Process safety

We monitor and analyse the process safety events that occur at our downstream and upstream facilities.

Reduction of more than 30% in the Tier 1 process safety event rate compared to 2013.

Our target is to continue to improve our performance with regard to process safety, having CONCAWE’s benchmark as reference.

We believe that safe operations translate into efficient and reliable production. 

"Focusing on equipment life cycle management enables us to avoid unexpected outages, improving operational availability and the possibility of maximising the margin capture of our refineries."

Martinho Correia, Refining Operational Director

Facilities risk

We continuously assess the risk at facilities throughout their life cycle.

We believe that the safety of facilities and operations starts at the design phase. In this phase, risks are identified and analysed so that technically appropriate solutions are implemented to eliminate them or to reduce them to acceptable levels.

In the exploration phase, the facilities are maintained and operated in a safe manner, and risk analyses are carried out periodically to reassess existing risks and to ensure that the identified risks remain at acceptable levels.

We have elected the following as priority areas of action:

• leadership and organisational culture;
• risk management in all phases of our operations’ life cycle;
• accident prevention;
• managing the change of facilities, technologies and human resources;
• ensuring the mechanical integrity of the facilities.

Our operations and facilities are verified periodically by internal and external auditors, who ensure their compliance with the established requirements. Get to know our management systems.

We consider that process safety results from applying good design and engineering principles, as well as robust operating and maintenance practices that allow for the prevention of accidents.

Prevention, detection, control and mitigation

An accident with serious consequences often results from failures in the various barriers that must be interposed between a first incident and the consequences that it can generate.

These barriers should ensure prevention, detection, control and mitigation, as well as the emergency response. Thus, we act in the following dimensions:

• of our people – we guarantee the training of all employees and partners and value operational discipline;
• of our processes – we implement technologies and procedures that guarantee the operation of the facilities and that include expeditious and safe working practices;
• of our assets – we ensure the integrity of assets, at all phases of their life cycle: formulation, design, operation, maintenance and deactivation.

Process event analysis, audits to operations, risk reviews and the internal and external sharing of lessons learned are key tools for improving activity safety.

Instances of containment losses

We act in several aspects to minimise the instances of containment losses.

We promote the monitoring of all primary containment losses, regardless of the volume released or the affected environment.

We seek to promote the dissemination of the lessons learned from the investigation of each event, of its causes and effects.

We remain committed to reducing the number of containment losses.

We implement measures to prevent and mitigate spills, promoting the quality of the environment and the species and habitats that depend on it.
We strive to improve the understanding of the environment in which our activities are developed, at the level of: local hydrogeology, surface and groundwater resources quality and characteristics, soil type and characteristics, bioclimatic conditions and, of course, ecological vulnerability.

In an integrated way, with the safety management of our operations, we define the following axes of action:

The indicators related to primary containment losses are monitored and reported in the Scorecards of the Business Units, which are regularly monitored by the top management.

Seveso Directive

We follow and apply the requirements established at EU level for the Prevention of Major Accidents involving hazardous substances. We incorporate the guidelines issued by the regulating entities on this matter in our management systems.

We analyse systematically the accidents that occurred in the sector, seeking to integrate in our operations the lessons learned. Internally, we publicise and promote the interdisciplinary discussion of accident reports.

Check the European Commission's Accident Reporting System