JSC Entering the Risk-Sciences Arena
NASA, Deloitte To Bring Space-Age Risk Management To Oil And Gas Industry, NASA JSC
“NASA Johnson Space Center and Deloitte will enter into a strategic alliance offering advanced risk-management services to oil and gas companies. The Space Act Agreement commencement ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Central, Thursday, June 27.
These capabilities include several operational risk-management approaches aimed at companies seeking to minimize the risk of catastrophic failures – the kinds of dramatic mishaps that, while highly unlikely, can occur in remote and harsh environments.”
Marc’s note: You would think companies in the Oil and Gas industry would already be well versed in this area but perhaps JSC can provide risk-modeling and simulation tools they don’t already have.
The problem with the Deep Water Horizon incident wasn’t inadequate risk modeling tools, it was the willful disregard of risks clearly identified to project owner BP by their experienced contractor, the rig operator Transocean, and the willingness of the contractor to follow the plan set by BP even after clearly saying it was wrong. Wait a minute, that sounds like the Challenger disaster.
Why is NASA allowed to compete with private industry?
These risk management systems were developed after Challenger by contractors who can do just as well for oil and gas as NASA. Companies such as Futron and Ares are world leaders in PRA and RM. Companies such as Boeing, Lockheed, Rocketdyne, and ATK (and before desolution USA) know how to marry the magic with the science and engineering and apply to real life (and death) situations.
NASA should develop new things, not take business away from the commercial world.