This paper outlines the legislative, commercial and ethical drivers behind the design of quieter offshore production platforms in Australia and explains why decisions should be made during the Front-end Engineering and Design (FEED) phase of a facility to ensure that operational noise risks are as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP). It explains how the requirements of current noise management legislation can be met during the design of new Major Capital Projects (MCPs) in Australia and how strategic implementation of engineering noise controls during FEED can increase shareholder value. This will ensure that future reliance on personal hearing protectors to mitigate occupational hearing loss is minimised over a facility’s operational life and can turn MCPs into valued legacy operations for years to come.
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