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Safety, health or the environment--which comes first?
1Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK. frank.crawley@strath.ac.uk
Journal of Hazardous Materials
|June 14, 2002
Summary
This study introduces two integrated models for assessing life cycle risk and environmental impact in offshore oil and gas developments. These models help rank designs by lowest human risk and environmental impact, ensuring overall safety and environmental objectives are met.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Risk Assessment
- Petrochemical Engineering
Background:
- Offshore oil and gas developments pose significant human and environmental risks.
- Existing assessment methods may not holistically balance safety, health, and environmental impacts.
- Concept options require robust evaluation before development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and apply integrated models for assessing life cycle risk and environmental impact of offshore oil and gas concept options.
- To enable ranking of designs based on lowest human risk and environmental impact.
- To provide criteria for balancing total safety, health, and environmental (SHE) assessments.
Main Methods:
- Development of two integrated models for risk and impact assessment.
- Application of models to evaluate concept options for offshore developments.
- Establishment of SHE assessment criteria for holistic balancing.
Main Results:
- The models effectively assess and rank designs for offshore developments.
- Demonstration that cosmetic improvements may not align with overall SHE objectives.
- The framework is adaptable for onshore petrochemical processes.
Conclusions:
- Integrated models provide a comprehensive approach to evaluating offshore developments.
- Holistic SHE assessment is crucial for achieving overall safety and environmental goals.
- The developed framework offers a transferable methodology for various industrial processes.