Streamer depth balance control technology for marine towed seismic exploration

To address the problem of streamer depth imbalance during marine towed seismic exploration caused by uneven cable density, seawater density variations, and disturbances from wind waves and internal waves, this paper investigates a streamer depth balance control technology aimed at achieving precise and stable depth regulation and improving seismic data quality. The core mechanism of streamer depth balance control is systematically analyzed. A hybrid approach combining hardware counterweight optimization with software parameter adjustment is adopted. A segment-by-segment buoyancy-compensating counterweight configuration is applied to mitigate inherent buoyancy deviations. An automatic depth control strategy is constructed by coordinated adjustment of multiple parameters of the depth controllers, including depth variation, time variation and angular change frequency, supplemented by manual intervention to optimize operation performance. Field applications demonstrate that the proposed technology can effectively resist external disturbances such as surges and internal waves, rapidly correct streamer depth offset and greatly shorten depth recovery time. The study proves that the control method is simple in principle, easy to tune, stable, and highly applicable in practice. It can effectively guarantee the operation efficiency and data accuracy of marine streamer seismic exploration, providing a reliable technical reference for streamer depth control construction in offshore oil and gas exploration.