Public Reports & Articles
Hydroacoustic Pile Driving Noise Study – Comprehensive Report
December 2016 — Alaska, United States
Client: Alaska Department of Transportation
Acoustic monitoring and analysis to characterize underwater noise from pile driving activities to inform the assessment of the potential impacts on marine mammals. JASCO measured underwater sounds at the Kake, Auke Bay, Kodiak, and Ketchikan ferry terminals during ferry terminal improvement construction projects and characterized sound levels associated with pile extraction, vibratory pile driving, impact hammer pile driving, and rock socket drilling. Distances from the piles to sound threshold criteria for injury and behavioral disturbance were calculated, accounting for the hearing sensitivity of marine mammal groups where appropriate.
Aurora LNG, Prince Rupert, BC
October 2016 — British Columbia, Canada
Clients: Stantec, Nexen Energy
Appendix O – Acoustic Monitoring Study Chatham Sound Region
Appendix P – Acoustic Modelling Study
Monitoring and modelling studies for Stantec and Nexen Energy as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed Aurora liquefied natural gas plant, export facility, and associated marine terminal near Prince Rupert, BC. JASCO captured and analyzed data from two underwater acoustic recorders to document baseline noise conditions near the proposed project site. Sound propagation models were applied to predict the extent of ensonification from various scenarios and define zones of potential effects on marine fauna. Scenarios included impact pile driving with confined bubble curtain and rock socket drilling for pile installation, as well as noise exposure from marine traffic activities of LNG carrier berthing and transiting.
Anchorage Port Modernization Project Test Pile Program: Hydroacoustic Monitoring Report
August 2016 — Alaska, United States
Client: Kiewit Infrastructure West Co.
A sound measurement study that quantified the underwater sound pressure levels during ambient conditions and during vibratory and impact pile driving. The data were analyzed to characterize the sound transmission loss and verify distances to marine mammal disturbance thresholds. The effectiveness of two noise attenuation systems was assessed in terms of how much they reduced the pile driving sound levels near the source and the distances to the marine mammal disturbance thresholds.
Chukchi Sea Environmental Studies Program
2009–2016 — Alaska, United States
Client: Olgoonik/Fairweather LLC
Northeastern Chukchi Sea Joint Acoustic Monitoring Program reports:
2014-2015 Report and Appendices
2013-2014 Report and Appendices
2012-2013 Report and Appendices
2009-2010 Report and Appendices
Each year, JASCO worked with Olgoonik/ Fairweather LLC to deploy dozens of AMARs to record underwater sound in a wide area of the Chukchi Sea off the coast of Alaska. Jointly funded by ConocoPhillips, Shell Exploration & Production, and Statoil USA Exploration and Production, the yearly monitoring programs included clusters of recorders around well sites in summer and four lines of over-winter recorders that extended up to 250 km from the Alaskan north shore. This massive multi-year program greatly contributed to our scientific knowledge of marine mammals in the area.
Terminal A Extension Project Underwater Acoustic Assessment
August 2015 — British Columbia, Canada
Clients: WorleyParsons Canada, Rio Tinto
Appendix 1 – Revised Underwater Acoustic Assessment [to include bubble curtain mitigation]
Appendix 2 – Underwater Acoustic Assessment of Marine Terminal Construction
Modelling studies that combine the results from two individually assessed projects that will occur concurrently in the Kitimat area: Rio Tinto Alcan marine terminal facilities for LNG export and LNG Canada’s marine terminal expansions. The reports assess the effects of vibratory and impact pile driving from the combined activities on marine fauna, including humpback whales, killer whales, and harbour porpoise.
Modelling of Underwater Noise for Pacific NorthWest LNG Marine Construction and Shipping Scenarios
December 2014 — British Columbia, Canada
Clients: Stantec, Pacific NorthWest LNG
Underwater noise modelling study o predict the expected noise emissions and zones of potential disturbance to marine fauna from construction and operation of Pacific NorthWest LNG’s proposed terminal near Prince Rupert, B.C. Results include maps of areas ensonified above thresholds recognized by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and above non-regulatory avoidance criteria reported for Northern Resident killer whales. Five locations were modelled for scenarios including LNG carrier berthing with support tugs impact and vibratory pile driving. Pile driving scenarios were modelled with and without a bubble curtain to assess the effectiveness of this mitigation measure.
