Risk-related information needed through the planning process for offshore activities

Abstract

Planning and plan quality influence safe and efficient execution of work in offshore oil and gas activities. An important basis for developing good plans and making good decisions during the planning process is to have the right information available at the right time. In this study, we identify what risk-related information that is needed at what stages in the planning process to develop plans in which the risk for major accidents has been explicitly addressed. The result is an overview of the analysis and information needs for four main decision arenas through the planning process. The paper builds on previous studies on the planning process for maintenance activities, studies of major accident theories and investigations reports for hydrocarbon leaks, interviews of offshore and onshore personnel, observations of meetings and workshop with two operating companies from the Norwegian Continental Shelf.