Application of the AERMOD modeling system for air pollution dispersion in the South Pars oilfield

Abstract

The research presented here represents a segment of a cumulative impact modeling of gas refineries in phases 9 and 10 of South Pars Gas Company (SPGC). It considers point and flare source emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides (SO 2 and NO x respectively), over an area of about 410 km 2 . AERMOD View TM was used to estimate the maximum potential concentration of these pollutants over 1-h, 3-h, 8-h, 24-h, month and annual averaging periods. Results were compared with air quality standards to assess the potential cumulative effects of these pollutants. Finally, comparison with nearby monitoring data will indicate reasonability of predicted concentrations and usefulness of AERMOD as a tool for approaching the potential cumulative impacts of air pollution from multiple sources. The effects of predicted threshold violations on fragile ecosystems were discussed. The advantage of air pollution modeling is, moreover, when the industries are next to the cities. It makes it possible to know how much of the surface of the cities and how many people are affected by pollutant gases. Also, by overlaying the output maps, it can help us to find the cumulative impacts resulting from different pollution sources as well as synergetic impacts.

Permissible emission limit estimation via iterative back‐calculation: Case of Assaluyeh energy zone, southern Iran

“…A group of these studies has looked at the energy efficiency and environmental impact of individual industrial complexes (Rahimpour et al ; Davoudi et al ; Mohammadi et al ). Others have focused on the environmental consequences of air pollution, wastewater disposal (Davoudi et al ), and waste management systems in certain industrial units (Rouhi et al ). The conclusions of recent studies indicate that emission and disposal of pollutants are compatible with national and international standards, but the pollution level of the region as a whole is above the acceptable level.…”