Probability of Catastrophic Failure of an Undersea Pipeline

Problem

In a litigation matter involving a global engineering & construction firm and one of the world's largest energy companies, Analysis & Inference was asked to determine the probability of bolts failing along an undersea pipeline, causing oil or gas leaks.

Procedure

Using years of data detailing inspections and breaks for thousands of bolts along hundreds of joints on the pipeline, Analysis & Inference constructed sophisticated "maximum likelihood" models to determine the probability of failure over the lifetime of the field.

Result

Analysis & Inference wrote an expert report, and an A&I principal testified at the international arbitration proceeding related to the litigation, which is still pending.