A decision analysis of the oil blowout at Bravo platform

The oil blowout problem has received increasing attention as the search for oil has been carried further offshore. Most scientific effort has been on the prevention side via predictions of blowouts and changes in design of the platforms. Few studies have focussed on oil blowouts once they have occurred. This paper is a case study of the oil blowout that occurred on the Bravo platform in the Ekofisk field in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. The primary data included interviews with the group who directed the Norwegian government response to this blowout. Other data came from preliminary reports made available soon after the incident. The paper describes the physical aspects of the blowout and the existing principles that guided the initial responses from Phillips Petroleum in Norway. These principles are subjected to a critique prior to the description and structuring of the alternatives facing Phillips and Norway as they responded to this crisis. The government actors involved in the blowout response and their roles are also briefly described. Finally, the decisions made by the Norwegian Action Group are classified and described. Following this effort, a qualitative evaluation is offered of these decisions.