Radiation Protection and Radioactive Scales in Oil and Gas Production

Abstract

Low specific-activity scales consisting of alkaline earth metal carbonates and sulfates are often present in some gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon plants. These scales contain a certain concentration of radium, uranium, and thorium which can cause a risk of gamma irradiation and internal radiocontamination when they must be mechanically removed. The gamma dose rates and the 238U, 232Th, 226Ra concentrations were determined in sludges, scales, and waters of some gas and oil hydrocarbon plants located in Italy, Congo, and Tunisia. 238U and 232Th concentrations were were low. The isotopes 238U and 234U resulted in radioactive equilibrium, while 232Th and 228Th were not always equilibrium. A rough correlation was found between the gamma dose rate and the 226Ra concentration. Some considerations and conclusions about radiation protection problems are pointed out.

Environmental Radioactivity of TE-NORM Waste Produced from Petroleum Industry in Egypt: Review on Characterization and Treatment

“…Therefore, the total absorbed dose rates increases with the activity concentration, and consequently enhances the radiological impact on the workers surrounded by the wastes. Algeria [32] Australia [34] Brazil [35] Brazil [36] Brazil [37] Congo [38] Egypt [27] Egypt [29] Egypt [30] Italy [38] Kazakhstan [39] Malaysia [40] Norway [41] Saudi Arabia [42] Tunisia [38] Tunisia [33] UK [6] USA [43] USA [21] Australia [34] Brazil [35] Brazil [36] Egypt [29] Egypt [30] Malaysia [40] Norway [41] Tunisia [38] As shown in Table 5, the concentration levels of radium nuclides in scale vary within a wide range being much higher than those of the sludge. According to the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimation, the average radium nuclide concentration is around 18,000 Bq/kg and 2800 Bq/kg in scale and sludge, respectively [44].…”

“…Algeria [32] United Kingdom [32] Egypt [27] Congo, Italy, Tunisia [38] USA [49] Table 6. Exposure rate levels in the oil industry…”

“…Typical ranges or average values of the radium radionuclide concentrations in the formation or produced water from different oil fields, including the recent data, are listed in Table 7 [29,32,34,38,51,[53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62].…”

Chemical and mineralogical characterization of waste generated in the petroleum industry and its correlation with226Ra and228Ra contents

“…Sludge is formed mostly from carbonates and silicates containing radium; its density is approximately 1.6 g.cm -3 [3][4][5][6]. Both scale and sludge may be radioactive.…”

“…[6]. The radioactivity of scale and sludge formed during oil and gas production processes is an important issue, mainly from the point of view of radiation protection and has received particular attention during the last years [1,4]. Scales and sludge that accumulate in many oil and gas exploration and production facilities can cause exposure of maintenance and other personnel and can pose a significant radiological hazard to exposed individuals [9].…”