Algorithmic safety models and their impact on risk management in the petroleum industry

Abstract

Maintenance and modifications for offshore installations are completed on site, on already operating installations. To be able to accommodate the additional personnel responsible for conduction these services, flotels are used. Flotels are floating “hotels” that uses dynamic positioning and/or mooring lines to position themselves in a close proximity to the offshore installation, and utilize gangway bridges or “Walk-2-Work” bridges to allow for transfer of personnel between the floating accommodation vessel and the offshore installation. Crossing the gangway bridge is associated with risks to personnel as elements, such as winds and waves can cause the gangway bridge to exceed its safe operation limit. In an attempt simplify the workload on the gangway operator, a risk-based decision support model has been developed. This model utilizes algorithms, and the aim of this thesis is to analyze how the use of algorithms to support decision-making impact risk management in the petroleum industry, and how algorithmic risk can be managed in the future.