A joint sponsor project has been initiated to enhance the documentation basis and to ensure that the industry is advanced and proactive with respect to safety knowledge. Secondary effects from marine spills and LNG risk acceptance criteria will also be considered as part of the project.

On behalf of a group of seven sponsors (ConocoPhillips, Chevron, Petrobras, Rabaska, TransCanada, Statoil and Hydro), DNV will investigate these key areas and provide a report towards the end of 2006.

The BLEVE effects and probabilistic hole size distribution will be investigated by DNV Maritime and may include nonlinear calculations and some finite element analysis. The secondary accident effects will be developed by an expert panel, and will be carried out in the third quarter of 2006. The LNG risk acceptance criteria will be defined by DNV’s Houston office, which has carried out many marine and onshore LNG QRAs the world over.

Additional sponsors and interested parties are being sought throughout the project.