Ice force modeling for DP control systems

Abstract

Hydrocarbon exploration and production activities in ice-covered waters will likely require some form of dynamic positioning due to the need for quick connection/disconnection. Ice loads acting on a floating vessel in managed ice conditions can vary quickly, be large in magnitude and are difficult to predict. Existing DP control technology is based on the tried and true techniques of wind force feedforward, and stochastic state estimation of wave and current forces. Ice loads are not amenable to classical stochastic modeling techniques and the measurement of ice loads directly or indirectly (and thus the use of feedforward) is non-trivial. This paper describes work being carried out by the Institute for Ocean Technology to investiagte the nature of managed pack ice loading on a DP vessel. The approach to our future investigations will be a combination of full-scale and model scale physical tests, combined with numerical modeling.Peer reviewed: YesNRC publication: Ye