PDS Method and Handbooks

SINTEF has developed a method for quantifying the reliability/availability of safety instrumented systems (SIS), called the PDS method. The method is widely used in the petroleum industry, but is also applicable to other business sectors.

The PDS method is in line with the main principles advocated in the IEC 61508 / 61511 standards, and is a very useful tool when implementing and verifying quantitative (SIL) requirements as described in these standards. The PDS data handbook is based on extensive experience with operation of instrumented safety systems in the Norwegian petroleum industry and presents data applicable for performing SIL analyses according to IEC 61508 / 61511.

Purchase the PDS handbooks here.

PDS Forum

PDS Forum is a co-operation between around 25 participants representing oil companies, drilling and well service companies, engineering companies, consultants, vendors and researchers, with a special interest in Safety Instrumented systems. The participants are meeting twice a year for workshops, presentations and technical discussion.

Next PDS forum:
October 19. - 20., 2022

Most members of the PDS Forum are also members of CDS-forum, an Industry Forum for Cybersecurity of Industrial Automation and Control Systems.

News

PDS Data Handbook - 2021 edition, Reliability Data for Safety Equipment
New SINTEF report (February 2021): "Guideline for follow-up of SIS in the operating phase". This report has been developed through the joint industry research project “Automized process for follow-up of safety instrumented systems” (APOS) and has been funded by SINTEF, the Research Council of Norway, the APOS project members and the PDS forum participants.
New revision (June 2020) Norwegian Oil and Gas Association, Application of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 in the Norwegian Petroleum Industry, Rev 4. The changes were managed by PDS forum
New Paper (July 2019): Operational data-driven prediction for failure rates of equipment in safety instrumented systems: A case study from the oil and gas industry
PDS forum was on the 1st of March 2019 approved as a liaison C member in the maintenance committee for IEC 61511.
New JIP (2019) on automatized follow-up of safety instrumented systems sponsored by The Norwegian Research Council
New SINTEF report (2016) "Guidance for barrier management in the petroleum industry" provides practical guidance on barrier management with focus on establishing systems and solutions for maintaining the function of the barriers.
Errata PDS method handbook (2013) - Table C.1: PFD formulas for specific configurations (page 75)
New SINTEF report (2015) "Common Cause Failures in Safety Instrumented Systems; Beta-factors and equipment specific checklists based on operational experience" suggests that the fraction of common cause failures experienced during operation is higher than what is typically assumed in reliability calculations. The study is based on a detailed review of 12000 maintenance notifications from six oil and gas facilities.
New SINTEF report (2015) "Towards a holistic approach for barrier management in the petroleum industry" presents an outline of a holistic approach for management of safety critical barriers and discusses important challenges related to barrier management during different lifecycle phases.
New SINTEF report (2015) "Wireless Instrumentation for Safety Critical Systems. Technology, Standards, Solutions and Future Trends" presents current status of wireless instrumentation in the petroleum industry along with the technical requirements which must be fulfilled for a successful adoption of this new technology.
The Norwegian Oil and Gas Association has provided funding to revise the 070 Guidelines for the Application of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 in the petroleum activities on the continental shelf. The project is managed by SINTEF with technical and financial support from PDS forum and the industry. The work is due by end 2015.
New paper (2014): Safety barriers: Organizational potential and forces of psychology.


	Norwegian centre of force for developing Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) in the petroleum industry

PDS Method and Handbooks

Purchase the PDS handbooks here.

PDS Forum

Next PDS forum: October 19. - 20., 2022

News

Norwegian centre of force for developing Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) in the petroleum industry

Next PDS forum:
October 19. - 20., 2022