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In Norway, developments of risk assessment have been made in parallel with the offshore oil and gas activities. The first major oil and gas accident, the Bravo blowout on the Ekofisk field in the North Sea, occurred in 1977. There were no fatalities but a significant release of oil to the sea. First and foremost, this accident was an eye‐opener for the authorities and the oil companies who suddenly realized that the oil and gas activities were associated with a very high risk. As a consequence of this accident, the Norwegian Research Council initiated a large research program called Safety Offshore, and the authorities demanded the oil companies to support Norwegian research projects and universities. This requirement was strengthened after the second major accident, the capsizing of the semi‐submersible accommodation platform Alexander L. Kielland in 1980, with 123 fatalities.

The support from the Safety Offshore research program and the oil companies produced a number of new academic positions and a comprehensive education program at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. Both authors of the current book participated in this development at NTNU. The knowledge gained through this period is an important part of the basis for the book.