RescUSim and IPython: An environment for offshore emergency preparedness planning

Emergency preparedness is crucial for oil and gas operators. While accidents in this industry are commonly connected to oil spill disasters, helicopter accidents are, in terms of incidence rates, a more grave concern in Norway. A recent helicopter accident near Bergen has brought this subject back into focus. We introduce RescUSim, a simulator for rescue missions after offshore helicopter accidents, which is implemented as an open source library with bindings for the Python language. We discuss the modules in the existing Python ecosystem that are used for data preparation and analysis. We show how RescUSim and the interactive computing environment IPython can join forces to provide a tool for planning rescue preparedness for oil and gas related offshore activities

Present knowledge and future direction for risk management in offshore oil and gas project

Oil and gas offshore projects generally characterized as very high risk. The activities are well known exposed to a high level of risk that can't be ignored, but it still can be able to manage. In the past two decades since the 1980s, there are many studies in various aspects of managing risk in oil and gas projects have been conducted. The studies conducted includes risk identification, risk assessment, risk response and risk monitoring, and control. Although the number of studies conducted has been increasingly focused on risk management in offshore oil and gas projects, there are still limited number of published studies that summarise the literature. Hence, this paper aims to examine the present published studies on managing risk in oil and gas projects from a holistic outlook which may be used as a future guideline. To fulfil this paper aims, a systematic literature review was carried out by giving the areas focused on areas fields in oil and gas projects, studied approaches used by others researchers, by showing the pattern in research through the previous years. These paper also discussed the research gap found which might be used for future prospective studies

What Difference has the Cullen Report made? : Empirical Analysis of Offshore Safety Regulations in the United Kingdom’s Oil and Gas Industry

Peer reviewedPostprin

Inovação nos Locais de Trabalho – Revigorar a Cultura de Segurança e a Saúde Ocupacional: Contributos para uma Revisão da Literatura

Uma atividade profissional está sistematicamente envolta em dinâmicas plurais, nem sempre fáceis gerir ou prever, sendo influenciada direta e indiretamente por questões de segurança, aspetos sociais, entre outras. As falhas de segurança, por diversos fatores, podem gerar consequências nefastas para a implementação de metodologias de inovação nos locais de trabalho, assim como, para a Segurança e Saúde Ocupacional (SSO). O presente artigo, inserido num trabalho em curso, tem como foco tal temática, sob a forma de uma revisão da literatura, delimitando a narrativa com base em nove estudos. Os objetivos são: 1) caraterizar o impacto da inovação nas estruturas organizacionais; 2) compreender como as organizações implementam e divulgam as metodologias relacionadas com a inovação; 3) caraterizar as descobertas alcançadas com a intervenção dos estudos efetuados. Para tal, como motor de busca foi utilizada a B-On, Google académico, PDF Drive e ResearchGate em regime aberto. As conclusões indicam que a inovação nos locais de trabalho pode ser analisada em vários conceitos, como a cultura de segurança e a saúde ocupacional. Verifica-se que quando se fala em inovação no local de trabalho esta nem sempre inclui inovação de metodologias relacionadas com a SSO, mas sim como inovação tecnológica

Offshore wind H&S : a review and analysis

The offshore wind industry is growing rapidly around the world. Many governments have set ambitious targets for growth to achieve their decarbonisation goals. As the industry grows it can become more challenging to build and operate wind farms safely. Wind farms are being constructed further from shore in tougher weather and sea conditions. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive has raised concerns about safety performance. This paper aims to review the current state of health and safety in the offshore wind industry. It reviews the latest research, injury statistics and the state of legislation covering the sector. It also considers how the risk profile of the industry may change in coming years. The paper finds there is a need for more research specific to the safety challenges of offshore wind. Injury rate statistics show that performance is 3–4 times worse than comparable industries, and industry reports do not currently include large parts of the sector. Rapid growth and the implementation of new technologies will create additional challenges. Regulators should consider the implementation of industry specific safety legislation to manage the unique challenges of offshore wind

Develop a method to compare the barrier performance for the operator companies on Norwegian Continental Shelf and use this method to investigate if there is a statistically significant difference between the companys’ barrier performances.

