Odour emissions can be a nuisance to the local community. The refinery’s licence states that offensive odours must not be discharged beyond the boundary and requires Shell to have procedures to detect, control and minimise the discharge of odorous substances and to conduct odour patrols and odour audits. We make every effort to detect, control and minimise the discharge of odour from the premises. Odours are minimised through a combination of well-designed plant and facilities and ongoing operational vigilance and control. This includes: - twice daily odour patrols by people with calibrated noses (tested for sensitivity to odour)
- quarterly odour reviews conducted by members of the EPA, community odour panel (a team of community members with calibrated noses) and Shell.
Additional odour patrols are conducted in the event of a community odour complaint, enabling the source of the odour to be located and addressed quickly. For non-routine operations such as pre-task & shutdown planning, the potential odour implications are considered during the planning stages and managed during the works. The refinery also encourages community members to telephone the refinery hotline if an odour is smelt that may be coming from the refinery. These calls are promptly investigated. Issue or Concern? - If you have a concern or can detect a problem and you think the Refinery may be the cause, please telephone 1800 651 818 any time day or night, and report your concern.
- If the cause is readily apparent the operator can discuss this with you immediately. Otherwise, the Shift Controller or their delegate will investigate by (a) checking Refinery operations to try and identify a Refinery cause, and (b) visiting your area if the problem relates to an odour or noise. If a Refinery cause is identified, prompt corrective action will be taken by the Refinery if possible. If you wish, the Shift Controller can call you to discuss the outcomes of their investigation and corrective actions.
- The report will then be followed up internally as part of our normal incident investigation process, and further investigation may be conducted as required to identify actions to prevent a recurrence.
Note that all concerns or complaints received from the community are also reported by the Refinery to the Victorian Environment Protection Authority (EPA). If you do not feel comfortable calling the Refinery, or if you do not believe that the Refinery is causing the problem, please call EPA on 1800 444 004. |
 Noise from industrialised areas can be a concern to local residents. The likelihood and level of noise is significantly influenced by atmospheric conditions such as wind direction. The refinery endeavours to comply with noise limits outlined in the State Environment Protection Policy (SEPP) (Control of Noise from Commerce Industry and Trade) No. N-1, a policy developed for metropolitan Melbourne, even though the SEPP does not specifically apply to the refinery. Noise minimisation is a standard consideration in refinery operations and is generally achieved through the application of engineering standards to the design, procurement and installation of new equipment. For non-continuous sources, particularly flaring, close attention is paid to operational controls to minimise the frequency and severity of flaring incidents. In the case of noisy valves or similar equipment, noise levels can often be managed through adjustment, maintenance or replacement of minor components. |
