Postition location system for ocean mining

The discovery of commercial grade minerals far from traditionally exploitable coastal regions, combined with the vigorous pursuit of Oil and gas in remote areas of the world, have created a well defined need for precise location across broad ocean areas and remote coastal regions. In answer to this requirement a precision, localized, deep ocean, navigation system has been created. This unique system integrates existing positioning technology with that of oceanic buoy technology. The result is an accurate, independent network which ensures positional location within 50 feet (nominally 22-35 ft) over an ocean area of about 7,000 square miles. Secondary positional accuracies of about 50 feet are attainable over 10,000 square miles. The buoy-borne system operates completely unattended for a period of years and can be installed using conventional survey vessels. It is easily relocated and can be expanded modularly to suit any operational consideration. Applications are identified with general offshore industry support, with particular emphasis on precise location of mining ships, drill ships, other drilling platforms, and survey vessels. A discussion of the system design, sub-system functions and overall effectiveness is presented.