About
Risk engineering specialist with two decades of experience in process safety, HAZOP facilitation, SIL assessment, and quantitative risk analysis (QRA) for oil and gas, mining, and chemical processing facilities. Accredited HAZOP facilitator with IChemE. Has facilitated over 200 HAZOP studies and led major accident hazard assessments for LNG, refinery, and ammonia storage facilities.
Expertise
Sector Experience
Qualifications & Registrations
Academic Qualifications
Master of Science, Process Safety and Loss Prevention
2008Loughborough University
Bachelor of Engineering (Honours), Chemical Engineering
2005University of Western Australia
Professional Registrations
CPEng
#CPE-2010-4456
Engineers Australia
Chartered Engineer
#CEng-2011-556
Engineers Australia
IChemE Accredited HAZOP Facilitator
#HAZOP-2012-089
Institution of Chemical Engineers
Experience
Principal Risk Engineer
2019–PresentWestera Partners
Leads process safety and risk practice. HAZOP facilitation, QRA, SIL, major hazard assessment.
Senior Risk Consultant
2012–2019Advisian (Worley)
Process safety consulting for LNG, refinery, and chemical processing clients.
Process Safety Engineer
2008–2012BP
Operational process safety for Kwinana Refinery.
Project History
HAZOP and SIL Assessment — LNG Expansion
2025Santos · Oil & Gas
Facilitated 12-node HAZOP and SIL classification study for the expansion of an LNG liquefaction train.
Major Hazard Facility Safety Report Review
2025Confidential Client · Mining & Resources
Independent peer review of Safety Report for a Major Hazard Facility under the WHS Act.
Quantitative Risk Assessment — Ammonia Storage
2024Incitec Pivot · Manufacturing
Full QRA for a proposed 10,000-tonne anhydrous ammonia storage facility including dispersion modelling (PHAST).
Projects / Case Studies
Standout projects from Karen's career, with the challenge, approach, and outcome for each.
HAZOP and SIL assessment for an LNG-train debottleneck
2024North West Shelf operator (confidential) · Manufacturing
HAZOP chair and SIL assessorOversight
HAZOP facilitation and SIL target allocation for a capacity-expansion project.
Challenge
Expansion introduced novel HIPPS loops and required re-baselining of major-accident-hazard inventories.
Solution
Chaired a 14-node HAZOP over three weeks, ran a quantitative SIL allocation workshop using LOPA, and produced the safety-requirements specification.
Outcome
Client adopted all recommendations; expansion FEED completed without material re-cycle of safety assumptions.
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