Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17 (2)
EPSG:9363±0.1 mBest accuracy- Method:
- Geocentric translations (geog2D domain) by grid (IGN)
- Area of use:
- Saudi Arabia - onshore
- Scope:
- Geodesy.
Grid file: ARAMCO_AAA-KSAGRF_6.tac
Accuracy 5-10 cm.
Convert Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17
Convert coordinates from Ain el Abd (EPSG:4204) to KSA-GRF17 (EPSG:9333) — official EPSG transformation parameters, accuracy and area of use, with a free in-browser converter.
About converting Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17
Ain el Abd 1970 (EPSG:4204) is the classical datum of the Arabian peninsula's oil heartland, defined on the International 1924 ellipsoid with its origin at the Ain el Abd base in Saudi Arabia. Decades of Saudi cadastre, infrastructure and Aramco-era mapping reference it.
KSA-GRF17 (EPSG:9333) is Saudi Arabia's modern geodetic reference frame — an ITRF2014 realisation at epoch 2017.0 — to which official mapping has been migrating. The published EPSG path between them is a concatenated operation accurate to about ±0.1 m, dramatically better than the old multi-metre Ain el Abd→WGS 84 fits.
This is the canonical modernisation conversion for Saudi data: go Ain el Abd → KSA-GRF17 directly rather than via WGS 84.
Why people convert EPSG:4204 to EPSG:9333
- Migrating Saudi cadastral and municipal data to KSA-GRF17
- Modernising oil and gas asset coordinates from Ain el Abd
- Meeting GEOSA requirements for new survey deliverables
- Avoiding accuracy loss from legacy WGS 84 shortcuts
Try it: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Input (EPSG:4204): 46.6753, 24.7136
Official EPSG transformations from Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17
The EPSG Geodetic Parameter Dataset defines 2 transformations between Ain el Abd (EPSG:4204) and KSA-GRF17 (EPSG:9333). Each applies to a specific area — pick the one whose area of use covers your data.
Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17 (1)
EPSG:9362±2 m- Method:
- Geocentric translations (geog2D domain)
- Area of use:
- Saudi Arabia - onshore
- Scope:
- Spatial referencing.
| Parameter | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| X-axis translation(tx) | 13.8714 | metre |
| Y-axis translation(ty) | -83.9721 | metre |
| Z-axis translation(tz) | 101.674 | metre |
For a more accurate transformation see Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17 (2) (CT code 9363)
Convert EPSG:4204 to EPSG:9333 in code
The same transformation with common GIS tools and libraries:
from pyproj import Transformer
transformer = Transformer.from_crs("EPSG:4204", "EPSG:9333", always_xy=True)
x, y = transformer.transform(-73.9857, 40.7484)
print(x, y)Source: EPSG:4204 — Ain el Abd
geographic system using latitude and longitude on an ellipsoid · Area of use: Asia - Middle East - Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
+proj=longlat +ellps=intl +towgs84=-143,-236,7,0,0,0,0 +no_defs +type=crsMore about EPSG:4204 →
Target: EPSG:9333 — KSA-GRF17
geographic system using latitude and longitude on an ellipsoid · Area of use: Saudi Arabia
+proj=longlat +ellps=GRS80 +towgs84=0,0,0,-0.008393,0.000749,-0.010276,0 +no_defs +type=crsMore about EPSG:9333 →
Frequently asked questions
- Why convert directly to KSA-GRF17 instead of via WGS 84?
- The direct concatenated operation is accurate to ±0.1 m. Routing through the old Ain el Abd→WGS 84 Helmert fits degrades that to several metres.
- What projected systems go with KSA-GRF17?
- KSA-GRF17 UTM zones 36N–40N (EPSG:9356–9360) replace the Ain el Abd UTM zones for modern Saudi mapping.
- How accurate is converting Ain el Abd to KSA-GRF17?
- The most accurate official EPSG transformation between these systems is accurate to about ±0.1 m within its stated area of use. Browser-based converters approximate datum shifts with Helmert parameters; for surveying-grade work apply the official transformation (including the grid-shift files listed below) in a desktop GIS.
- Does my data leave the browser when I use this converter?
- No. All coordinate transformations are computed locally in your browser using proj4js. The coordinates you enter are never transmitted to any server.