Master's thesis in Risk managementIn this thesis a method has been developed to investigate if there is a statistically significant difference between the barrier performances of different operator companies. The method is developed using the predictive Bayesian approach, as described in Aven (2003). It includes two formulas; one formula for the prediction interval, which will be used to compare the operators’ failure rates, and the second formula for making a criterion to define the number of tests required in order to obtain an acceptable level for the failure rates. The method is comparable to the classical methods of “tests of two proportions” and “choice of sample size”. The Classical approach has also been compared to the predictive Bayesian approach. The predictive Bayesian approach uses the previous data as background knowledge to find the predicted value of p. It could be argued that the predictive Bayesian approach is more reliable than the Classical approach because the result from the predictive Bayesian approach tries to describe how the states of the observable quantities are at present or in the future. The Classical approach on the other hand only calculates the probability as it was, implicitly excluding the evolution of the events. The method, in its essence, compares two of the operators’ failure rates at a time, for seven barriers. It determines the operator which has a statistically significant lower failure rate. The method has its main motivation in assuming that operator companies will show trends that reveal different maintenance, inspection and testing schemes and expertise for the barriers. The results from the developed method show that three comparisons of the operators’ barrier performance were found to have a statistically significant lower failure rate, while the results from the Classical approach found twelve such comparisons that showed a statistically significant lower failure rate. The Classical approach found more comparisons with statistically significant lower failure rates, because the developed method performed fewer comparisons due to the criterion for number of tests for next period was not fulfilled for each comparison. However, the developed method results in the same conclusions as the Classical approach, but the Classical approach gives more exaggerated indications compared to the developed method

Developing Leading Indicators Framework for Predicting Kicks and Preventing Blowouts

Due to the operational complexities of drilling, completion and well intervention activities, it is often quite challenging to predict a potential blowout scenario timely and efficiently. In drilling operations, blowouts are usually preceded by kicks and predicting kicks early is crucial for regaining control of the well and preventing major incident. Kicks and blowouts happen due to failure of well control barriers and leading indicators could be very effective in identify vulnerabilities in such systems. For assessing integrity of well control barriers with appropriate sets of leading indicators, a robust framework was proposed and sets of probabilistic models were developed in this work. By following a systematic cause-based methodology proposed in this work, sets of leading indicators were identified for monitoring barrier performances while drilling, completion and well intervention activities. Analyses of Montara and Deepwater Horizon blowout incidents demonstrated applicability of leading indicators framework in revealing system weaknesses prior to major incidents. Using the real-time kick indicators, decision support algorithms were developed in this work which would help to understand a kick progression scenario and actions required to confirm a kick. Leading indicators-based probabilistic models were developed for evaluating the relative importance of different organizational and operational factors, and assessing their impacts on the key causal factors of well control barrier failure events. These models were constructed for hydrostatic head failure events which can be caused by abnormal pore pressure and swabbing, and cementing failure during drilling and completion activities. An integrated iii model for assessing well control failure events during wireline operations was also constructed. These models represent realistic scenario of barrier health and could be very useful for determining barrier failure probabilities from observed data. Addition to these, efficiencies of kick detection parameters to detect potential influxes and factors impacting their performances can also be assessed with the developed models. These functions enable informed decision-making for preventing kicks and blowouts while drilling or intervening a well, by providing real-time status of the well control system

Safe Operation of Nuclear Power Plants - Is Safety Culture an Adequate Management Method?

One of the characteristics of a good safety culture is a definable commitment to the improvement of safety behaviours and attitudes at all organisational levels. A second characteristic of an organisation with excellent safety culture is free and open communication. The general understanding has been that safety culture is a part of organisation culture. In addition to safety culture thinking, proactive programmes and displays of proactive work to improve safety are required. This work needs to include, at a minimum, actions aiming at reducing human errors, the development of human error prevention tools, improvements in training, and the development of working methods and the organisation’s activities. Safety depends not only on the technical systems, but also on the people and the organisation. There is a need for better methods and tools for organisational assessment and development. Today there is universal acceptance of the significant impact that management and organisational factors have over the safety significance of complex industrial installations such as nuclear power plants. Many events with significant economic and public impact had causes that have been traced to management deficiencies. The objective of this study is development of new methods to increase safety of nuclear power plant operation. The research has been limited to commercial nuclear power plants that are intended for electrical power generation in Finland. Their production activities, especially operation and maintenance, are primarily reviewed from a safety point of view, as well as human performance and organisational factors perspective. This defines the scope and focus of the study. The research includes studies related to knowledge management and tacit knowledge in the project management context and specific studies related to transfer of tacit knowledge in the maintenance organization and transfer of tacit knowledge between workers of old generation and young generation. The empirical results of the research are presented in research papers which are enclosed in this thesis

Developing a framework for mental health management of project management practitioners in architecture, engineering and construction project organizations

