Advantages of OBC Acquisition

For both 2C and 4C surveys, there are several advantages in acquiring seismic data using an ocean-bottom cable.

The seafloor is generally a quieter environment to record seismic data than the surface, with better coupling, and shorter traveltimes in deepwater surveys. The result is often seismic data with improved signal content and bandwidth compared to conventional towed streamers.

In addition, the separation of the cable from the recording vessel means that surveys can be acquired with unusual geometries - and not just in terms of infill opportunities for towed streamer surveys in congested oil fields. Broader azimuth distributions facilitate the illumination of complex structures, undershooting of shallow anomalies, and P-wave fracture analysis. In addition, the ability to record ultra-long offsets (10-15 km and beyond) enables imaging of extremely deep prospects (e.g., deep Shelf gas plays in the GOM) with enhanced AVO analysis.