Air gun umbilical systems
Many seismic survey companies operate air gun umbilical systems obtained from a variety of manufacturers and find it increasingly difficult to maintain or repair them.Most of these companies need a cost effective and independent source which employs personnel with the required skills to re-terminate all umbilical designs currently in use. These engineers have to undertake such work worldwide for a large client base and interface closely with manufacturers to offer fully warranted and terminated systems.
Airgun terminations follow a common theme that comprises a pressure tight stainless steel ‘can’ fitted with electrical and pneumatic connectors together with a strength member housing. There are however a number of specialist systems which do not use 'cans' and incorporate connectors on cable tails.
Most terminations fail as a result of poor handling or hitting obstacles. In many cases the umbilical can be cut back to good cable and reterminated. Very often electrical connectors can be re-used but air-lines have to be reterminated. Strain terminations are frequently recycled after a clean-up and remachining.
The marine seismic industry also uses many other cable and rope systems as well as airgun umbilicals. These include electro-magnetic source and receive cables, high modulus fibres for streamer sections and tow lines, inter-connection harnesses for gun arrays and tail-buoy antennae etc.
Enquiry details
Scorpion Oceanics Limited is based in Great Chesterford, Saffron Walden, Essex, UK. www.scorpionoceanics.co.uk
