Barrier management in the offshore oil and gas industry

•Clarification of barrier concepts and characteristics.•Clarification of principles for a systematic approach to barrier management.•Overview of requirements to barrier management in the Norwegian offshore oil and gas industry.•Discussion of status and challenges with respect to barrier management in the Norwegian offshore oil and gas industry.

Accident investigations indicate that inadequate barrier management has been a main cause of many accidents in the process industry. In 2013, the Norwegian Petroleum Safety Authority issued a barrier management framework for the offshore oil and gas industry. The framework describes principles related to barrier management and may be a valuable guide for the entire process industry. However, the offshore industry faces several challenges when implementing the framework. This paper discusses these challenges and clarifies the central concepts and steps of barrier management. A key message is the need for clarity and integration in a systematic approach to risk and barrier management.