History of OREDA

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (now: Petroleum Safety Authority) initiated the OREDA Project in 1981. The primary objective was to collect reliability data for safety equipment. It was agreed that OREDA was to be run by a group of oil companies in 1983. The objective of OREDA was subsequently expanded to collect experience data from the operation of offshore oil and gas production facilities to improve the basic data in safety reliability studies. The OREDA project has since its start been run in phases normally lasting for 2-3 years. The OREDA phases with subsequent major activities and milestones are summarised in the table below.

In addition to the build-up of a large reliability databank, and the use of data by the participating companies, achievements in the OREDA Joint Industry Program include:

  • An ISO Standard based on the OREDA concept was issued in 2006 (ISO 14 224: Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries, Collection and exchange of reliability and maintenance data for equipment).
  • Guidelines and software for data collection and data analysis.
  • Publication of reliability data. Five public editions of a Reliability Data Handbook have been issued and sold in more than 50 countries world-wide.
  • Data used in analyses for decision support for e.g. concept selection, design optimisation.
  • Exchange of reliability knowledge between the participating companies, and co-operation with miscellaneous parties such as manufacturers, research institutes etc.
  • Formalised co-operation with the subsea system suppliers Aker Solutions, FMC Technologies, GE and OneSubsea.
  • Promotion of the OREDA concept and OREDA data application by > 40 papers at various international conferences.
  • Training courses and material for OREDA data users.
  • Data used in various research projects and student theses.
PhaseTime PeriodMembersAchievements and Milestones
I1981-19848OREDA Reliability Data Handbook (’84 edition)
II1985-19887Issued phase II reliability database
Guideline for Data Collection
Software for data storage and analysis (DOS)
III1989-199210Issued phase III reliability database
2nd handbook issued (’92 edition)
Initiated vendor cooperation
III-IV199310Data analysis methods developed and tested
Cost-benefit study
Promoted the OREDA concept as ISO standard
IV1994-199610New software for data collection and analysis (Windows)
Collected data on preventive maintenance
Neq guideline, also included in new software
V1997-199910-113rd Handbook issued (’97 edition)
ISO 14 224 issued (first edition)
New subsea software
Software tool for automated data transfer (ADT)
VI2000-200110Strengthen focus on subsea equipment
Co-operation with subsea manifacturers established
VII2002-200384th Handbook issued (2002 edition)
Focus on safety and subsea equipent
VIII2004-20059Continuation of phase VII
New associated member (Gassco)
Involved in revised ISO 14224 standard (second edition)
IX2006-20089Continuation of phase VII
New associated member (Gassco)
Involved in revised ISO 14224 standard (second edition)
X2009-20118-105th handbook issued (2009 edition)
Development of new analysis software
SIL data based on OREDA
New associated members (GdF Suez and Petrobras)
XI2012-20148-10Development of new data collection software
6th handbook issued (2015 edition)
QA of existing database
New OREDA webpage
New graphical profile
XII2015-20178New webshop solution
Collaboration with ESReDA on webshop
XIII2018-20207Digital access to OREDA database: OREDA@Cloud