METHOD AND TRACKING DEVICE FOR TRACKING MOVEMENT IN A MARINE ENVIRONMENT WITH TACTICAL ADJUSTMENTS TO AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE

• US 20130063304A1
• Filed: 04/24/2012
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: O'Regan, Peter R., Almohsen, Ali Amer
• Granted Patent: US 8,917,175 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/357.55
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2213/02 using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. the Global Positioning System GPS
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/04 Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials stopping water-borne material in artificial water canals E02B5/085; stopping water-borne material at barrages or weirs E02B8/023; other treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F; materials for treating liquid pollutants, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat, C09K3/32 ; separation of oil in sewage conduits E03F5/16
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/17 Emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/204 Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Abstract

The present invention relates to devices and methods for tracking movement in a marine environment. At least one tracking device that is adapted to be deployed on a surface of the water, wherein the tracking device is capable of moving along the same trajectory of a desired object. Data from the tracking devices are received by at least one satellite, transmitted to a database, and used to determine the forecasted trajectory of the desired object. All data collected from deployed tracking devices may be integrated into a spatial data repository for analysis and reporting using GIS and associated information technologies, thereby allowing for more accurate decision-making and asset deployment during a fluid spill or similar marine contamination event. The present invention also allows for the collection and modeling of accurate localized sea current data, which may assist with marine and coastal engineering works such as shoreline protection and port dredging.

Claims

1. A method for tracking movement in a marine environment comprising:

associating a plurality of tracking devices with a fluid spill event;

deploying the plurality of tracking devices in a fluid spill, each tracking device of the plurality of tracking devices transmitting a geographic location of the tracking device to a data processing satellite;

monitoring the geographic location of each tracking device of the plurality of tracking devices to track the movement of the fluid spill over a period of time;

determining a forecasted trajectory of the fluid spill based on the movement of the fluid spill over the period of time; and

adjusting a spill response based on the forecasted trajectory.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

attaching an asset-tracking device to a spill response asset;

deploying the spill response asset based on the forecasted trajectory of the fluid spill; and

monitoring the asset location of the spill response asset using the asset-tracking device.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spill response asset is a containment boom, the asset-tracking device being attached to a middle portion of the containment boom, and wherein the containment boom is adapted to be deployed in a down-current position of the forecasted trajectory of the fluid spill.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining geo-referenced aerial imagery of the fluid spill that is captured by flyover reconnaissance;

identifying a wayward device of the plurality of tracking devices that is outside a perimeter of the fluid spill based on the geo-referenced aerial imagery; and

redeploying the wayward device inside the perimeter of the fluid spill.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a battery notification that a depleted device of the plurality of tracking devices has low battery power;

retrieving and maintaining the depleted device; and

redeploying the depleted device in the fluid spill.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first subset of the plurality of tracking devices are deployed in leading edges of the fluid spill, a second subset of the plurality of tracking devices are deployed in a center of the fluid spill, a third subset of the plurality of tracking devices are deployed in trailing edges of the fluid spill, and a fourth and fifth subset of the plurality of tracking devices are deployed on the sideward edges of the fluid spill.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

preemptively deploying one or more tracking devices at a predetermined distance between a present location of the fluid spill and an expected shoreward landing point along the forecasted trajectory of the fluid spill; and

monitoring a preemptive location of one or more tracking devices to obtain an early indication a future location of the fluid spill.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein monitoring the geographic location of each tracking device of the plurality of tracking devices to track the movement of the fluid spill over a period of time further comprises:

dynamically determining the overall extent of the plurality of tracking devices using a concave hull polygon to approximate the location of the fluid spill, wherein the fluid spill comprises one or more of an oil fluid, a chemical composition fluid, and a hydrocarbon-based fluid;

dynamically averaging the position and velocity of the plurality of tracking devices within the concave hull polygon to produce a plurality of fluid spill vectors of a location of the fluid spill over time; and

enabling the plurality of fluid spill vectors to be retrieved from a spatial data repository to determine the forecasted trajectory of the fluid spill.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

identifying a wayward device of the plurality of tracking devices that is outside a perimeter of the fluid spill by performing an automatic statistical comparison of the plurality of fluid spill vectors; and

redeploying the wayward device inside the perimeter of the fluid spill.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an impact warning notification that one of the plurality of tracking devices is within a predetermined distance of a critical location; and

deploying spill response assets based on the impact warning notification.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a velocity of each tracking device of the plurality of tracking devices;

automatically calculating an average velocity of the fluid spill based on the velocities of the plurality of tracking devices; and

transmitting a sea-conditions warning notification when the average velocity changes by a predetermined percentage.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring locations of a plurality of vessels involved in a fluid spill response using a combination of vessel-tracking devices and automatic identification system (AIS) transponders.

