FPSO process safety and risk concepts are most useful when they are tied to specific major-accident scenarios and measurable barrier performance. For hydrocarbon process hazards, loss of primary containment is a common top event, but FPSO risk also includes collision, loss of station keeping, stability, structural, and marine events. This guide explains 15 concepts teams...Continue Reading

When Should a Gas Dispersion Study Be Updated? Revalidate a gas dispersion study whenever a change could invalidate the release, dispersion, geometry, environmental, or receptor assumptions used in the original model. Typical triggers include higher pressure or throughput, a new hazardous substance, added congestion or confinement, relocated vents, changes to HVAC or occupied areas, detector...Continue Reading

Which Safety Studies Does an FPSO Project Need? FPSO safety studies typically progress from broad hazard identification and concept risk screening to detailed hazard analysis, quantitative risk assessment, fire and explosion assessment, safeguard verification and operational readiness. Depending on project stage, design maturity, regulatory regime and risk profile, the programme may include HAZID, HAZOP, QRA, FERA,...Continue Reading

Summary: When is 3D CFD required in gas dispersion modelling? 3D CFD isn’t usually named as a legal requirement. UK and Australian rules apply the ALARP principle instead; US rules ask for a documented hazard analysis; Norway’s NORSOK standards build CFD into recognised offshore practice, though they’re industry standards, not statutes. In practice, CFD becomes...Continue Reading

Summary: EERA—Evacuation, Escape and Rescue Analysis—tests whether offshore personnel can respond to a major accident, reach a suitable muster area or Temporary Refuge, and leave or escape the installation with a credible prospect of recovery and rescue. In the UK, PFEER regulation 5 requires this assessment and measurable performance standards for each credible scenario. It...Continue Reading

Summary: Imagine finalizing your facility design, only to discover late in the project that your layout cannot withstand a credible explosion scenario. This is exactly the kind of costly oversight a FERA study is meant to prevent, but only if it’s conducted at the right time. This is what this article explains: What is a...Continue Reading

What is gas dispersion modelling in risk assessment? Dispersion analysis is the simulation of how a hazardous gas release moves, dilutes, and settles after a leak. It is a core part of quantitative risk assessment (QRA) because it helps safety teams predict toxic and flammable hazard zones, improve gas detector mapping, and support compliance and...Continue Reading

Summary: This article explains how Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) serves different stakeholders—not just as a compliance tool, but as a practical decision engine. It shows how to tailor QRA outputs for executives, project teams, PSM and operations, regulators, insurers, emergency planners, investors, and communities using tools like IR contours, F-N curves, and more. Quantitative Risk...Continue Reading

Summary: Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) is a structured, data-driven method that estimates how often hazardous events could happen and how severe their consequences could be. By combining frequency analysis with consequence modeling, QRA quantifies individual and societal risk to guide ALARP decisions, safeguard design, emergency planning, and regulatory compliance. What Is QRA? If you’ve ever...Continue Reading

Summary: What is a hazard and what is a risk? Explaining the 2 terms in context of oil and gas sector with examples here. By understanding these concepts, industry professionals can significantly enhance safety measures and minimize potential threats to both workers and the environment. The oil and gas sector, essential for global energy, is...Continue Reading