Integrating human related errors with technical errors to determine causes behind offshore accidents

This paper presents how to model technical and human errors and how the two error types are integrated in one common model. Human errors were modeled as an integral part of the organization’s ability to handle failures, while technical errors were embedded as an integral part of the oil well drilling operation. To reduce the number of offshore accidents there is a continuous focus on safety improvements. An improved evaluation method is therefore suggested, a method which has the potential of being run in real-time to obtain an immediate assessment of the failure. The method is based on a knowledge model of the oil-well drilling process. All concepts in the model are structured in hierarchical categories, based on well-established knowledge, combined with situation specific experiences. We have previously developed a modeling tool for technical failures during drilling. Obviously the human factor plays an important role in all accidents. However the combination of technical and human factors has not yet been reported. Human factors have therefore been integrated with existing technical concepts in the present methodol-