The most common complaint that residents living near oil and gas facilities are noise, which can result from multiple activities and equipment, including drilling and fracturing, well pumps and compressors, truck traffic, etc. Moreover, the expansion of oil and gas infrastructure has added more to the problem since compressor stations, pipeline facilities, and processing plants are significant noise sources. Increased noise levels can elevate short-term and long-term health risks, such as stress, sleep deprivation, increased blood pressure, and heart diseases. This article sheds light on different ways of oil and gas compressor station noise reduction.
- Install Noise Barriers and Enclosures
Oil and gas plants often are equipped with one constant source of harmful noise, and that is compressors. These compressors first collect gas and then emit significant noise before compressed natural gas is injected into a pipe system. Noise barriers and enclosures are two significant ways to limit this noise. As the name suggests, nose barriers will disrupt the path of sound waves, and absorb them, resulting in attenuating noise.
Alternatively, enclosures are another great way of oil and gas compressor station noise reduction. These are used to encapsulate compressor systems. These will result in complete attenuation; however, they require more careful maintenance and ventilation.
- Install Silencers
Another medium of noise in oil and gas plants is throughout oil and gas processing. Administrators usually install silencers to address gas as it leaves the pipe systems. These silencers break up high-temperature and high-velocity gas before it leaves so that its pressure is gradually reduced upon exiting. This further causes emitted gas to create less noise.
- Installing Mufflers and Replacing Motors
Engines used in the oil and gas industry are another medium of noise. To reduce engine noise, one great way is to install mufflers on engines. These mufflers can be similar to the ones used on motor automobiles or hospital-grade. In addition, motors running on natural gas or diesel can be replaced with quieter electric motors wherever electricity is available at the plant.
- Maintaining Systems
Another way that can be used to minimize the noise in the oil and gas industry is to implement advanced noise-mitigating parts and policies as and when these are developed. For instance, compressor fans can be changed to adjust the emitted sound waves so they are not much loud. Furthermore, neglecting this and other maintenance measures can result in system complications and more emitted noise.
- Other Ways
Apart from these ways, the goal of oil and gas compressor station noise reduction can be obtained by restricting the hours of operation, especially for noise-intensive tasks. For instance, avoid flaring and blowdowns at night or early morning. Limit vehicle traffic by restricting the hours when industrial employees are allowed to use residential roads for accessing facilities.
Conclusion
The oil and gas industry requiring the work of complex machine networks produces significant harmful noise, the prolonged exposure to which can hurt workers and neighbors. Following these ways can reduce noise in the oil and gas industry to a great extent. Additionally, facilities can contact professionals to install an acoustic barrier system fitting the project’s scope.