Demonstrating operational risk management

Demonstration of an integrated workflow of risk management, providing a strong basis for communication of risks with various stakeholders, including authorities and the general public.

State of the art

Some form of operational risk management were already performed in previous injection sites but in most of them used an ad hoc methodology. In some cases, no clear workflow or procedure is apparent (Sleipner, Chadwick et al. 2008; In Salah, Ringrose et al. 2012; Ketzin, Wurdemann et al. 2011, Martens et al. 2014). Those references often mention updates of either the main models or the risk assessments but not in a clearly defined way, such as what is required from the EU directive and the accompanying guidance documents. In North America, more robust risk management methods were used (at Weyburn, Bowden et al. 2013, or at Decatur, Hnottavange-Telleen, 2014) but how monitoring is used to update the risk assessment is less clear. An operational automated system for monitoring was developed for the Decatur site (Picard et al. 2011) but again, the link with risk assessment is not clear.

The ROAD project in the Netherlands, developed risk management plans in accordance with the requirements of the EU directive but is still in the pre-injection phase (Steeghs et al. 2014).

There also exist various published (but still untested on real sites) methods regarding links between the risk management plans and how to set thresholds: Setting up a Monitoring plan: Bourne et al. 2014; Having probabilistic thresholds in the monitoring plan: Jenkins, 2013; Using a traffic light system for dealing with the offset between models and measurements: Kronimus et al. 2013; Using Key Performance indicators for linking observation and risk assessments: Pearce et al. (2013).

Progress beyond the state of the art

The task will seek to make progress on the following points:

• Integration of different monitoring techniques in order to derive more meaningful indicators
• Robust link between risk assessment updates and observations through the use of clearly defined thresholds
• Use of probabilistic risk models
• Integrated workflow for operational risk management including monitoring, modelling and risk communication.

Outcomes

Demonstration of an integrated workflow of risk management, providing a strong basis for communication of risks with various stakeholders, including authorities and the general public. Initial design stage of an integrated alert system, providing provide a strong methodological framework for future operators and regulators of storage sites and will be consistent with the guidance of the EU directive.