06/08/2025
Risk assessment in oil and gas is a structured process used to identify, analyze, and control potential hazards that could lead to accidents, injuries, environmental harm, or equipment damage. It's a key part of safety management.
Main steps:
1. Hazard Identification:
- Spot potential dangers (e.g., gas leaks, fire, equipment failure, toxic exposure).
2. Risk Analysis:
- Evaluate how likely the hazard is to occur and how severe the consequences would be.
3. Risk Evaluation:
- Decide if the risk is acceptable or needs control measures.
4. Control Measures:
- Implement actions to eliminate or reduce risk (e.g., PPE, maintenance, alarms, training).
5. Monitoring and Review:
- Continuously check that controls are working and update assessments as needed.
Why it's important:
- Prevents major accidents (fires, explosions)
- Protects workers and the environment
- Ensures compliance with safety laws and standards
- Reduces downtime and operational loss
Risk assessment is ongoing and critical at every stage exploration, drilling, production, transport, and refining.
