Expand Energy Compressor Stations, Pennsylvania
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Owner/Operator: Expand Energy Corporation
Expand Energy Corporation is a natural gas exploration and production company. Established in 2024 through the combination of Chesapeake Energy Corporation and Southwestern Energy Company, Expand Energy stand as the largest natural gas producer in the U.S.
Expand Energy operates several compressor stations located throughout the Marcellus Shale gas field in eastern Pennsylvania. The owner of the installations, at the time Chesapeake Energy Corporation, had received concerns about noise from the residents neighboring five compressor pad sites, and turned to HGC Noise Vibration Acoustics to assess the noise and identify conceptual options for potential noise mitigation measures
Environmental Sound Measurements and Modeling
HGC visited the five sites in question to measure the sound levels at the residences neighboring the sites and investigate the surrounding acoustical environment. The key components common to the five sites, in terms of sound emissions were identified.
At each site, sound emission levels were also measured at the facility close to each source of sound, which were used as input to develop a computational acoustical model of the facilities and surrounding area. The model of each site was used to confirm the measurements at the neighboring residences and to determine the contribution of each individual source to the overall offsite sound levels. The models were also used to determine the sound levels at residences that were not accessible for direct measurements during the site visits.
Lack of Local Noise Ordinances
No federal, state, or municipal ordinances governing acceptable sound levels from the installations were found. Thus, a review of various sound level criteria identified in local ordinances from other jurisdictions was undertaken, and a target sound level limit was developed for the assessment.
Observations at the residences showed that sound from the Expand Energy facilities was inaudible or barely audible at the sites with the lowest sound levels, but audible at others. Nonetheless, the sound level measurements and modelling revealed that the sound levels at the residences around all the five compressor sites were less than the target sound level limit.
Sound Source Ranking and Mitigation Options
While the measurement and modelling results showed that noise from the five compressor sites were within the limit, HGC nevertheless investigated the feasibility of noise control measures to further reduce noise. The computational acoustical model was used to determine the individual contribution of each sound source to the overall offsite sound levels, rank the sources, and predict the benefits of various possible noise control concepts.
A range of potential noise control measures were identified to achieve further sound level reductions. HGC provided assistance with the development of acoustical performance specifications for noise control measures, should Expand Energy wish to evaluate and or adopt noise mitigation options in the future.
Acoustical consulting services delivered:
- Community noise complaint investigation
- Noise Monitoring and Assessment
- Sound intensity instrumentation and methods
- Predictive Acoustic Computer Model and Noise Map
- Noise Abatement Recommendations
