Arno S. Bommer
Robert D. Bruce
Collaboration in Sci. and Technol., Inc., 15835 Park Ten Pl., Ste. 105, Houston, TX 77084
Although much of the equipment used on offshore platforms is also used in onshore drilling and production facilities, the constrained site and unusual operating conditions result in a significantly different acoustical environment. Helicopter landing pads, flares, mud pumps, drawworks, gas turbines, generators, compressors, heaters, coolers, and cranes may all exist within 50 m of sleeping quarters. The density of equipment and piping make sound source identification and treatment difficult and the harsh environment and safety considerations result in stringent requirements for noise control treatments. Structure-borne noise paths are also a special concern. Case histories describing offshore platform noise measurements, noise modeling, and equipment noise control will be discussed along with a general overview of the different types of offshore platforms and the specialized equipment on the platforms.