Abstract
Management of risk to personnel and the environment in a major accident hazard (MAH) facility like offshore oil and gas production is a well acknowledged priority. Identification of the hazards, evaluating the potential for harm, analysis and implementation of the risk mitigation measures aCand safeguard stewardship are key for effective risk management.
Facility siting and layout is arguably the most influential design feature, but it can be problematic to get due regard in risk management during later design phases. Decisions on facility siting and layout are made during early design engineering phases and such decisions have the highest impact on the inherent risk profile of a MAH facility. This paper talks through a systematic approach for effectively utilizing layout in managing risk through establishing a layout philosophy, layout reviews.
This paper shares experience in utilizing technology (including enhanced QRA and 3D models) to determine engineered solutions for managing risk and risk-based decision making. It includes examples from recent oil and gas projects where concept selection and initial stages of engineering have considered risk-based approach for location selection, equipment selection, orientation and segregation, building siting and other options. The paper will demonstrate how a risk-based approach to facility siting provides an inherently safer design to minimize the reliance on add-on safety barriers.
Key words: facility siting and layout, quantitative risk assessment, risk management, safeguard stewardship, inherently safer d
