively, the electronic unit may be equipped with a compass, or may be configured for controlling a steering device or may be equipped with acoustic transducers.

The through-slot is configured to place the portion of the core cable of the streamer within the hollow cylindrical core of the casing of the electronic unit. Indeed, the slot, extending from the free end of said one of the walls until the hole of the hollow cylindrical core, allows to move edges of the through-slot apart, insert the electronic unit into the streamer by arranging the electronic unit around a portion of the core cable of the streamer, and, then, release the edges of the through-slot so that the electronic unit is firmly maintained around the cable in particular thanks to the elasticity of the polymer material.

The electronic board may not surround said through-slot. This may allow keeping free the passage formed by the through-slot.

The electronic may surround the through slot. In that particular embodiment, said casing is inserted into the streamer first, and the electronic board is then mounted on said casing.

The electronic board may be surrounded by a streamer skin or the streamer outer jacket.

The electronic unit may also include a sleeve, for example a flexible sleeve, made of a polymer material, surrounding both casing and electronic board and configured for providing at least partially watertightness to the electronic unit. The sleeve may be surrounded by a streamer skin or the streamer outer jacket.

The flexibility of the sleeve may be similar to the one of the casing.

Each or part of the walls may extend radially outwardly. Each wall may extend up to a free end. The free ends of the walls may define part of the external shape of the casing. The electronic board surrounds for example said free ends.

In a particular embodiment, the electronic unit may comprise a reinforcement surrounding at least one of said electronic board and said sleeve. This means that the reinforcement for example surrounds said sleeve, if any, and/or said electronic board and casing. The reinforcement may be made of a metal, a composite material, a filled plastic material or any suitable material. The reinforcement may be surrounded by a streamer skin or the streamer outer jacket.

In another particular embodiment, there is no reinforcement. In such case, the sleeve or electronic board may then be surrounded by a streamer skin or the streamer outer jacket.

In a particular embodiment, there is no sleeve surrounding the electronic board but an outer jacket of the streamer. Such an outer jacket may be extruded around the electronic board and casing, providing watertightness to the electronic unit.

The electronic board may include a plurality of flexible parts and a plurality of rigid parts, the flexible parts linking two adjacent rigid parts together. The number of rigid parts may be in the range five to eight, preferably equal to five or six. The electronic board may be obtained using a technology such as Z-milling or flexible polyimide layer. The electrical components may be implemented facing the hollow cylindrical core so as to be protected by the walls outwardly extending from the hollow cylindrical core, and by the electronic board. This great flexibility of the electronic board may allow it to conform to a variety of shapes, in particular a generally cylindrical shape of the casing.

In case the free ends of the walls are covered by the electronic boards, the flexible parts of the electronic board advantageously surround part of the free ends of the walls of the casing, the flexible parts being not submitted to any mechanical constraints. The rigid parts may surround the spaces between the walls and rest on part of the free ends of the walls.

The polymer material of the casing is for example chosen from the group consisting of: polyurethane, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, an elastomer material and, more generally, a polymer material sufficiently flexible. By “sufficiently flexible”, it is to be understood that the polymer material may have an elongation at yield in the range 30% to 60%, preferably 35% to 55%. The polymer may also have a tensile strength at yield in the range 20 MPa to 70 MPa, preferably 25 MPa to 50 MPa.

The external surface of the core cable of the streamer may be made in polyurethane, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, an elastomer material or, more generally, any polymer material sufficiently flexible.

If the casing and the external surface of the core cable of the streamer are made out of polyurethane, their assembly one onto the other benefits of a high coefficient of friction which allows maintaining the electronic unit in position on the portion of core cable, without supplemental fastening means.

In case a sleeve is assembled, the polymer material of the sleeve may be chosen from the group consisting of: polyurethane, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, an elastomer material and, more generally, any polymer material sufficiently flexible, such as the one of the casing, for example.

The diameter of the electronic unit may substantially be smaller or equal to the diameter of the streamer, not considering its outer jacket. The outer jacket of the streamer may surround the electronic unit, at least the casing and electronic board, so that the outer jacket is made of one continuous part and not requiring any additional overmolding step. This may for example improve the watertightness of the electronic unit. The outer jacket would be extruded in one single pass making it continuous and not requiring any additional overmolding step.

The invention also provides, in combination with the above, a method for making an electronic unit as described above, including the following steps:making the casing by moulding, in particular injection moulding,arranging the electronic board onto the casing,mounting the electronic unit on the streamer.

