engleski

NORM IN THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY: ERICA TOOL ASSESSMENT OF POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF IONISING RADIATION ON TERRESTRIAL BIOTA

Due to the industrial production of oil and gas (extraction procedures), Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM) present in oil and gas reservoir geological formations may be brought up to surface as scale layer inside the tubing assorted for maintenance. Scale can contain enhanced levels of natural activity concentrations i.e. scale can become residue. Uncontrolled workers manipulation with such “contaminated” equipment during maintenance procedures may result in enhanced exposure of people (oil and gas industry workers) to ionising radiation as well as certain risk to biota. Identifying where NORM is present in the given industrial activities, drafting and applying appropriate NORM management plans is essential in order to monitor and control the possible risk. Assessment of environmental risks to biota (and consequently to workers) due to possible enhanced exposure to ionising radiation originating from residues can be performed by using several different modelling approaches. Radiological risk assessment of environmental contamination resulting from oil and gas industrial activities was performed at a tubing maintenance site managing scale from inside the tubing. ERICA tool (developed through 6th FP EUROATOM) was used to assess the environmental risk from ionising radiation to biota. Previous assessments of this area used data on radionuclide activity concentrations in the environment and resulting dose rates to the biota through a Tier 2 assessment, in order to develop a NORM (possibly even residues) survey strategy and maintain adequate health and safety standards of the workers and the environment. This study presents preliminary results of a Tier 3 assessment scenario based on the samples collected close to the maintenance site which required a more profound investigation to demonstrate if the biota is at risk or not. The assessment was performed considering highest environmental activity concentrations reported. Default reference organisms available in the Tool were first compared with Natura 2020 data sheet for protected site Lonjsko polje which is in the proximity of the assessment site and then selected.

NORM, oil, gas, erica tool, risk, biota

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