Device for handling of cables on seismic vessels

US5488920A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Geco AS · NO

Inventor

• Einar Gjestrum · Oslo, NO

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 14, 1994
• Grant date: Feb 6, 1996
• Expiry date: Jan 14, 2014

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B63B21/66
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A device to facilitate the handling, maintenance and replacement of seismic equipment and seismic energy sources in the gun arrangement section, i.e. the gun array of seismic gun cables on seismic survey vessels, on the vessel's after deck (1) by which the gun cables are transferred, with the arrays stored on the deck hanging in suspension rails (6), wherein the cable is wound up on to a number of drums (3) and deployed or recovered from the water over a slip (4) at the after end of the ship. On the deck there are also winch drums (5) for streamer cables. The gun cable drums (3) are placed in a row alongside one another athwartships. Also provided is a row of parallel tracks (6), suspended on rails which can be moved in a crosswise direction. The ends of the rails or tracks (6) are equipped with devices whereby they can be connected to transfer tracks (7) on the slip (4). The gun arrays in their tracks (6) can be moved athwartships, thus providing more working space and allowing better use to be made of the area available on the after deck.