The method may also comprise the following steps, in case the electronic unit comprises a sleeve:inserting the casing and electronic board into the sleeve,welding part of the sleeve to the casing so as to provide watertightness to the electronic unit,slicing the sleeve so as to make a through-slot aligned with the one of the casing.

The step of slicing the sleeve may alternatively be implemented before inserting the casing and electronic board into the sleeve. In such case, the positioning of the sleeve relative to the casing is made so that both through-slots are aligned with one another.

The step of welding the sleeve to the casing may comprise welding all peripheral ends of the sleeves with all corresponding faces of the cases onto which the peripheral ends of the sleeves rest.

The invention also provides, in combination with the above, a method for installing the electronic unit in a streamer, including the following steps:moving apart edges of the through-slot,inserting a portion of cable of the streamer in the hollow cylindrical core so as to install the electronic unit within the streamer,releasing the edges of the through-slot.

Thanks to the flexibility of the electronic unit, the method of installation is quite easy to implement. Thanks to the elasticity of the electronic unit due to the material and to the configuration, the electronic unit is maintained in position on the streamer cable.

The method may also include the step consisting of making a reinforcement around the sleeve. This step may reinforce the robustness of the electronic unit.

The method may also include the step consisting of overmoulding an outer jacket of the streamer on the electronic unit.

The invention also provides, in combination with the above, a streamer including at least one electronic unit according to the above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, the term “cable” could be used indifferently with “core cable”, and represent the central subset of transmission wires embedded in the streamer.

FIGS. 3 and 4show an embodiment of an electronic unit20or node according to the invention, shown in isolation. In this particular embodiment, the electronic unit20is at least partially dedicated to processing data issued from at least one seismic sensor but the electronic unit could be dedicated to another function without departing from the scope of the invention. The electronic unit20is configured for being part of the streamer10and for surrounding a core cable5of the streamer10.

The electronic unit20includes a casing21at least partially flexible, at least partially made of a polymer material. The casing21extends along a longitudinal axis X between two lateral ends22and23. The casing21has a hollow cylindrical core25for housing a portion of cable5of the streamer10. The casing21has a plurality of walls26outwardly, in this embodiment radially outwardly, extending from the hollow cylindrical core25. The walls26delimit between them spaces27configured for housing electronics. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 3 and 4, there are six walls, but the number of walls may vary without departing from the scope of the invention. Still in this particular embodiment, the wails26are regularly placed around the hollow cylindrical core25. Each wall26has two external surfaces29delimiting the wall26and, in this particular example, extending radially outwardly.

The electronic unit20also includes an electronic board45including at least one flexible part46. The electronic board45is configured for at least partially resting on at least two free ends28of the plurality of walls26.

In this particular embodiment, the electronic unit20also includes a sleeve50, shown inFIG. 3as a dotted line, made of a polymer material, surrounding both casing21and electronic board45and configured for providing watertightness to the electronic unit20. The sleeve50also extends along the longitudinal axis X and has a global cylindrical shape.

As shown inFIG. 4, each wall26extends from the hollow cylindrical core25up to a free end28. The free ends28of the walls26substantially define part of the external shape of the casing21in this embodiment. The electronic board45rests on at least part of the free ends28, the electronics facing the hollow cylindrical core25and thus being protected inside the casing.

The electronic board45includes a plurality of flexible parts46and a plurality of rigid parts47, the flexible parts46linking two adjacent rigid parts47together, the number of rigid parts47being, in this embodiment, equal to six.

The rigid parts47of the electronic board rest on some of part of the free ends28of the walls26of the casing21in this embodiment, the flexible parts46being not submitted to any constraint and surrounding part of the free ends28of the walls26.

The electronic board45may be issued from technologies such as Z-milling or flexible polyimide layer, well known from one skilled in the art.

It should to be noted that this particular configuration may be different without departing from the scope of the invention, for example the flexible parts of the electronic board may have another place within the electronic board, their number may vary, for example in the range 1 to 10 or more.

One of the walls26, referenced26a,and the hollow cylindrical core25of the casing21have a through-slot60. The through-slot60extends longitudinally over a total length of the casing21from one lateral end22to another lateral end23, and extends within the wall from the hollow of the hollow cylindrical core25to the free end28of the wall26a.A corresponding through-slot61, aligned with the through-slot60of the casing21is provided in the sleeve50, as shown inFIG. 4. The electronic board45does not surround the through-slot60so as to keep a free passage. The through-slot60is radially oriented and separates the wall26ainto two symmetrical half-walls, in this embodiment. The through-slot60and corresponding through-slot61are defined by edges62respectively corresponding to internal surfaces of the wall26adelimiting the through-slot60and by edges of the sleeve50delimiting the through-slot61, as shown inFIG. 4.

