Author(s)

Emeka Maduabuchi, John N. Ugbebor, Gogomary Oyet Israel

Centre for Occupational Health, Safety and Environment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Nigeria.

A cross-sectional exploratory assessment of the needs and challenges of petroleum industry in Nigeria, in assessing process safety cumulative risk for major accidents prevention was investigated. A purposive cum random sampling technique was used in this study, among selected petroleum companies operating in Nigeria. Survey questionnaires were received from 216 participants made up of asset integrity engineers/operators, process safety experts, production safety professionals in the petroleum industry in Nigeria. Data analyses were carried out to cover descriptive and inferential statistics. Overall, the study recognized that assessing process safety cumulative risk is not a simple process due largely to the changing nature of safety critical barriers degradation data. The study result showed four main challenges faced by petroleum industries in Nigeria, in assessing process safety cumulative risk: 1) the study showed that 94% of the respondents agreed that there is limited accessibility to safety critical barriers degradation data (little automation). Also 2) 94% of the respondents accounted for poor knowledge of process safety cumulative risk is and agreed it to be of low rating. The result further showed that 3) 90% of the respondents demonstrated that there are no guidance and procedures in assessing process safety cumulative risk and finally 4) 92% of the respondents reported that there is no real-time risk visualization model/ tool. Addressing these issues and challenges by the petroleum industries in the study area, will lead to successful assessment of process safety cumulative risk, thereby reducing the risk of major accidents.

Process Safety, Cumulative Risk Assessment, Major Accident Prevention, Petroleum Industry

Maduabuchi, E. , Ugbebor, J. and Israel, G. (2023) Needs and Challenges of Nigeria Petroleum Industry in Assessing Process Safety Cumulative Risk. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 11, 192-204. doi: 10.4236/gep.2023.117013.