A Systematic Approach to Risk Assessment: Focusing on Autonomous Underwater Vehicles and Operations in Arctic Areas

Climatic degradation of equipment, in combination with stringent requirements for human safety and minimalistic environmental impact, need to be addressed through improved risk assessment in vulnerable areas, such as the Arctic. The performance of technologies and risk related to its utilization, for example in terms of autonomous operations, significantly impact future requirements for oil and gas exploration and production. An interdisciplinary and systemic approach integrating both risk to the environment and to humans is needed as the challenges related to operation in extreme environments directly impact risk, costs, and the general societal acceptance of the activities. Development of such an approach focusing on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) and operations is addressed in this paper.