Investigating End User Errors in Oil and Gas Critical Control Systems

System availability and efficiency are critical in the petroleum sector as any fault affecting those systems may negatively impact operations resources, such as money, human resources and time. Therefore, it has become important to investigate the reasons for such errors. In this study, human error has been targeted since a number of these errors is projected to increase in the sector. The factors that affect end user behavior are investigated in addition to an evaluation of the relation between system availability and human behavior. An investigation has been performed following the descriptive methodology in order to gain insights into human error factors. Questionnaires related to software/hardware errors and errors due to the end user were collected from 81 site workers. The findings indicate a potential relation between end user behavior and system availability. Training, experience, education, work shifts, system interface, usage of memory sticks and I/O devices were identified as factors affecting end user behavior, hence system availability and efficiency.