Active floats for seismic acquisition spreads

The Active Head Float (or AHF) is a float with depth control functionality, having a winch unit integrated inside. The AHF is destined to be connected at streamer heads, allowing depth control/depth adjustment at these locations. This allows easy access to streamer head portions and also makes it possible to plunge the streamer heads deeper if there is a storm. Without the AHF these interventions would either be impossible or would require recovering the streamers on board the seismic vessel, what would generate downtime in acquisition operations. In this paper the AHF project ongoing at CGGVeritas is outlined, presenting the functional and prototype designs together with the factory and offshore tests performed to qualify the design.