M/V American
with
Piggy-back shallow-water barge

Delta Exploration Incorporated
Jackson, Mississippi, USA

Gulf of Suez - 1970

Seismic source: Aquaflex detonating cord

Data acquisition system: Texas Instruments DFS-III

Navigation system: Motorola RPS (X-Band Range Positioning System)

Passing the time playing Monopoly in transit from Mombasa, Kenya to the Gulf of Suez
(Bill Chastain, Bob Horne, Red Petersen)

The bridge of the M/V American.
" Calling Kilo-Sugar-Sugar (KSS) Houston"
John Garret on the VHF 1KW radio system calling Seiscom-Delta HQ in Houston, Texas.
(Large Yagi-antenna-array on the bridge roof. The 1KW RF amplifier on the bridge floor)

The Piggy Back barge has been unloaded at El Tor in the Gulf of Suez.

Captain Schott guiding the barge back to El Tor after a day of shooting on the prospect.

Passing the El Morgan oil field on the barge
(Bob Horne on the roof)

Repairing the oil-filled streamer (hydrophone) cable on the back-deck of the barge

(Harry Miller, ----, Bill Chastain, Red Petersen)

The 3000 volt blaster connected to the firing line via the high-voltage junction box.

The heavily-insulated firing line trails out the back of the barge and is terminated in a stainless-steel ball.

The firing ball at the end of the firing line.

This is where the detenator stops & comes in contact with the live conductor.

The 100 foot long Aquaflex detonating cord is connected to the detenator

A box of 100-foot reels of ICI Aquaflex detonating cord.

An unopened box of Aquaflex

Red about to release a reel of Aquaflex into the sea.

Another view showing the streamer cable "floating lead-in" entering the sea.

Bubbles rising after an Aquaflex charge is detonated.

Harry Miller doing the vital job of monitoring the water depth.

The Gulf of Suez has many coral reefs which had to be avoided -
otherwise severe damage to the streamer cable could result
(not to mention the hull of the barge).
The barge's steerable water propulsion system allowed operation in shallow-water
areas which would normally risk damage to a propeller.

Bob Horne & Harry Miller recording seismic data while on-line.

Bill Chastain & Bob Christiansen in the Mechanic's room.

Bob Horne operating the DFSIII recording system &
filling out the line log.

(Photos - Robert J. Horne)