Dynamic Positioning

Operation and maintenance

C5
Position reference handling
Position Coordinates

• Any position coordinates which describe out location have any meaning only
when user knows what convention is used;
• Latitude (φ) and Longitude (λ)
coordinates, which are commonly used in navigation (called geographical
coordinates) are in fact geodetic coordinates because they describe location of
the point on the ellipsoid surface (not sphere);
 Geodetic Datums

WGS 84(World Geodetic System of 1984): Earth Centered; Earth Fixed Nominal GPS
elipsoid
Ellipsoid, Geoid and Earth surface

To plot the chart: the

ellipsoid surface has to be
presented on the plane.
This is obtained by various
methods of projection
NORMAL TRANSVERS OBLIGUE

PLANE

CYLINDRICAL

CONICAL
 Mercator and Transverse Mercator Projection

MERCATOR TRANSVERSE MERCATOR

• preserves right angles between meridians • preserves right angles between meridians
and pararels; and pararels but meridians and pararels are
• preserves shape but changes areas; curves
• chart scale is fixed only along pararels; • chart scale is fixed only along lines pararel to
• distortion increases with latitude; tangent meridian;
• not designed to chart high latitudes; • distortion increases with distance from
• Rumb Line is a straight line; central meridian;
• Great Circle is a curve – closest distance on • no problem with charting high latitudes;
chart is • Rumb Line is not a straight line;
not the closest distance in reality • Great Circle is a curve – closest distance on
chart is not the closest distance in reality
 Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM)

Projection definition:
To avoid distortion along paralles, the
globe is divided into 60 zones (6 deg
of Long each).
For each zone the projection is done
with cylinder tangent to the middle
meridian (Central Meridian)
CENTRAL MERIDIAN EVERY 6deg In fact the scale along Central
(.....15W, 9W, 3W, 3E, 9E, 15 E....)
Meridian is established as 0.9996 i.e
the projection is done on the cylinder
intersecting the ellipsoid aprox. 180
km both sides of the Central Meridian.
In that way the distortion of distances
is minimaized.
Universal Transverse Mercator
• parallel and meridians are curves, so it is
not easy convertion between grid
coordinates and geodetic coordinates;
• grid north and true north coincident only
on the Central meridian;
• meridian convergance – angle between
meridian and grid lines in particular area;
• maximum convergance at poles – 3 deg;
• grid coordinates are always positive values
(origin of the grid outside 6deg band);
• coordinates always increasing to East and to
North, grid unit – 1 metre,
• used notation- Eastings (first) – 6 digits;
Northings - 7 digits
E 345 678/ N 7 456 234
• designed to be used on small areas only
due to direction and distance distortions;
• the only advantage is the similarity to
Cartesian reference frame;
ZONE NUMBERS (6° BANDS, Central Meridian in middle)
Universal Transverse Mercator –zones Europe
Meridian zones are divided into
zone belts which has a letter
designator.
For South Norway the belt was
extended:
zone belt 32 V: N 56°- N 64°
E 003°- E 012°
Additionally zone belts are
divided into squares 100 km by
100 km indicted by two letters:
e.g. MP, KM, PQ etc.
Short coordinates may be used:
32V MP 3641/34079 (2 first
digits are described by belt/square
ID)
However now the full UTM
coordinates are commonly used to
avoid any umbiguities. (only zone
No. must be known)
Variety of Position
Reference Systems used
for Dynamic Positioning
Problem to face are:
• define the common reference
frame;
• calibrate each system within
common reference frame;
• obtain, one blended estimate
based on all measurements;
• prevent system from false, not
reliable measurements
Global and Local Position Reference Systems
Position information from position-reference systems may be received by the DP system in
many different forms:
• Global position-reference systems such as GPS provide position information as Latitude and
Longitude in a geodetic coordinate system.
The applicable datum must be known (for example: WGS84, ED87).
• Some global position-reference systems provide positions in the UTM projection (a flat surface
projection, defined by a UTM zone and north and east distances from the 0-point of this zone.
The applicable datum must be known.
• Local position-reference systems such as HPR provide positions in local Cartesian coordinates
(defined by two-dimensional measurement of the north/south (X) and east/west (Y) distances
from a locally defined reference origin, such as the position of a transponder).

Usually, whatever types of position-reference systems are enabled, all position input are
converted into a geographic system using WGS84 as a “system datum”.
PRS Handling
Defining the Reference Origin
When first position reference system is
calibrated to system the common
reference frame (usually-North UP)
Reference frame (grid) origin is placed
in the position of the transponder TP1
used as first.
Vessel Origio coordinates are calculated
by correcting the raw measurement
with sensor offsets. (offset has to be
established in common frame, so
heading, pitch and roll has to be
known).
PRS Calibration and Pooling
Calibration:
First PRS:
• DP waiting for 3 successive fixes;
• if all 3 successive fixes within 10 m, system calibration OK.
(Note: that that’s mean, that vessel cannot move fast during initial calibration; more stable
vessel – more accurate initial calibration)
Next PRSs:
• DP waiting for 10 successive fixes;
• if all 10 successive fixes within 10 m, system calibration OK. (calibration limits can be changed
by operator)

PRS Pooling:
• standard deviation (SD) is calculated for every reference system;
• the blended position is calculated as weighted average of all system where, the weight of
components depends on the system’s Standard Deviation;
Position Reference Systems – validation tests
• FREEZE TEST rejects repeated measurements. If the variation in the measured position is less
than a system set limit over a given period of time, the position-reference system is rejected.

