B.A.R.T (Baseline Risk Assessment Tool): A Step Change in Traditional Risk Assessment Techniques for Process Safety and Asset Integrity Management

Abstract

Abstract The oil and gas industry has generally recognized, Process Safety and Asset Integrity Management as key drivers for ensuring, throughout Life Cycle of Oil or Gas plant, the ability of assets to perform their functions efficiently, preventing at the same time occurrence of Major Hazards such as fires, explosions and toxic gas releases thus protecting safety and environment and preserving asset value. Several tools both qualitative and quantitative are available on the Market to support Process Safety and Asset Integrity Management. In early design phases, qualitative tools can be applied for preliminary evaluation of risk consequences while during subsequent project phases, Quantitative Risk Analysis (QRA) can be performed. However the above mentioned techniques have several shortcomings: QRA is a powerful design tool but can't give credit to operational controls, while qualitative risk analysis does not properly consider technical and process information. This paper describes an innovative risk screening methodology for evaluating hazards and establishing priorities for risk reduction, supported by dedicated software: B.A.R.T (BAseline Risk assessment Tool) represents a step change in traditional techniques since combines simplified quantitative risk assessment methodology with bow-tie model to identify and assess potential hazards and risks, from upstream onshore/offshore process and activities. The sequence of any major incident is analyzed from identification of primary root causes up to determination of potential effects and impacts. Therefore, all existent safety barriers are identified and their prevention and mitigation risk reduction contributes included in the analysis. BART allows systematic monitoring of all major incident risks through prioritization and selection of effective control measures able to reduce likelihood and/or consequences of current risks. In the paper methodology and rationale behind the tool are described through a real case application on an existing onshore Oil & Gas installation; main findings are highlighted and positively compared with alternative approaches.