Risk Prioritization in a Natural Gas Compressor Station Construction Project Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process

Abstract

Recently, the seamless construction and operation of natural gas pipelines has become even more critical, while the oil and gas industry’s capability to operate effectively with acceptable risks and hazardous situations is mainly dependent on safety. As a result, it is very important to have a wide knowledge of effective management tactics for enhancing implementation of safety regulations and procedures. The problem of assuring workers’ health and safety in the workplace is a crucial component in the endeavor to raise the productivity of labor and the level of competitiveness of building projects. To promote the health, safety, and well-being of workers, issues that are embedded within the concept of sustainability, we propose in this study a safety risk-assessment process that uses the analytical hierarchy process for assigning priorities to risks on construction worksites. This process uses a popular multicriteria method. The success of this strategy was shown by its application to the building of a natural gas compressor plant in Greece. The main contribution of this study is the application of a well-known multicriteria method for assessing risks in a natural gas compressor station construction project and prioritizing hazards to allocate budget for risk-mitigation measures.