NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning

The accumulation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) during oil and gas production is a well-known phenomenon in mature markets with established legislation and disposal methods. In Brazil, MTE Regulatory Standard No. 37, issued in 2018, established the first labor regulation addressi...

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Main Authors: Pedro Preza, Gustavo Fortins, Gabriel Jabarra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR) 2025-01-01
Series:Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/2448
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author Pedro Preza
Gustavo Fortins
Gabriel Jabarra
author_facet Pedro Preza
Gustavo Fortins
Gabriel Jabarra
author_sort Pedro Preza
collection DOAJ
description The accumulation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) during oil and gas production is a well-known phenomenon in mature markets with established legislation and disposal methods. In Brazil, MTE Regulatory Standard No. 37, issued in 2018, established the first labor regulation addressing NORM as an occupational hazard. Since then, oil companies have focused on managing waste disposal, with particular emphasis on NORM management. As Brazil anticipates an increase in decommissioning and dismantling activities, advancing methods, regulatory limits, and solutions for NORM management is critical. This article presents the specific regulations and the practical experience for radiological protection of workers and proper radioactive waste management within oil and gas installations. Through technical visits, dose rate monitoring, and legislative analysis, the study contextualizes the operational environment of exploration and production units, detailing health risks, waste characteristics, and storage requirements. The article also underscores the sector's complexity, emphasizing the variability in NORM accumulation across different installations and the necessity for targeted protective measures due to the potential exposure of employees during cleaning and inspection activities.
format Article
id doaj-art-244faca5a13c4e54b79147a5484be0d8
institution DOAJ
issn 2319-0612
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Brazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)
record_format Article
series Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
spelling doaj-art-244faca5a13c4e54b79147a5484be0d82025-08-20T02:42:04ZengBrazilian Radiation Protection Society (Sociedade Brasileira de Proteção Radiológica, SBPR)Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences2319-06122025-01-01123A (Suppl.)10.15392/2319-0612.2024.2448NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to DecommissioningPedro Preza0Gustavo Fortins1Gabriel Jabarra2Rio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroRio de JaneiroThe accumulation of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) during oil and gas production is a well-known phenomenon in mature markets with established legislation and disposal methods. In Brazil, MTE Regulatory Standard No. 37, issued in 2018, established the first labor regulation addressing NORM as an occupational hazard. Since then, oil companies have focused on managing waste disposal, with particular emphasis on NORM management. As Brazil anticipates an increase in decommissioning and dismantling activities, advancing methods, regulatory limits, and solutions for NORM management is critical. This article presents the specific regulations and the practical experience for radiological protection of workers and proper radioactive waste management within oil and gas installations. Through technical visits, dose rate monitoring, and legislative analysis, the study contextualizes the operational environment of exploration and production units, detailing health risks, waste characteristics, and storage requirements. The article also underscores the sector's complexity, emphasizing the variability in NORM accumulation across different installations and the necessity for targeted protective measures due to the potential exposure of employees during cleaning and inspection activities. http://www.bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/2448NORMOil and GasRadioactive WasteRadiological ProtectionCleaning processNORM packaging
spellingShingle Pedro Preza
Gustavo Fortins
Gabriel Jabarra
NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning
Brazilian Journal of Radiation Sciences
NORM
Oil and Gas
Radioactive Waste
Radiological Protection
Cleaning process
NORM packaging
title NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning
title_full NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning
title_fullStr NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning
title_full_unstemmed NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning
title_short NORM Management in the Oil and Gas Industry: From Production to Decommissioning
title_sort norm management in the oil and gas industry from production to decommissioning
topic NORM
Oil and Gas
Radioactive Waste
Radiological Protection
Cleaning process
NORM packaging
url http://www.bjrs.org.br/revista/index.php/REVISTA/article/view/2448
work_keys_str_mv AT pedropreza normmanagementintheoilandgasindustryfromproductiontodecommissioning
AT gustavofortins normmanagementintheoilandgasindustryfromproductiontodecommissioning
AT gabrieljabarra normmanagementintheoilandgasindustryfromproductiontodecommissioning