Power savings mode for ocean bottom seismic data acquisition systems

1. A method for marine seismic data collection, comprising:

operating an array of sensor nodes in an idle mode, wherein the idle mode is configured to conserve power consumption by the sensor nodes;

determining whether seismic data is expected at one or more of the sensor nodes in the array based on proximity to a vessel configured to generate a signal for communication with the sensor nodes, wherein the proximity is determined within a predefined distance of the vessel based on the signal received from the vessel;

in response to determining that seismic data is expected, selectively operating the one or more sensor nodes in an active mode; and

collecting the seismic data with the one or more sensor nodes while selectively operating in the active mode, wherein sensor nodes within the predefined distance of the vessel are operating in the active mode and other sensor nodes in the array are operating in the idle mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the signal comprises an acoustic signal used for communication with the sensor nodes.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the vessel towing a source configured to generate the signal.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more nodes are configured to identify a predefined sequence of signals with predefined separation, duration and frequency to prevent the one or more nodes from being activated in response to noise.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising deploying the array of sensor nodes on a sea floor or bed below a water surface.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein deploying the array of sensor nodes comprises deploying the one or more sensors nodes on the sea floor using a remotely operated vehicle.

7. The method of claim 5 , further comprising transferring the signal to the sensor nodes from a device configured to float at a predefined distance below the water surface.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein deploying the array of sensor nodes comprises programming the one or more sensor nodes to navigate through a water column to predetermined locations on the sea floor.

9. The method of claim 5 , wherein deploying the array of sensor nodes comprises placing the one or more sensor nodes along one or more ocean bottom cables and deploying the one or more ocean bottom cables on the sea floor.

10. A marine seismic array comprising:

a plurality of sensor nodes deployed on a sea floor or bed, wherein the sensor nodes are configured to initiate in an idle mode; and

a sensor disposed in each of the sensor nodes, the sensor configured to detect a signal generated by a vessel for communication with the sensor nodes;

the sensor nodes configured to selectively adjust the idle mode to an active mode based on proximity to the vessel, wherein proximity is determined within a predefined distance of the vessel based on the signal such that one or more of the sensor nodes operate in the active mode in an active zone of the array, within the predefined distance of the vessel, and

the sensor nodes no longer within the predefined distance of the vessel further configured to selectively adjust the active mode to the idle mode, such that others of the sensor nodes operate in the idle mode outside the active zone.

11. The marine seismic array of claim 10 , wherein the sensor disposed in each of the sensor nodes comprises an acoustic sensor configured for detecting the signal.

12. The marine seismic array of claim 10 , wherein the signal comprises an electromagnetic signal.

13. The marine seismic array of claim 10 , further comprising a source towed by the vessel, wherein the source is configured to generate the signal.

14. The marine seismic array of claim 10 , further comprising a device configured to transfer the signal to the sensor nodes, the device further configured to float at a predefined distance below a water surface above the sea floor or bed.

15. The marine seismic array of claim 10 , wherein the active mode is configured for the one or more sensor nodes in the active zone to collect seismic data while conducting a seismic survey.

16. The marine seismic array of claim 15 , wherein the idle mode is configured for the other sensor nodes outside the active zone to conserve power.

17. The marine seismic array of claim 16 , wherein the sensor nodes are configured to operate in the idle mode if it is determined that seismic data collection has stopped, wherein a predefined period of time has passed since receiving the signal.

18. A seismic sensor node configured for deployment on a sea floor or bed in an ocean bottom array, the sensor node comprising:

a processor;

at least one acoustic sensor configured to detect an acoustic signal;

at least one seismic sensor configured to record seismic signals; and

memory comprising a mode selection program executable on the processor to perform operations comprising:

initiating the sensor node in an idle mode configured to conserve power;

determining whether seismic data is expected at the sensor node based on proximity to a vessel configured to generate the acoustic signal for communication with the sensor node, wherein proximity is determined within a predefined distance of the vessel based on the acoustic signal;

in response to determining that seismic data is expected at the sensor node:

operating the sensor node in an active mode; and

collecting seismic data while in the active mode;

wherein the sensor node is configured to selectively operate in the active mode to collect the seismic data in an active zone of the array and to selectively adjust the active mode to the idle mode to conserve power outside the active zone, when no longer within the predefined distance of the vessel.

19. The seismic sensor node of claim 18 , wherein the seismic sensor node is configured for deployment on the sea floor or bed using a remotely operated vehicle.

20. An ocean-bottom cable comprising a plurality of seismic sensor nodes deployed on the sea floor as recited in claim 18 .