The propagation of noise from petroleum and petrochemical complexes to neighbouring communities

Report no. 4/81: In situations where limits are imposed on noise levels in communities near petroleum and petrochemical plant, it is often necessary to calculate environmental noise levels because no direct measurements are possible. Such calculations require knowledge of the sound power levels of the noise sources and of the propagation of sound from the plant to the surroundings. CONCAWE has already published several reports relating to the determination of sound power levels in the field.

The current report gives the results of a more recent study initiated by CONCAWE on the subject of noise propagation. This latest study was considered necessary since theoretical models have i n the past often appeared to be contradictory , and field measurements have been scarce.

An outline for the study was defined by a CONCAWE Special Task Force on Noise Propagation, and the work was carried out under contract by Acoustic Technology Ltd., of Southampton, UK, under guidance from the Special Task Force. The major part of this report briefly describes the various stages of the study and includes a detailed description of the sound propagation model which emerged.