Papers and Conference Presentations
HAZOP is so ubiquitous in the process industry today that it is hard to imagine a time when it was not. However there was such a time, and when HAZOPs first came about they were performed much differently than they are today. Fast forward a few decades, and much has been gained in the implementation of HAZOP studies – and much has been lost. This paper gives a 40-year perspective on the history of HAZOP approaches and tools, including 32 years of the author’s personal experience on how HAZOPs go right or go wrong. The pros and cons of the methods currently in use and misuse in different situations are discussed. The overall theme is to drive at the core of what a “good” HAZOP really is, rather than just performing a HAZOP that looks good and is really not, which unfortunately happens all too often today.
As the biofuels industry continues to expand in support of global decarbonization mandates and objectives, facility owners and developers are being challenged to balance production efficiency, operational reliability, and personnel safety.
As high hazard facilities, biofuels sites should focus on developing a fire protections strategy informed by performance-based analysis so strategies implemented meet the unique challenges found at each facility.
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