By asking questions and drawing risk scenarios, the What If method identifies situations that can lead to accidents and provides the necessary improvements.

What if…? With a simple (or not so simple) question many problems can be solved. What if? is a qualitative risk identification technique applied in the Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Oil & Gas industries (both upstream and downstream) and consists of asking questions directed towards any non-normal condition of the facility design or operation.

It is a very flexible and creative method, which is often used as an alternative to HAZOP. Its scope of application is very broad, there is no limitation in terms of the areas that can be covered by the questions, it can be used in any area that is of interest for study, such as electrical safety, fire protection, personal safety, etc.

The objectives pursued by this method are:

• Identify events that can lead to major accidents.
• Increase the operability of industrial facilities.
• Effectively identify all conditions and situations that are most likely to be hazardous, as they may be the result of inadequate controls.
• To provide different suggestions necessary to be able to start an operative process reducing the risk that the installation may generate.

The What If is used in installation projects and operating plants and is very common in proposals for changes in facilities, as well as in any modification of minor projects or processes with a low level of risk. Through its application, the result of the presence of undesired events that may cause adverse consequences within a process or plant is questioned.

In order to successfully apply this technique it is essential to know the system or operation to be worked on in order to design the most suitable questionnaire. The questions are normally formulated by a team of two or three people specialized in the different areas, who have previously studied the detailed documentation of the plant, the process, the procedures and possible interviews with operating personnel.

It is a less structured method than HAZOP and FMEA, so its application is simpler, however, its completeness depends more on the knowledge and experience of the personnel applying it. TEMA’s multidisciplinary team has vast experience in the use of this technique.

The result of the work will be a list of possible incidental scenarios, their consequences and possible solutions for risk reduction.