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RE: contamination by spraying
Most of the petroleum industry information about problems with NORM are related to scale formation in pipelines and plants [and subsequent exposure and disposal problems] so I too would be interested in information on NORM concentrations in production water.
Rather than say 'no problem,' I would point out all the uncertainties involved with such an 'exposure' and ask if you had kept anyone's clothes [for counting] or had done any bioassay or body counting [of limited use] after the incident.
Some information on North Sea formations and NORM is available in an old article by A.L. Smith, 'Radioactive-Scale Formation,' from the June 1987 Journal of Petroleum Technology [pp 697-706]. Additionally, there are a number of articles from the '80s in journals from the Health Physics Society and the Amer. Industrial Hygiene Assoc'n.
Good luck and keep me informed of your progress please,
Tom McClelland
mccleltw@aramco.com.sa
[opinions are, of course, my own and not those of my employer]
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From: Jonkers, Gert SIC-CTAN/2[SMTP:Gert.G.Jonkers@opc.shell.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 1998 6:34 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: contamination by spraying
Dear Colleagues,
During an offshore spill of production water, the excess of water
cascaded into the sea. The wind broke up the cascading water and mist
droplets sprayed the crew of supply boats working near the platform. As
production waters may contain Naturally Occurring Radionuclides (NORs;
particularly radium isotopes and lead-210) an issue was raised about the
irradiation/contamination of the crew.
Apart from the conventional hazards of being sprayed with production
water, has anyone of you ever dealt with such a type of exposure issue?
Up till now I do not yet know NOR concentrations, nor droplet size
distributions, but (for an innitial guesstimate) what would be the main
pathways for exposure?
- evaporating production water, causing surface (clothing/skin)
contamination?
- larger mist droplets, entering the body via ingestion?
- smaller mist droplets, entering the body via inhalation?
Your opinion(s) in this matter are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Kind Regards, Gert Jonkers
CTAN - Analytical - Nuclear Measurement Techniques
http://sww.ksla.shell.nl/analytical/skills/nuclearmea/1.html
Radiotracer applications,
Gamma-transmission and Neutron BackScatter (NBS) measurements
Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)
Radiological Protection Advice
Shell Research and Technology Centre, Amsterdam (SRTCA),
http://www.srtca.shell.nl/welcome.html
PO Box 38000, NL-1030 BN Amsterdam, the Netherlands
tel. +31 - 20 - 630 3424
fax +31 - 20 - 630 2911
e-mail Gert.G.Jonkers@OPC.Shell.COM
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