Overview & Management of NORM in

Saudi Aramco
Khalid Mously, Michael Cowie

Saudi Aramco
Environmental Protection Department
 Outlines

 Brief history of NORM

 Origins & Where NORM accumulates
 NORM exposure scenarios
 NORM levels
 Workers’ Protection
 NORM Management Program
 NORM Definition
 Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) –
any nuclide that is radioactive in its natural state ( i.e.
not man-made), but not including source, by-product,
or special nuclear material.
 Brief History

 Early accounts of NORM

 Canadian oil field (1904)
 Radium in Russian fields (1930)
 Uranium in gas formations (1953)

 NORM in north sea (1985)

 Guidelines (API, IAEA, etc.)
 Regulations
 Origins of NORM

 NORM in earth crust

 NORM in reservoir rock formations
 NORM in Formation water
 NORM in Natural gas
Uranium Thorium
 NORM in Sea water ppm ppm

Limestone 0.03 - 27 0 - 11

Sandstone 0.1 - 62 0.7 - 227

 Which NORM !

NORM nuclides of interest to oil industry

 Radium-226 & Radium-228

 Uranium
 Radon-222
 Lead-210
 Polonium-210
Uranium-238
4.5 By
Principal decay Scheme of
Th-234
Pa-234 Uranium
U-234
Th-230.

Radium-226
1620 Y
Radon –
Daughters
Radon-222
3.8 d
Relative Penetrating Power
 Radiation Emitted by NORM

 Gamma rays
Ra-226 and Pb-210
 Beta particles
Ra-228, Pb-210, Bi-210
 Alpha particles
Ra-226,U-238,Po-210 and Pb-210
 Where NORM accumulates
NORM may accumulate in the following
media:

 Scale
 Scrapings
 Sludge
 Thin films (radon progeny)
 NORM in Scale

 Types of scales
 Sulfate: SrSO4 and BaSO4 (RaSO4)
 Carbonate: CaCO3 (RaCO3)
 Effect of water mixing
 Change in pressure/temperature
 Scale accumulates in: production tubing, well head,
valves, and pumps
 Scale inhibitors
NORM in Scale
 NORM in Pipelines Scrapings
 Crude pipelines
(Radium & Pb-210)
 Seawater pipelines
(Uranium)
 NORM in Gas Processing Facilities

 Radon path Boiling Point

(K, 1 Atm)
 Radon progeny
Ethane 185
 Pb-210 (22 years)
Radon 211
 Po-210 (138 days)
Propane 231
 Bi-210 (5 days)
Form thin films on: compressors, reflux pumps,
control valves, product lines/vessels.
 NORM Exposure Scenarios

 Contamination
Inhalation
Ingestion
Absorption

 Irradiation
External Exposure
 NORM Health Impact

No short-term acute effects

Chronic exposure
(unprotected)

Higher possibility of cancer

 NORM Regulations

 Specifies contamination limits:

 Equipment, waste and soil
Limit of 226Ra
 Nuclide dependent Country
(pCi/g)
 Country dependent Canada 8

UK 10
 EURATOM 96/29
“May 2000” USA 5 to 30
 NORM Levels

World wide reported levels of NORM

Specific Activity (pCi/g)

Nuclide Scale Sludge Scrapings

Ra-226 2.7 – 405000 1.4 – 21600 0.3 – 2000

Pb-210 0.5 – 2025 2.7 – 35100 1.4 – 1350

Po-210 0.5 – 41 0.1 – 4320 2.7 – 108

 NORM in Natural Gas
 Radon gas (Rn-222)
 EPA limit for Radon in air is 4 pCi/ liter

Specific activity
Medium
pCi/liter

Natural gas 0.14 – 5400

NGL 0.27 – 40500

Propane 0.27 – 113400

Workers’ Radiation Dose

A worker’s dose depends on:

 Type of work
 Cleaning vessels/tanks
 Maintenance
 NORM activity
 Time
 Protective measures
 Workers Protection
 Awareness/training
 Protective clothes
 Respirators’ use
 Practice good hygiene
 Limited work scenarios
 Summary

 NORM is a global issue for the oil & gas industry

 NORM health hazards are controllable
 Implementing NORM procedure will not obstruct
operations
 NORM limit varies
Management of NORM
in Saudi Aramco

Michael Cowie
 Management of NORM in Saudi
Aramco
 International Radiation Protection Standards
 International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP)

 National Radiation Protection Regulations

 King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)

 Saudi Aramco Standard

 Management of Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring
Radioactive Material (NORM)
 Saudi Aramco Guidance
 NORM Guidance Manual
 NORM Workers protection and contamination control guidance
Development of NORM management
guidelines

 Saudi Aramco Standard, Management of

Technologically Enhanced Radioactive Material (NORM)

 Responsibilities  Transport of NORM

Contaminated Materials
 NORM Surveys
 NORM Contaminated
 Workers’ Protection
Equipment
 Contamination Control
 Decontamination
 Confined Space Entry
 Disposal of NORM Waste
 NORM contamination limits
Management of NORM in Saudi Aramco

 NORM Strategy
 NORM monitoring
 Safe management of NORM contaminated equipment
 Control of NORM waste
 Workers protection and training
 Development of NORM management guidelines
 NORM Program Strategy

NORM Control of Control of Workers Protection

Monitoring Contaminated NORM Waste & Training
Equipment

Baseline Equipment NORM Waste Enhance

Surveys Screening Storage Awareness

Pre T&I NORM Equip. Minimization at Workers’

Surveys Storage Source Training

Routine NORM Equip. Waste NORM

Assessments Decontam. Reduction Surveyor
Training

Legacy Cont. Permanent

Surveys Disposal
 NORM Management Process Cycle
NORM Monitoring

Yes Identify NORM Assess

NORM
Contaminated Radiological
Detected? equipment/waste Risks

No

Normal NORM Contaminated Workers

Operation Equipment Protection &
Contam. Control

NORM
Decontaminate
NORM Free Interim Storage of Waste
NORM
Equipment NORM equipment
equipment
NORM waste
Interim Storage
NORM Waste
Release for
general use NORM Waste
Permanent
Disposal
Management of NORM in Saudi Aramco
Emphasis on partnering
 Understanding of the operational process is important
 Work with proponents to adapt control measures to
operations
 Cooperation rather than imposition
 Awareness and training
Recommendations
 Identify the problem
 Develop a strategy
 Plan actions
 Establish controls
 Awareness and training
 Cooperation and inclusion
 Continued re-evaluation