• VARIANCE TEST monitors the measurement variance and compares the variance value with a
calculated limit.

• PREDICTION TEST detects sudden jumps or large systematic deviations in the measured
position. The limit for the prediction test is a function of the estimated position in the Vessel
Model and the actual measurement accuracy.

• DIVERGENCE TEST gives a warning of systematic deviations and/or slow-drift (before the
system is rejected by the prediction test).

• MEDIAN TEST detects position measurements that differ from the median position value with
more than a predefined limit. The test is mainly designed to detect slowly drifting position-
reference systems.

If the results of the prediction, median and variance tests suggest that the position
measurements from a reference system are not accurate, then that system’s measurements
are not used.
 Position Reference Systems
FREEZE TEST
If a position-reference system has an internal error causing the same measurements to be
continuously sent to the Vessel Model, the system could, if no precautions were taken, mistake
the data for good and stable measurements.

FREEZE TEST - „live” assesment

The DP system treats repeated reports of the same position from one position- reference
system with caution. The position-reference system is monitored and its input rejected if the
variation in its position measurements is less than a predefined limit over a given time period.
The following alarm message is displayed:

Reference position frozen

You should disable the frozen position-reference system.

 Position Reference Systems
Divergance and Median Test

DIVERGANCE TEST – assembly assesment for two systems

The purpose of the test is to give an early indication of systematic errors before the position-
reference system is rejected by the prediction test.
This is a slow drift test - detects when measurements from one position-reference system differ
from the other(s). The limit is taken as 70 % of the prediction error limit.Test generates warning
only (no rejection):
Reference high offset
Examine which position-reference system is drifting. Recalibrate or disable the system with high
offset.
MEDIAN TEST – assembly assesment for three and more systems
The Median test is intended to reject slowly drifting position-reference systems.
Unlike the prediction test, the median test is independent of the DP model.
For Median test the median position is computed from the filtered measurements.
 Position Reference Systems
Operational Considerations
• correct arrangement and handling of position reference systems is the crucial aspect of
effective and safe dynamic positioning;
• relative position references should be used at installations that are not fixed in position,
the use of relative and absolute position reference systems can cause conflicts;
• problems may occur when two position system are used; in that case pooling
procedure can create the ambiguity: drifting system may drag over the good one;
• by using three systems the implementation of voting logic is possible, which can make
the PRS pooling process more reliable;
• with three PRSs the DPO has to be aware about common-mode failure problem i.e
when 2 of 3 systems experience the common failure, they can win over the third (good)
one;
• wherever possible, if multiple position references are in use, they should be
independent of each other and should be based on different principles;
Position Reference Systems - Operational Considerations
IMCA M 103 „Guidelines for The Design and Operation of DP Vessels”

DIVING
„For diving work at least three references should be on line and at least two should be of a
different type. Two DGPSs using different correction stations may be usable but could still be
subject to common failure in the satellite section of the system. Re-plumbing a taut wire, when it
is one of the three position references, does not constitute a violation of the above requirements,
if such action is completed as quickly as is safe and practicable and the station keeping was
stable when the taut wire was deselected prior to re-plumbing.”

DRILLING
„When connected or installing the BOP at least three position references should be continuously
on line. These position references should be configured to minimise the possibility of common
mode failure. For shallow water (<500m) the expectation is for acoustics, DGPS and a taut wire.
In deepwater where only acoustics and DGPS can provide the accuracy and update rate needed,
two independent acoustic and DGPS inputs can be shown to be adequate”

• In modern DP systems while dual DGPS is used, it can be configured with „Reduced
weight”, so the system for weighting purposes „see” two DGPSs as one sensor.
• Additionally, the „Monitoring Online” function can be helpful.
Position Reference Systems
(IMO MSC/Circ. 645 Guidelines for Vessels with Dynamic Positioning System)

Position reference system

.1 Position reference systems should be selected with due consideration to operational
requirements, both with regard to restrictions caused by the manner of deployment and
expected performance in working situation.
.2 For equipment classes 2 and 3, at least three position reference systems should be
installed and simultaneously available to the DP-control system during operation.
.3 When two or more position reference systems are required, they should not all be of
the same type, but based on different principles and suitable for the operating
conditions.
.4 The position reference systems should produce data with adequate accuracy for the
intended DP-operation.
.5 The performance of position reference systems should be monitored and warnings
provided when the signals from the position reference systems are either incorrect or
substantially degraded.
.6 For equipment class 3, at least one of the position reference systems should be
connected directly to the back-up control system and separated by A.60 class division
from the other position reference systems.