Noise Characterization of Oil and Gas Operations

Details

• Personal Author:
  Autenrieth DA ; Brazile WJ ; Lipsey T ; Radtke C ; Autenrieth DA ; Brazile WJ ; Lipsey T ; Radtke C
• Description:
  In cooperation with The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, researchers at Colorado State University performed area noise monitoring at 23 oil and gas sites throughout Northern Colorado. The goals of this study were to: (1) measure and compare the noise levels for the different phases of oil and gas development sites; (2) evaluate the effectiveness of noise barriers; and (3) determine if noise levels exceeded the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission noise limits. The four phases of oil and gas development include drilling, hydraulic fracturing, completion and production. Noise measurements were collected using the A- and C-weighted sound scales. Octave band analysis was also performed to characterize the frequency spectra of the noise measurements. Noise measurements were collected using noise dosimeters and a hand-held sound-level meter at specified distances from the development sites in each cardinal direction. At 350 feet (ft) [107 meters (m)], drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion sites without noise barriers exceeded the maximum permissible noise levels for residential and commercial zones (55 dBA and 60 dBA, respectively). In addition, drilling and hydraulic fracturing sites with noise barriers exceeded the maximum permissible noise level for residential zones (55 dBA). However, during drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and completion operations, oil producers are allowed an exception to the noise permissible limits in that they only must comply with the industrial noise limit (80 dBA). It is stated in Rule 604.c.(2)A that; "Operations involving pipeline or gas facility installation or maintenance, the use of a drilling rig, completion rig, workover rig, or stimulation is subject to the maximum permissible noise levels for industrial zones (80 dBA)." Production sites were within the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission permissible noise level criteria for all zones. At 350 ft (107 m) from the noise source, all drilling, hydraulic fracturing and completion sites exceeded 65 dBC. Current noise wall mitigation strategies reduced noise levels in both the A- and C-weighted scale measurements. However, this reduction in noise was not sufficient enough to reduce the noise below the residential permissible noise level (55 dBA). [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Environmental Exposure Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Oil And Gas Industry Radiation Dosimeters Safety Workplace
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Soil Dosimetry Drillers Drilling Drill Rigs Exposure Assessment Exposure Levels Exposure Limits Fracking Fracturing Gas Gas Industry Hydraulic Hydraulic Fracturing Industrial Noise Noise Absorption Noise Exposure Noise Levels Noise Measurement Noise Shields Oil Industry Permissible Limits Well Site Completion Workplace Monitoring

  More +
• ISSN:
  1545-9624
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article ; Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Colorado ; Montana ; OSHA Region 8
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health ; Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America ; North America
• Volume:
  14
• Issue:
  8
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049862
• Citation:
  J Occup Environ Hyg 2017 Aug; 14(8):659-667
• Contact Point Address:
  Cameron Radtke, Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA 80523
• Email:
  cradtke@rams.colostate.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2017
• Performing Organization:
  University of Colorado, Denver
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20070701
• Source Full Name:
  Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• End Date:
  20250630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:3ded7df6b7018fd56f15a9eb2bf640cd46e50288a37c85f33749d237b28f6356eef68f1f80b8ba34d121028be2085e4cb90ba937051fd001765a05d14f830e35
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/210461/cdc_210461_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 811.83 KB ]