France's IFP develops new seismic tool

Journal Article · Thu Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1971 · Offshore; (United States)

OSTI ID:5575101

Morrison, J

The Flexichoc seismic implosion device offered by Institut Francais du Petrole (IFP) is a new tool for marine geologists and geophysicists. The Flexichoc source has 2 moving parts: 2 metal plates each 58-in. in diam joined together at their edges by a stout rubber sleeve. Compressed air is pumped into the source at 30 psi. This will force the plates apart until they become locked in the firing position. Air is then pumped out of the device by changing the compressor mode to vacuum. This creates a vacuum of 100 mm/mercury in the space between the plates. An electric signal initiated by the recording unit releases the 2 plates which strike each other forcibly to produce a seismic impulse. The implosion is caused by the sudden reduction, under the effect of hydrostatic pressure, of the volume of the emitting device. The absence of compressible fluids gives the seismic impulse a very clean shape free from any bubble effect. Its spectrum is well-positioned in the seismic frequency band. While the initial cost of the implosion device is high at about $17,000, the unit requires no maintenance, no explosives or charges, no gas, and no detonators.

• OSTI ID: 5575101
• Journal Information: Offshore; (United States), Journal Name: Offshore; (United States) Vol. 31:4; ISSN OFSHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300 -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
58 GEOSCIENCES
580203* -- Geophysics-- Geophysical Survey Methods-- (1980-1989)
COST
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
ENGINEERING
EQUIPMENT
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
HYDROSTATICS
IMPLOSIONS
MAINTENANCE
MARINE SURVEYS
OPERATION
SEISMIC SOURCES
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SEISMIC WAVES
SURVEYS