13. A tracking device for tracking movement in a marine environment comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) unit including;

a GPS receiver adapted to receive global positioning signals from three or more remote global positioning satellites, the global positioning signals being broadcast at a GPS frequency in a range of about 1.17-1.58 GHz,

a satellite transmitter adapted to send a geographic location of the GPS unit to a data processing satellite at a frequency of around 1.6 GHz, the data processing satellite further transmitting the geographic location for storage in a positioning satellite data repository,

a processor, operatively connected to the GPS receiver and the satellite transmitter, adapted to determine the geographic location of the GPS unit based on the global positioning signals, and

a housing adapted to be held by a user of the GPS unit and having the GPS receiver, the satellite transmitter, and the processor therein; and

a waterproof container of a flexible material having an interior region adapted to receive the GPS unit and having the GPS unit therein, the waterproof container sealable to prevent an ingress of fluid and to float the tracking device on a sea surface to measure movement of the sea surface.

14. The tracking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the tracking device is adapted to deployed on a fluid spill at the sea surface, the fluid spill comprises one or more of an oil fluid, a chemical composition fluid, and a hydrocarbon-based fluid

15. The tracking device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising a local transmitter adapted to send the positioning signal over a mesh network to a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, the positioning signal being used by at least one of the plurality of tracking devices to enhance GPS functionality.

16. The tracking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the tracking device is one of a plurality of tracking devices adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, and wherein a modeling device determines a location of the fluid spill based on geographic locations of the plurality of tracking devices.

17. The tracking device as claimed in claim 13, further comprising ballast to modify a buoyant force acting on the tracking device while the tracking device is adapted to be deployed in the fluid spill, the ballast being configured according to a grade of oil in the fluid spill.

18. The tracking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the tracking device displaces between about 170-220 mL of fluid while deployed in the fluid spill such that a buoyant force of about 1.7 N is acting on the tracking device.

19. The tracking device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the waterproof container when deployed on the sea surface has:

a substantially flat upper surface that is adapted to minimize wind drag and water surface resistance; and

a substantially flat lower surface that is adapted to minimize sea current drag.

20. A waterproof container for protecting a global positioning system (GPS) unit in a marine environment comprising:

an interior region adapted to receive the GPS unit and having the GPS unit therein, the interior region including an anterior buoyancy pocket and a posterior buoyancy pocket relative to the GPS unit,

a sealing member that is sealable to prevent an ingress of fluid and to fat the anterior buoyancy pocket and the posterior buoyancy pocket, the waterproof container having a volume in a range of around 300-600 mL while sealed with the GPS unit in the interior region, and

a cover of a flexible material defining the interior region, the cover having a substantially flat upper surface that is adapted to minimize wind drag and water surface resistance while the waterproof container is deployed on a sea surface.

21. The waterproof container as claimed in claim 20, wherein the waterproof container is adapted to be deployed on a fluid spill of the sea surface, the fluid spill comprises one or more of an oil fluid, a chemical composition fluid, and a hydrocarbon-based fluid

22. The waterproof container as claimed in claim 20, wherein the waterproof container has a length of about 175 mm, a width of about 100 mm, and a thickness of less than 25 mm while sealed with the GPS unit in the interior region.

23. The waterproof container as claimed in claim 20, wherein the waterproof container displaces between about 170-220 mL of fluid while deployed in the fluid spill such that a buoyant force of about 1.7 N is acting on the waterproof container.

24. The waterproof container as claimed in claim 20, wherein the anterior buoyancy pocket and the posterior buoyancy pocket contain substantially equivalent portions of ballast for modifying a buoyant force acting on the waterproof container, the ballast being configured according to a grade of oil in the fluid spill.

25. The waterproof container as claimed in claim 20, wherein the GPS unit is adapted to be deployed in the waterproof container to cost effectively measure sea surface conditions in a localized area of the sea surface.