Probabilistic risk assessment: study of fault tree analysis technique

• Grant number: 14/24628-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2015
• End date: April 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Naval and Oceanic Engineering - Design of Ships and Ocean Systems
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Ramos Martins
• Grantee: Danilo Taverna Martins Pereira de Abreu
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In this undergraduate research, the Fault Tree Analysis technique and its application on real engineering problems will be studied. As a support tool, the software SAPHIRE 8, developed by the Idaho National Laboratory (INL), will be used. It is available at the Laboratory for Risk Analysis, Avaliation and Management (LabRisco) of the Naval and Ocean Engineering Department of the University of Sao Paulo (PNV-USP), where the project will be developed. At engineering’s scope, the Faull Tree Analysis technique is one of the most well known methods for probabilistic risk analysis. By this method, it is possible to study the main factors of a system that may lead to its failure and eventual economic, environmental or life damage. On this project, the technique will be applied to evaluate the probability of failure of a real system of water injection on oil wells to increase its recovery factor. The main scenarios that may lead to the system failure will be calculated and alterations on its critical points will be suggested to minimize the overall probability of failure. (AU)