Marine threat monitoring and defense system

• US 8,612,129 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 12/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concrete Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ION Geophysical Corporation
• Inventors: Gagliardi, Joseph R., Flynn, Des, Grant, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUTLER, RODNEY ALLEN
• Application Number:
  US13/477,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316769A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 701/21, 701/300, 701/301, 342454-456, 342/357.21, 342/41, 342/90, 342/385, 342/386, 342/46, 342/47
• US Class Current: 701/300
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2211/06 Operation in ice-infested waters
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/086 Vessels for displacing icebergs, or related methods tugs in general B63B35/66
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 43/18 preventing collision or grounding; reducing collision damage reducing pollution by collision B63B25/082
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 3/02 Anti-collision systems

Abstract

A marine threat monitoring and defense system and method protects a target vessel in icy or other marine regions. The system uses communications, user interfaces, and data sources to identify marine obstacles (e.g., icebergs, ice floes, pack ice, etc.) near a target vessel performing set operations (e.g., a stationed structure performing drilling or production operations or a seismic survey vessel performing exploration operations with a planned route). The system monitors positions of these identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target vessel and predicts any potential threats. When a threat is predicted, the system plans deployment of support vessels, beacons, and the like to respond to the threat. For example, the system can direct a support vessel to divert the path or break up ice threatening the target vessel.

Claims

1. A marine threat monitoring method for a target marine structure, comprising:

identifying with a computer system one or more marine obstacles in a vicinity of the target marine structure as the target marine structure conducts set operations in a body of water;

monitoring with the computer system position of the one or more identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target marine structure;

predicting with the computer system a threat to the target marine structure based on the monitored position of the one or more identified marine obstacles;

determining with the computer system an attribute of the one or more marine obstacles of the threat;

comparing with the computer system the determined attribute to a structural limitation of the target marine structure, the structural limitation comprising a threshold of an impact sustainable by the target marine structure from the one or more marine obstacles, a time interval required to cease the set operations of the target marine structure, or a time interval required to move the target marine structure from the threat of the one or more marine obstacles; and

planning with the computer system a response to the predicted threat to the target marine structure by the one or more identified marine obstacles based on the comparison.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the marine obstacles includes an iceberg, ice floe, pack ice, debris, plants, flotsam, jetsam, floating obstacles, submerged obstacles, marine animals, fish schools, whale pods, or a combination thereof;

and wherein the target marine structure is selected from the group consisting of a drilling structure, a drilling ship, a production structure, a production vessel, a production platform, a wellhead, a riser, an exploration structure, a seismic survey vessel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying with the computer system the one or more marine obstacles in the vicinity of the target marine structure comprises receiving location information from one or more beacons deployed on the one or more marine obstacles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein monitoring with the computer system the position of the one or more identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target marine structure comprises determining the position of the one or more marine obstacles using the location information of the one or more deployed beacon over time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying with the computer system the one or more marine obstacles in the vicinity of the target marine structure comprises determining the one or more marine obstacles from imaging data of the vicinity of the target marine structure.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein monitoring with the computer system the position of the one or more identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target marine structure comprises determining movement of the one or more marine obstacles from the imaging data over time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein identifying with the computer system the one or more marine obstacles in the vicinity of the target marine structure comprises manually entering observed data of the one or more marine obstacles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein predicting with the computer system the threat to the target marine structure based on the monitored position of the one or more identified marine obstacles comprises determining a future track of the one or more marine obstacles of the threat relative to the target marine structure.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the attribute is selected from the group consisting of size, distance, speed, shape, depth, track, and threat level.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein planning with the computer system the response to the predicted threat comprises planning deployment of at least one resource in response to the predicted threat.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein planning deployment of the at least one resource comprises diverting the one or more marine obstacles of the threat by directing one or more vessels relative to the one or more marine obstacles of the threat.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein diverting the one or more marine obstacles of the threat comprises breaking or moving the one or more marine obstacles with the one or more vessels.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein planning deployment of the at least one resource comprises tracking positions of one or more vessels relative to the one or more marine obstacles and the target marine structure.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one resource is selected from the group consisting of a support vessel, a tracking beacon, an aircraft, and a remotely operated vehicle.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein planning with the computer system the response to the predicted threat comprises generating a task for observing, diverting, or tagging the one or more marine obstacles.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein generating the task for observing, diverting, or tagging the one or more marine obstacles comprises sending an instruction to at least one resource to implement the generated task.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein planning with the computer system the response to the predicted threat comprises determining a time interval in which to shut down the set operations and move the target marine structure from the predicted threat.

18. A programmable storage device having program instructions stored thereon for causing a programmable control device to perform a marine threat monitoring method for a target marine structure, the method comprising:

identifying one or more marine obstacles in a vicinity of the target marine structure as the target marine structure conducts set operations in a body of water;

monitoring position of the one or more identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target marine structure;

predicting a threat to the target marine structure based on the monitored position of the one or more identified marine obstacles;

determining an attribute of the one or more marine obstacles of the threat;

comparing the determined attribute to a structural limitation of the target marine structure, the structural limitation comprising a threshold of an impact sustainable by the target marine structure from the one or more marine obstacles, a time interval required to cease the set operations of the target marine structure, or a time interval required to move the target marine structure from the threat of the one or more marine obstacles; and

planning a response to the predicted threat to the target marine structure by the one or more identified marine obstacles based on the comparison.

19. A marine threat monitoring system of a target marine structure, comprising:

communication equipment obtaining information about one or more marine obstacles in a vicinity of the target marine structure;

memory storing the obtained information; and

one or more servers operatively coupled to the communication equipment and the memory, the one or more servers being configured to;

identify the one or more marine obstacles as the target marine structure conducts set operations in a body of water,

monitor position of the one or more identified marine obstacles over time relative to the target marine structure,

predict a threat to the target marine structure based on the monitored position of the one or more identified marine obstacles,

determine an attribute of the one or more marine obstacles of the threat,

compare the determined attribute to a structural limitation of the target marine structure, the structural limitation comprising a threshold of an impact sustainable by the target marine structure from the one or more marine obstacles, a time interval required to cease the set operations of the target marine structure, or a time interval required to move the target marine structure from the threat of the one or more marine obstacles, and

plan a response to the predicted threat based on the comparison.