Recovery of NORM from scales generated by oil extraction

Scales, containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), are a major problem in oil production that lead to costly remediation and disposal programmes. In view of environmental protection, radio and chemical characterisation is an essential step prior to waste treatment. This study focus...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of environmental radioactivity 2016-03, Vol.153, p.149-155
Main Authors: Al Attar, Lina, Safia, Bassam, Ghani, Basem Abdul, Al Abdulah, Jamal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
226Ra and 210Pb
Acid digestion
Combustion
Concentration (composition)
Digestion
Environment protection
Extraction and Processing Industry
Industrial Waste - analysis
Lead Radioisotopes - analysis
NORM
Norms
Oil industry
Petroleum
Radiation Monitoring
Radioactive Pollutants - analysis
Radioactivity
Radium - analysis
Recovering
Refuse Disposal - methods
Scale (corrosion)
Scales
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Summary:Scales, containing naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), are a major problem in oil production that lead to costly remediation and disposal programmes. In view of environmental protection, radio and chemical characterisation is an essential step prior to waste treatment. This study focuses on developing of a protocol to recover 226Ra and 210Pb from scales produced by petroleum industry. X-ray diffractograms of the scales indicated the presence of barite–strontium (Ba0.75Sr0.25SO4) and hokutolite (Ba0.69Pb0.31SO4) as main minerals. Quartz, galena and Ca2Al2SiO6(OH)2 or sphalerite and iron oxide were found in minor quantities. Incineration to 600°C followed by enclosed-digestion and acid-treatment gave complete digestion. Using 133Ba and 210Pb tracers as internal standards gave recovery ranged 87–91% for 226Ra and ca. 100% for 210Pb. Radium was finally dissolved in concentrated sulphuric acid, while 210Pb dissolved in the former solution as well as in 8 M nitric acid. Dissolving the scales would provide better estimation of their radionuclides contents, facilitate the determination of their chemical composition, and make it possible to recycle NORM wastes in terms of radionuclides production. •Recovery of 226Ra and 210Pb radionuclides from scales generated from oil industry.•XRD indicated the existence of Ba0.75Sr0.25SO4 and Ba0.69Pb0.31SO4 as main minerals.•Radio-recovery ranged 87–91% for 226Ra and ca. 100% for 210Pb.•The dissolving protocol complies with various composition of scale samples.
ISSN:0265-931X
1879-1700
DOI:10.1016/j.jenvrad.2015.12.014