Complexity of Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) project designs that involve managing multiple projects concurrently, network of project management practitioners (PMPs) from different organisations, engagement of project stakeholders and multiple contractors spurred the proliferation of poor mental health. Considerable amount of mental health research focused on organisational supports and coping mechanisms as proximal strategies for promoting positive mental health. While acknowledging the significant contributions of the previous studies, scant attention has been placed on distant practices, which is organisational design practices responsible for the sources of mental health problems in AEC projects. Addressing poor mental health through the lens of organisational design would open a new scholarship on how different organisational dimensions in a project based organisation contributes to mental health management outcomes, which in turn improve mental health. It would further shift concentration on individual analysis to project organisational unit analysis by identifying mental health management indicators for assessing the performance of the AEC project organisation. Therefore, the key research problem identified is how to develop a mental health management framework that promotes positive mental health through organisational design concept in AEC project organisations. The aim of this study is to develop a holistic mental health management framework to monitor, measure, assess and improve the mental health of PMPs in AEC project organisations. To achieve the aim and objectives of this research, a theoretical model was developed to explain the mental health management in AEC project organisations through the integration of institutional theory, agency theory, resources based theory (RBT), contingency theory and complexity theory. The findings of this study made significant contributions to the body of literature in mental health management and AEC by innovatively applying organizational theories: institutional theory, agency theory, resources based theory (RBT), contingency theory and complexity theory to interpretation of organizational design concept in addressing mental health problems in AEC project organizations. The identified mental health management indicators provide comprehensive understanding of indicators for assessment of mental health management practices, which assist organization managers in detecting dysfunction in the implemented mental health management practices in AEC projects

Advanced Safety Methodology for Risk Management of Petroleum Refinery Operations

Petroleum refineries are important facilities for refining petroleum products that provide the primary source of energy for domestic and industrial consumption globally. Petroleum refinery operations provide significant contribution to global economic growth. Petroleum refineries are complex, multifaceted systems that perform multiple phase operations characterized by a high level of risk. Evidence based major accidents that have occurred within the last three decades in the petroleum refineries, around the world, indicates losses estimated in billions of US dollars. Many of these accidents are catastrophes, which have led to the disruption of petroleum refinery operations. These accidents have resulted in production loss, asset damage, environmental damage, fatalities and injuries. However, the foremost issue analysed in literatures in relation to major accidents in petroleum refineries, is the lack of robust risk assessment and resourceful risk management approaches to identify and assess major accident risks, in order to prevent or mitigate them from escalating to an accident. Thus, it is exceptionally critical to readdress the issue of petroleum refinery risk management with the development of a more dependable, adaptable and holistic risk modelling framework for major accident risks investigation. In this thesis, a proactive framework for advanced risk management to analyse and mitigate the disruption risks of petroleum refinery operations is presented. In this research, various risk elements and their attributes that can interact to cause the disruption of PRPU operations were identified and analysed, in order to determine their criticality levels. This thesis shows that the convergent effect of the interactions between the risk elements and their attributes can lead to the disruption of petroleum refinery operations. In the scheme of the study, Fuzzy Linguistic Preference Relation (FLPR), Fuzzy Evidential Reasoning (FER) and Fuzzy Bayesian Network (FBN) methodologies were proposed and implemented to evaluate the criticality of the risk elements and their attributes and to analyse the risk level of PRPU operations. Also, AHP-fuzzy VIKOR methodology was utilised for decision modelling to determine the optimal strategy for the risk management of the most significant risk elements’ attributes that can interact to cause the disruption of PRPU operations. The methodologies proposed and implemented in this research can be utilised in the petroleum refining industry, to analyse complex risk scenarios where there is incomplete information concerning risk events or where the probability of risk events is uncertain. The result of the analysis conducted in this research to determine the risk level of petroleum refinery operations can be utilised by risk assessors and decision makers as a threshold value for decision making in order to mitigate the disruption risk of PRPU operations. The decision strategies formulated in this thesis based on robust literature review and expert contributions, contributes to knowledge in terms of the risk management of petroleum refinery operations. The result of the evaluation and ranking of the risk elements and their attributes can provide salient risk information to duty holders and decision makers to improve their perceptions, in order to prioritise resources for risk management of the most critical attributes of the risk elements. Overall, the methodologies applied in this thesis, can be tailored to be utilised as a quantitative risk assessment tool, by risk managers and decision analysts in the petroleum refining industry for enhancement risk assessment processes where available information can sometimes be vague or incomplete for risk analysis