NORM from the monazite cycle and from the oil and gas industry: Problems and tentative solutions

Abstract

Abstract. Naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) associated with monazite had its origin before the 20 th century. The volume and complexity of monazite NORM wastes increased as the industrial applications of monazite also increased. During and after the WWII the diversified uses of thorium turned monazite into an important commodity. At the end of the 20 th century the production of oil and gas from offshore platforms in continental shelves increased remarkably. Hundreds of millions of m 3 of produced water from the oil and gas industry, containing NORM wastes and other byproducts, are discharged into the oceans every year. E&P processes mobilize the natural occurring radio-nuclides extant in the oil and gas reservoirs. A wide range of concentrations of 238 U and 232 Th and their respective progenies, mainly 226 Ra, 222 Rn and 210 Pb (from the 238 U series), and 228 Ra and 228 Th (from the 232 Th series) appear in tube scales and sludge. The radium isotopes in NORM wastes generated in the monazite cycle become more bio-available than those isotopes found in wastes from the oil and gas industry. This work discusses some of the problems arising from the existence of monazite cycle and oil and gas industry NORM wastes, and proposes a tentative solution.