LNG Canada Export Terminal: Marine Resources Technical Data Report
October 2014 — British Columbia, Canada
Clients: Stantec, LNG Canada
Appendix F – LNG Canada Underwater Noise Studies: Field Measurements Report (p63)
Appendix G – Underwater Acoustic Modelling of Marine Terminal Construction and Vessel Activities (p135)
Acoustic measurement and modelling studies for Stantec as part of LNG Canada’s application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate for their LNG Canada Export Terminal project near Kitimat, BC, which was granted in June 2015. The measurement study comprised four underwater recorders deployed for four months and characterized the ambient noise conditions, vessel traffic, and presence of humpback, killer, and fin whales. The modelling study comprised eight scenarios to predict underwater noise emissions from terminal construction and vessels, including LNG carriers.
South Stream Pipeline – Turkish Sector – Underwater Sound Analysis
November 2013 — Turkey
Client: South Stream Transport B.V.
An acoustic propagation modelling study to estimate noise effects on marine mammals and fish during construction of the South Stream natural gas pipeline at the bottom of the Black Sea. Results from 11 modelled scenarios include instantaneous sound exposure from individual vessels, aggregate instantaneous sound exposure from a group of vessels, and cumulative sound exposure for 24 hours of typical operation.
Underwater Sound Modeling of Low Energy Geophysical Equipment Operations
September 2013 — California, United States
Client: CSA Ocean Sciences
An acoustic modeling study to estimate source levels, beam configuration, and sound exposure levels from low energy geophysical equipment including single- and multi-beam echosounder, side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, and boomer. The findings will be used for preliminary assessment of the acoustic impact of geophysical surveys planned in the coastal waters of the State of California.
Tappan Zee Hudson River Crossing Project: Final Environmental Impact Statement
July 2012 — New York, United States
Client: AECOM
Appendix F-4A – Hydroacoustic Noise Modeling
Appendix F-4B – Hydroacoustic Noise Modeling – Appendices
Appendix F-5A – Underwater Acoustic Monitoring of Pile Installation Demonstration Project
Modelling and monitoring of sounds from vibratory and impact pile driving in support of New York State Thruway Authority’s Environmental Impact Statement for the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project, which received approval in March 2013. During the initial demonstration project, JASCO evaluated the effectiveness of five noise attenuation systems in lessening the impact of pile driving noise on Atlantic sturgeon, a species in recovery in the Hudson River.
White Rose Extension Project
June 2012 — Newfoundland, Canada
Client: Husky Energy
Underwater Sound Propagation Assessment
An underwater sound propagation assessment to estimate distances to sound level thresholds around potential acoustic sources resulting from various phases of the White Rose Extension Project: construction of concrete gravity structure (CGS) at Argentia involving dredging and blasting; transportation of the CGS to the field site at Grand Banks involving dredging, drilling, support vessel, and helicopter operations; and drilling from a wellhead platform or subsea drill centre.
HYWIND Acoustic Measurement Report: Ambient Levels and HYWIND Signature
December 2011 — Norway
Client: Equinor ASA (formerly Statoil)
Determining the underwater acoustic signature of a HYWIND Tampen floating wind turbine compared to the ambient background noise at a control site 10 km away. JASCO performed 150 days of monitoring and subsequent analysis to discern noise sources associated with the test turbine installation and its mooring structures.
Assessment of Underwater Noise Generated by Wave Energy Devices
December 2009 — Oregon, United States
Client: Oregon Wave Energy Trust
A review study to: (1) provide a concise knowledge base of expected underwater noise conditions near the Oregon coast where wave energy projects could be developed, and (2) describe noise measurement methodologies suitable for effective regulatory assessment of potential acoustic impacts. Intended as a reference for wave energy developers to use when selecting approaches to underwater noise measurement that would be acceptable to regulatory bodies, consistent with the state of the industry, and cost effective to implement.
NaiKun Offshore Wind Energy Project Application for Environmental Assessment Certificate
March 2009 — British Columbia, Canada
Clients: Hemmera, NaiKun
March 2009 — British Columbia, Canada
Clients: Hemmera, NaiKun
Vol 4, Sec 4 & 5 – Airborne Noise Modelling
Vol 4, Sec 8 & 9 – Underwater Noise Modelling
Both airborne and underwater noise modelling of sounds associated with the construction, operation, and decommissioning of the proposed Naikun offshore wind energy project in Hecate Strait. Airborne noise levels and underwater noise footprints were predicted for sources with the greatest potential for disturbance, including impact pile driving of the turbine foundations, construction activities at cable land fall areas, and operating wind turbines. A background literature review was performed to investigate wind farm related noise sources, mitigation options, and documented assessments from other wind farm projects.