OREDA is a long-running, member-led collaboration between energy companies, established to improve the safety, reliability, and performance of energy production equipment through shared operational experience
For over four decades, OREDA has provided a neutral framework for collecting, validating, and analysing reliability and maintenance data from real operating environments—supporting engineering decisions across the full asset lifecycle.
From Handbooks to Digital Access
Today, the same structured datasets and methodologies are available digitally through OREDA@Cloud, enabling controlled, searchable access while preserving the governance principles on which OREDA was founded.
Scientific Impact
OREDA has developed one of the most comprehensive reliability databanks in the energy sector, drawing on decades of operating history across diverse geographic regions and operating conditions.
The data is widely used for:
OREDA data and methods are frequently referenced in academic research and applied engineering studies, reflecting their status as a trusted industry benchmark.
OREDA was the cradle for the formation of ISO Standard 14224 “Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries – Collection and exchange of reliability and maintenance data for equipment”. Many country representatives to Technical Committee TC67 ISO 14224 Work Group were, and still are, company member representatives to OREDA, thereby ensuring lessons learnt from OREDA feed back to the updates of the Standard. Several OREDA company representatives have represented their country Standard bodies to ISO 20815, ISO 15663 and ISO TS 3250.
OREDA data collection campaigns are typically run in three-year periods, referred to as phases. On commencement of each phase, the company members in conjunction with OREDA Project Manager decide which topside and subsea equipment reliability and maintenance data is to be collected. The selection of equipment coverage also includes requests from users of the database and also the three subsea associate members to OREDA.
The collection of data is undertaken by the company members, including an initial QA/QC before pushing it to the OREDA Project Manager, who in turn undertakes a more comprehensive check of the data before releasing to the anonymised database.
Reliability & maintenance data from OREDA is used to support decisions in the project and operations phases through RAM, Safety and SIL studies, risk estimations, maintenance planning, manpower planning, spare part analysis and equipment benchmarking exercises.
OREDA is a Not-for-Profit (NFP) UK registered Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) whose directors are employees of the member energy companies. OREDA Company members set the objectives and strategy of the company and ensuring all legal obligations are fulfilled. OREDA also has Associate members, typically major equipment suppliers, who work with OREDA to improve the reliability of their equipment to the benefit of both parties. OREDA company’s Articles of Association provides the framework of process, functions, structure and rules of the company.
Membership fees and non-member Veracity subscription fees pay for the annual hosting, maintenance and support of the database, enhancements to the software and project management support in managing day-to-day requirements of the company.
Project management support is provided by a third-party organisation to handle the day-to-day technical, commercial, legal and financial activities of OREDA. The Project Manager is entrusted with performing routine tasks associated with running a UK company on behalf of the directors. This role involves assuming most operational tasks through delegated authority, enabling directors to focus on high-level governance while the Project Manager drives execution, coordination, and delivery of OREDA’s objectives. An objective is the planning, quality check, acceptance and uploading of high-quality equipment reliability and maintenance data, undertaken by the members, to the anonymised database. The role of project manager through the years has been performed by DNV, SINTEF, DNV and currently OPRAL Ltd.
Membership fees and non-member Veracity subscription fees pay for the annual hosting, maintenance and support of the database, enhancements to the software and project management support in managing day-to-day requirements of the company.
Timeline
Phase I
OREDA Reliability Data Handbook
(’84 edition)
8 members
Phase II
Issued phase II reliability database
Guideline for Data Collection Software for data storage and analysis (DOS)
7 members
Phase III
Issued phase III reliability database
2nd handbook issued (’92 edition)
Initiated vendor cooperation
10 members
Phase III-IV
Data analysis methods developed and tested
Cost-benefit study
Promoted the OREDA concept as ISO standard
10 members
Phase IV
New software for data collection and analysis (Windows)
Collected data on preventive maintenance
Neq guideline, also included in new software
10 members
Phase V
3rd Handbook issued (’97 edition)
ISO 14 224 issued (first edition)
New subsea software
Software tool for automated data transfer (ADT)
10-11 members
Phase VI
Strengthen focus on subsea equipment
Co-operation with subsea manifacturers established
10 members
Phase VII
4th Handbook issued (2002 edition)
Focus on safety and subsea equipent
8 members
Phase VIII
Continuation of phase VII
New associated member (Gassco)
Involved in revised ISO 14224 standard (second edition)
9 members
Phase IX
Continuation of phase VII
New associated member (Gassco)
Involved in revised ISO 14224 standard (second edition
9 members
Phase X
5th handbook issued (2009 edition)
Development of new analysis software
SIL data based on OREDA
New associated members (GdF Suez and Petrobras)
8-10 members
Phase XI
Development of new data collection software
6th handbook issued (2015 edition)
QA of existing database
New OREDA webpage
New graphical profile
8-10 members
Phase XII
New webshop solution
Collaboration with ESReDA on webshop
8 members
Phase XIII
Digital access to OREDA database: OREDA@Cloud
7 members
Phase XIV
7 members
Phase XV
OREDA UK Not-for-Profit company formed Scope extended to lower carbon equipment
6 members
Company Members
For over four decades, OREDA has stood at the intersection of data, engineering, and collaboration — supporting safer, more reliable energy production worldwide.