Introduction:

Bowtie Analysis is a visual, barrier-based risk assessment methodology used to clearly illustrate the pathways from hazards to potential consequences, along with the controls in place to prevent and mitigate them.
Widely applied in the Oil & Gas industry, Bowtie provides a powerful and intuitive way to understand major accident risks by linking causes, preventive barriers, the top event, and mitigating measures within a single, easy-to-interpret diagram.

Purpose:

• Identify and visualize major accident scenarios and risk pathways
• Define the “top event” and its associated causes and consequences
• Identify and assess preventive and mitigative barriers
• Evaluate the effectiveness and integrity of existing controls
• Support development of safety cases and operational risk management
• Enhance communication of risk across all organizational levels

Outcomes

• Clear Bowtie diagrams illustrating hazards, threats, top events, consequences, and barriers
• Identification of preventive and mitigative controls and their roles
• Assessment of barrier effectiveness and potential weaknesses
• Linkage to Safety Critical Elements (SCEs) and performance standards
• Improved understanding of risk for operators, management, and stakeholders
• Recommendations to strengthen barrier management and risk controls