Technological options for disposal of waste containing TENORM of oil industry in Brazil
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Technological options for disposal of waste containing TENORM of oil industry in Brazil Mara R. F. V. Alves 1,2 and Susana O. Souza 3 1 PETROBRAS/UO-SEAL, CEP: 49.080-010, Aracaju, SE, Brazil. 2 Departments of Materials Engineering, CCET/UFS, CEP:49.100-000 São Cristóvão/SE, Brazil. 3 Physics Department, CCET/UFS, CEP: 49.100-000 São Cristóvão/SE, Brazil. ABSTRACT Some human activities can focus radioactive natural materials on their waste and products through technological processes by increasing the local background radioactivity at values that may compromise the health and safety of persons and the environment. The oil industry waste containing technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials (TENORM) are high volume and low levels activity cannot be classified and arranged according to the Brazilian standard for classification of waste generating a stalemate in its management in Brazil. This work has identified technological alternatives for the disposal of waste containing TENORM available in the world and examined its use in the oil industry in Brazil, considering the Brazilian legislation. INTRODUCTION The Earth's crust is made up of natural radioactive materials that are in balance with nature and constitute the background radiation. Some human activities can focus these naturally occurring radioactive materials, generating technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive materials, known as TENORM, increasing the background radioactivity of the local values that may compromise the health and safety of people and the environment through the concentration of radionuclide in the products and the waste of the processes involved. By exploring and producing hydrocarbons, industry exploration and production of oil and gas brings to the surface a variety of materials that coexist with the hydrocarbons in the reservoir rock, among them, radionuclide decay series of uranium and thorium present in water formation with dissolved cations rock shell (calcium, strontium, barium and radium). Upon entering the production chain these radionuclide are precipitated in the form of sulphates, carbonates, silica and other compounds along the inside walls of pipes and production equipment. They can also form a thin film on the inner surface of the processing equipment for natural gas. TENORM containing materials in the oil industry are generally composed of oily sludge, scales and scrapings. They present high volume and low specific activity, but cannot be classified and designed according to the Brazilian standard for classification of waste [1] because they show activity levels higher than background radiation. The National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN), the agency responsible for regulating nuclear activities in Brazil, have no regulations that specifically addresses the handling and disposal of waste TENORM in the oil industry. The impasse in managing TENORM arises when the current legislation in Brazil condition the elimination of liquid waste, solids and/or gaseous from an installation to obta
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