In this embodiment, the polymer material of the casing21is polyurethane and the polymer material of the sleeve50is polyurethane. The choice of polyurethane provides several advantages among which the elasticity of the electronic unit20, the lightweight of the electronic unit, the watertightness of the material and welding, the high coefficient of friction of the electronic unit on the cable of the streamer also made of polyurethane, and the tear strength of the cable or outer jacket of the streamer.

In this embodiment, the walls26, other than the wall26aprovided with the through-slot60, are provided with a groove55that may provide elasticity to the wall26when moving apart the edges62of the through-slot60and61when installing the electronic unit20on the streamer cable.

The casing, thanks to its lateral ends22,23, its hollow cylindrical core25, and with the welded sleeve50, seal the spaces27housing the electronics and prevent any water ingress.

The electronic unit20may be made with the method comprising the following steps:making the casing21by injection moulding,arranging the electronic board45onto the casing21.

In this embodiment, the method also includes the following steps:inserting the casing21and electronic board45into the sleeve50,welding part of the sleeve50to the casing21so as to provide watertightness to the electronic unit20.slicing the sleeve so as to make a through-slot aligned with the one of the casing.

The step of welding the sleeve50to the casing21includes welding all peripheral ends of the sleeve50with each faces of the casing21on which the peripheral ends rest. The method for installing the electronic unit20includes the following steps, in this embodiment:moving apart edges62of the through-slot60,61,inserting a portion of a core cable of the streamer10in the hollow cylindrical core25so as to install the electronic unit20within the streamer10,releasing the edges62of the through-slot60,61.

As shown inFIG. 5, the electronic unit20may be fully integrated in the streamer10, having a diameter not greater than the one of the rest of the streamer, without the outer jacket of the streamer, at least laterally around the electronic unit20. As such, once the electronic unit20is mounted on the streamer, an outer jacket or skin of the streamer may be extruded, thereby providing a cable of streamer being homogeneous, watertight, and without discontinuity.

FIG. 9presents the electronics assembly surrounded by the streamer jacket6.

In another embodiment, shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, the electronic unit20includes a reinforcement70surrounding the sleeve50inFIG. 6, or positioned underneath the sleeve50inFIG. 7. In case the reinforcement70surrounds the sleeve50, the method includes the step consisting of positioning the reinforcement70around the sleeve50. The reinforcement may have the shape of a portion of a tube, or other shape without departing from the scope of the invention. The reinforcement is made in a metal material in this particular embodiment. The reinforcement70may be made once the rest of the electronic unit is installed on the streamer10. In such case, as shown inFIG. 6, the reinforcement surrounds the through-slot61.

In case the reinforcement70is positioned underneath the sleeve50, the method includes the step of positioning the reinforcement70on the free ends28of the casing after having installed the electronic board45, and inserting the resulting assembly in the sleeve50in order to weld the sleeve50with the casing21. In such case, the reinforcement is designed in multiple pieces in order to allow move the edges62apart to insert the electronic unit onto the core cable.

In the embodiment ofFIG. 6, there are no grooves55made in the walls26. The elasticity of the material of the casing21may be sufficient for the installation of the electronic unit on the cable, even if a supplemental strength may then be applied to move apart the edges62of the through-slot60,61. Such embodiment without any groove55may allow distributing the tensile stresses more regularly all around the hollow cylindrical core25and walls26than with grooves55, when moving apart the edges62. Still in this embodiment ofFIG. 6, the flexible parts46are linked to the rigid parts47in an inside part of the rigid parts47, as shown. This absence of groove, although disclosed in combination with the embodiment ofFIG. 6, may be used also for other embodiments of the invention.

Other embodiments may be provided without departing from the scope of the invention.

In another embodiment, not shown, the electronic unit has no sleeve but reinforcement.

In another embodiment, not shown, there is neither sleeve nor reinforcement, but an overmolded outer jacket of the streamer, which provides watertightness.

The reinforcement may be made in a composite material or in a filled plastic material.

In the specification and claims, the expression “includes a” has to be understood as meaning “includes at least one”, unless expressly written.