Enhancing industrial safety and managing accident risks in Azerbaijan's oil and gas sector: engineering solutions and international perspectives

This paper examines the complex and evolving landscape of industrial safety within Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector – a strategic pillar of the national economy. Despite the existence of formal regulatory structures, the sector continues to face challenges related to aging infrastructure, technological limitations, and inconsistent enforcement. Through an interdisciplinary analysis, this study identifies key safety gaps and evaluates their environmental, economic, and social implications. Drawing on international experience from Norway, the United States, and Saudi Arabia, the paper contrasts global best practices with Azerbaijan’s current framework to highlight areas of improvement. The study proposes an integrated engineering-based safety model that leverages SCADA systems, IoT-enabled sensors, and digital twin technology to transition from reactive risk response to proactive safety management. It emphasizes the importance of embedding Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE) principles into national practices, supported by workforce training and emergency preparedness. Using case studies of notable industrial accidents, the research validates the applicability and benefits of the proposed approach. This paper ultimately offers strategic recommendations for enhancing institutional capacity, fostering public-private collaboration, and aligning local safety standards with international benchmarks.