Operational Risk Management

Why this Credential?

Offshore risk is rarely the result of a single failure. Major incidents and near‑misses are often the product of cumulative technical, organizational, and leadership decisions made over time. This micro‑credential is designed to help professionals move beyond compliance‑focused thinking toward a deeper understanding of how systemic risk develops and persists. This credential enables participants to:

• Recognize how operational pressures and organizational drift increase exposure
• Understand the limitations of barriers, controls, and SEMS when governance and leadership are weak
• Identify inherited risk conditions in aging and late‑life assets
• Strengthen decision‑making across on‑scene operations and senior leadership contexts
• Apply lessons from major offshore incidents to current‑day practice

The result is a stronger, more integrated approach to operational risk management that supports safer, more resilient offshore operations.

Who Should Enroll?

This program is intended for professionals involved in offshore operational decision‑making, including:

• Offshore Installation Managers (OIMs)
• Drilling, completions, and production personnel
• Operations and asset integrity leaders
• HSE and process safety professionals
• Marine, logistics, and maintenance personnel
• Engineers and reliability professionals
• Contractor and service company leaders
• Regulators and oversight professionals

The course is especially valuable for those working from on‑scene management through senior leadership, as well as professionals who need to understand how technical, organizational, and governance factors intersect in real offshore environments. Curriculum The program consists of 12 weeks and includes instructor‑led content, live SME engagement, and a capstone project. 

Curriculum

Core Topics Include:

1. Introduction to Operational and Systemic Risk in Offshore Oil & Gas
2. Risk Across the Lifetime of an Offshore Asset
3. Operational Pressure, Work Complexity, and Organizational Drift
4. SEMS, Governance, and Organizational Accountability
5. Barriers, Controls, and Critical Risk Management
6. Human Factors, Leadership, and Contractor Interfaces
7. Major Offshore Incident Case Integration
8. Late‑Life Operations and Decommissioning Risk

Live Engagement:

• Four live SME Roundtables, featuring industry, regulatory, and academic experts
• Capstone integration session and final team presentation
• Real‑world discussion connecting theory to offshore practice

Capstone Project:

The program concludes with a capstone project in which participants apply course concepts to a realistic offshore risk scenario, integrating operational and systemic risk factors into a structured assessment and presentation. 

Instructors