High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS) are used to reduce the risk that a system can exceed its design pressure to a tolerable level. Conventional design standards applied in the oil and gas industry stipulate that final protection of piping and pressure vessels against over-pressurisation shall be provided by means of mechanical relief devices.

Sometimes the use of these devices, like relief valves, is undesirable or impossible. Instrumented protection systems provide a technically sound and economically more attractive solution to this problem in situations where:

- Extremely high-pressures, or flow rates are processed.
- Environmental constraints or restrictions limit the use of conventional relief systems.
- The economic viability of a development needs improvement.
- The risk profile of the plant must be further reduced.