We are accustomed to using Raster charts in the GoM. Those charts have block charts integrated into them. We are converting to using Vector charts with Raster being cancelled. Vector charts do not have the GoM blocks. Is there any way to get a block overlay on Vector charts? The main issue is estimating distances. We would use the old Raster charts to quickly locate each block and plot multiple run times quickly. Without this, we need to know precise lat/long of where we are and the destination. Any help is greatly appreciated.
I’m not sure I understand the problem. I just opened a chart of the GoM and went to the bottom and clicked new and picked a range bearing line. From there I clicked on the entrance buoy to Mobile Bay and then went to Pensacola Bay entrance to click on the destination. Once you have established a line, just click on the line to highlight it and then right click to view the properties. It will give you the bearing from Mobile to Pensacola Bay entrance, 079°T / 082°M and the distance, about 47 miles. Sorry that is statute miles not nautical miles because I am on KY lake right now and everything is set to statute. That is easily fixed by going to settings.
I have used the same technique on both vector and raster for a long time.
Hope this helps.
If I’m asked to go from say E.I 252 to Vermillion 214, I could use the old raster charts to quickly locate each block and plot multiple run times quickly. The blocks in GoM are not showing on vector charts and without knowing a precise lat/long (which is not always available) it’s making things very difficult.
NOAA has a set of 6 Gulf of Mexico lease block overlays in IENC format (vector) that will display in Coastal Explorer. They appear as a grid of blocks – you will have to click on each block to show it’s name
Go to: U.S. Office of Coast Survey
Expand: Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease blocks
Click: “IENC overlay files”
Direct Download link: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/learn/docs/precision-navigation/BOEMOilGasBlockTileIENC22final.zip
Unzip and put them in your chart directory.
Hope that helps.
In the GOM, we deal with a LOT of non-Mariners in the Oil & Gas Industry. They rarely have lat / longs for us to use. Most of the time, we get a lease block i.e. South Timbalier 35 or Eugene Island 27. We have to get our own coordinates. The old RNC charts for the GOM were 1115A, 1116A, and 1117A.
I have installed those six charts and they do not accomplish what we need. The original RNC charts had the areas labeled and the blocks numbered. You could quickly find the blocks you needed. While the new charts have the blocks imposed on the charts, the area names and block numbers are not visible. You have to tap on individual blocks to view their names which means you have to know where to look first. It defeats the whole purpose of these charts and is not helpful.
I found RNC files for 1115A, 1116A, and 1117A from just before the discontinuations and have those installed so I can still use them for reference.
Does anyone know a way to display the lease block name?
Thank you Mack2 for that information.
Perhaps the Rose Point developers could implement an option to display it. IENC Object Class: PRDARE_A or PRDARE(A) > display OBJNAM. The OBJNAM includes the lease block area prefix/abbreviation and number.
FYI – Ocean Grafix offers printed NOAA Custom Charts with lease block names, including the area prefixes:
https://www.nauticalchartsonline.com/charts/NOAA/Gulf-Coast
example: Nautical Charts Online - View details of Chart 1117AOG, Galveston to Rio Grande (Oil and Gas Leasing Areas)
Disclosure: I created the lease block overlays for them.
Our commercial software, Rose Point ECS, includes a lease block overlay as well as features for searching for searching for a particular area and showing which area a vessel is in.