ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the usefulness of risk analysis as a tool for decision support. It analyses the findings from two cases, the Deepwater Horizon disaster and the Gullfaks C near-accident and discusses the support that risk analysis can provide in the planning and preparation of operations. Risk analysis is understood to be a structured and documented process where the aim is to identify undesired events and express uncertainty regarding their occurrence and severity. The chapter discusses the Gullfaks C incident and the Deepwater Horizon disaster and highlight aspects of these events relevant to risk analysis. Strategic risk analyses are primarily aimed at developing a safe design and safe operating procedures. Strategic risk analyses tend to focus on technical aspects; operational input is usually limited to measurements of activity levels such as the number of offshore supply vessels visiting the installation, the number of crane lifts and the number of wells drilled.