Ageing and life extension of offshore installations

The maintenance of asset integrity and control of the significant risk to asset integrity presented  by ageing processes is a key priority for HSE. This page has been introduced to provide information on Ageing and Life Extension (ALE) issues relevant to offshore installations and the work of HSE in this area.

Ageing and Life Extension Programme (KP4)

Between 2011 and 2013 HSE carried out a programme of onshore and offshore inspections of the ALE and AIM systems to establish whether the risks are being managed effectively and to encourage improvements. HSE has published its report into the findings of the KP4 programme (PDF) [40]. It has identified areas of industry strengths, and areas for additional focus, which will deliver improvements for the long-term management and assurance of workforce safety on offshore installations on the UKCS through to cessation of production and into decommissioning.

Working with industry has brought a high level of positive engagement, resulting in the development of industry-leading ALE practices. Further work is required by industry to continue to improve these practices, and hence offshore safety.

Industry engagement

Oil &Gas UK set up an ALE steering group forum to assess the knowledge gaps and create expert groups to develop necessary guidance.

The Energy Institute[41] has created an ALE forum to address a variety of issues.

HSE has a long history of collaboration with Norway's Petroleum Safety Authority[42] and The Netherlands' State Supervision of Mines[43].

Key guidance

Link URLs in this page

  1. Offshore oil and gashttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/index.htm
  2. How we workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/how.htm
  3. Offshore health and safety lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/law.htm
  4. Workforce involvementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/workinvolvement.htm
  5. Unconventional oil and gas exploration (shale gas)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/unconventional-gas.htm
  6. Overview - Offshore topicshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/topics.htm
  7. Accommodationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/accommodation.htm
  8. Ageinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ageing/index.htm
  9. Corrosion and materialshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/corrosion-and-materials.htm
  10. Offshore divinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/diving.htm
  11. Electrical and control systemshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/controlsystems.htm
  12. Evacuation, escape and rescue (EER)https://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/eer.htm
  13. Fire, explosion and risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assessment.htm
  14. Human factorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/humanfactors.htm
  15. International liaisonhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/liaison.htm
  16. Marine and aviationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/marineaviation.htm
  17. Maritime integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/maritimeintegrity.htm
  18. Mechanical engineeringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/mechengineering.htm
  19. Occupational healthhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/occupationalhealth.htm
  20. Offshore pipelineshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/pipelines.htm
  21. Process integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/processintegrity.htm
  22. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/offshoreresearch.htm
  23. Safety caseshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/safetycases.htm
  24. Safety management systemshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/managementsystems.htm
  25. Structural integrityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/structuralintegrity.htm
  26. Verificationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/verification.htm
  27. Wellshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/wells.htm
  28. Working timehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/workingtime.htm
  29. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/resources.htm
  30. Overview - Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/publications.htm
  31. Operations noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/notices/index.htm
  32. Safety alerts and noticeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/notices/index.htm#safety-alerts
  33. Offshore information sheetshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/infosheets/index.htm
  34. Research reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/researchreports.htm
  35. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/statistics/index.htm
  36. Offshore charging informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/charging.htm
  37. Key programme final reportshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/programmereports.htm
  38. Offshore Directivehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/directive.htm
  39. Subscribehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ebulletin/index.htm
  40. report into the findings of the KP4 programmehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/kp4-report.pdf
  41. Energy Institutehttps://www.energyinst.org/home
  42. Norway's Petroleum Safety Authorityhttp://www.ptil.no/
  43. The Netherlands' State Supervision of Mineshttp://www.sodm.nl/
  44. Offshore Information Sheet 4/2009 Guidance on Management of Ageing and Thorough Reviews of Ageing Installationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/is4-2009.pdf
  45. More resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/ageing/resources.htm
  46. Plant ageing: Management of equipment containing hazardous fluids or pressurehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr509.htm
  47. Plant ageing studyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr823.htm
  48. Guidance on management of ageing and thorough reviews of ageing installationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/is4-2009.pdf
  49. Life Extension Issues for Ageing Offshore Installationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/offshore/assets/docs/omae2008-57411.pdf
  50. A Framework for Monitoring the Management of Ageing Effects on Safety Critical Elements, Energy Institute, 2009 http://publishing.energyinst.org/publication/ei-technical-publications/installation-integrity/ei-research-report-a-framework-for-monitoring-the-management-of-ageing-effects-on-safety-critical-elements
Updated 2021-12-14