Donald Carpenter reports that Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (TENORM) that is present as radium-enriched barium (and other alkaline earth element) sulfate scale and Lead-210-dominated scale are commonly associated with Oil and Gas production and processing. These forms of TENORM are created under established and predictable conditions during either handling of produced fluid brines or onward handling and processing of natural gas. However, recent radiological sampling of shale-related fracking scales and sludges have found, quite unexpectedly, the presence of elevated activities of Thorium-232.
The presence of this recently identified radionuclide has raised interest by State regulators as to potential threats and the acceptability of disposal of Thorium-232 scales and sludges in municipal landfills. Further, due to the elevated activities of Thorium-232, a federal statute pertaining to the prohibition of source material, may cause this form of TENORM to be regulated at the Federal level, unlike the other forms of TENORM. Upon identification of this new radionuclide associated with oil and gas production, Arcadis geochemists undertook an analysis as to its possible mobilization with produced fluid brines and processes leading to its potentially adverse concentration in scales and sludges. This analysis showed that, similar to naturally occurring radium, the high dissolved salt content within produced fluid brines, especially those formed within deep and hot production horizons increases the solubility of thorium to comparatively low, but nonetheless non-trivial concentrations.
These brines then can transport dissolved phase thorium to the surface where upon cooling the precipitation of amorphous silica concentrates the thorium into a potentially actionable scale or sludge consistent with the measured activities reported.
Original URL: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/thorium-232-another-tenorm-related-oil-gas-donald-carpenter?trk=hb_ntf_MEGAPHONE_ARTICLE_POST
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