Identifying and Prioritizing Factors that Affect Technological Hazards in the Iranian Gas Refining Industry using Multi-criteria Decision-making Techniques (Case Study: South Pars Gas Complex)

Background/Objectives: All over the world, operational units in oil and gas refineries deal with hazardous chemicals and work with various equipment, such as isolated towers, storage tanks, pumps, compressors and pipelines, with high pressure and temperature. Thus, accidents, such as a toxic spill, fire or explosion, are possible. Preventing hazards and creating the appropriate infrastructure is a priority. Today, about 62 percent of the world’s major organizations have business continuity plans, but in Iran, they are still regarded as a luxury. Methods/Statistical Analysis: To develop this program, the first step is to learn the most important factor of technological hazards in vital industries, in terms of passive defense and then design strategies for eliminating or reducing it effectively. In this study, in the first phase, six major factors of technological hazards were identified. These factors examine using ideas from 20 experts in the refinery gas and gas industry; next, since many of these factors are connected, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method was chosen to prioritize them. Findings: Results show that lack of adequate policies for developing refineries, using newly developed refineries with unfinished sections or components which cause increased risks of process, organizational processes that are inappropriate for the used technology, the inappropriate transfer of technology from developers to final operators of refineries, low level of technical knowledge related to the operation in indigenous contractors in terms of new technologies, lack of training programs tailored to the technological needs of the organization, the issue of sanctions which causes a lack of access to machine parts and consequently cause wear and hazard in the system, lack of accurate documentation and knowledge management to record the old technological problems of the organization, and therefore, lack of ability in preventing the repeat of same problems. Next, since many of these factors are connected, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) method was chosen to prioritize them. After a questionnaire was distributed to 20 experts, finally, low levels of HSE, the lack of adequate policies in development of refineries, and using newly developed refineries with unfinished sections or components were selected as the most important factor in creating technological hazards.