Vessel Positioning System for Offload Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current offshore hydrocarbon offload operations between vessels are hindered by severe weather conditions, leading to increased complexity and downtime due to the reliance on surface conditions, as existing solutions lack effective vessel control systems to maintain alignment during offloading.
Innovation Solution
A vessel positioning system that includes a control system monitoring the relative position between a storage tank vessel and a shuttle tanker, using thrusters on both vessels to maintain an angular differential within a predetermined limit by processing environmental and physical data, enabling proactive positioning adjustments to ensure continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If vessels rely on surface conditions for offload operations, then操作简单性 is maintained, but operational reliability deteriorates under severe weather conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical positioning operations with an automated control system that uses thrusters and sensors to maintain vessel alignment. The control system automatically adjusts vessel positions based on real-time data, eliminating the need for complex manual surface operations while ensuring continuous operation regardless of weather conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The vessels are equipped with self-positioning capabilities through integrated thrusters and control systems that automatically maintain alignment without external intervention. The system monitors its own position and makes autonomous adjustments to maintain the offload connection, enabling the vessels to service themselves during operations.
2Device complexity
If tanker systems are the sole solution for vessel control, then system complexity is reduced, but positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control systems of both vessels into an integrated dual-vessel control architecture. Instead of relying solely on the tanker's control system, both vessels contribute to positioning control, sharing the control burden and improving overall alignment precision through coordinated thruster operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system is segmented into multiple independent control units, one for each vessel, allowing distributed control decisions. Each vessel's control system processes local sensor data and executes positioning maneuvers independently but cooperatively, improving response time and positioning accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Device complexity
If vessels maintain fixed positioning without dynamic adjustment, then control system complexity is minimized, but operational adaptability deteriorates under changing environmental conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning system transitions from static fixed positioning to dynamic adaptive positioning. The control system continuously monitors environmental conditions and vessel positions, automatically adjusting thruster commands in real-time to maintain alignment despite changing weather conditions, currents, or wave patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements closed-loop feedback control where sensors continuously monitor vessel positions and environmental conditions, feed this data back to the control system, which then adjusts thruster operations accordingly. This feedback mechanism enables the system to adapt to changing conditions while maintaining precise vessel alignment for continuous offload operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of maintaining positioning between vessels includes monitoring a relative position between a storage tank vessel and a shuttle tanker with a control system in operative communication with the vessels. Also included is inputting physical property data relating to the storage tank vessel and the shuttle tanker to the control system. Further included is processing environmental condition data with the control system. Yet further included is controlling at least one positioning action to be taken by the storage tank vessel and the shuttle tanker with the control system in response to positioning calculations conducted by the control system based on the physical property data and the environmental condition data. Also included is maintaining an angular differential within a predetermined limit with the at least one positioning action.