A new Safety Case regime was introduced in offshore Western Australia in late 1992. This paper describes the challenges faced by the Western Australian regulatory body in determining assessment and auditing standards and applying these in an effective, consistent and acceptable manner throughout the petroleum industry. The utilisation of finite government funding to best assess industry achievement of reducing risks to ‘As Low As Reasonably Practicable’ (ALARP) is also discussed. In conclusion, the paper addresses a programme for replacing prescriptive legislation with objective setting regulations and guidelines.

Keywords:
platform, assessment, safety case regime, spe 27099, objective, regulator, prescriptive legislation, assessment standard, workforce, consultation
Subjects:
Unconventional and Complex Reservoirs, HSSE & Social Responsibility Management, Safety, HSSE management systems, Safety risk management, Gas-condensate reservoirs
Copyright 1994, Society of Petroleum Engineers
You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.