SCREENING & EVALUATION OF NORM/TENORM ...wswra.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Screening-Eval.-of...During combustion radionuclides are retained (fly ash and bottom ash) Concentrations

SCREENING & EVALUATION OF NORM/TENORM WASTES AT MSWLF’S

WSWRA Conference

August 26, 2015

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NORM Waste Industries

What do typical NORM wastes look like?

Should we expect to see NORM wastes in Wyoming?

How can we measure NORM (field & lab analytical)

Instrumentation types & cost

How can we minimize risk?

Presentation Overview

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Several industries have production activities that concentrate NORM,

sometimes referred to as technologically-enhanced NORM (TENORM)

and some of these are:

Oil & Gas Industry

Coal Industry

Others:

mineral sands

fertilizer (phosphate)

building

recycling

NORM Waste Industries

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Oil & Gas Industry

Isotopes precipitate from produced water with sulfate and carbonate as scale or sludge

Levels of radioactivity vary significantly by well and by region

Scale concentrations can range from 10x to 1000x the concentration in the produced water

Coal Industry

Concerns in mining are mainly with radon gas and mine workers

Largest NORM waste stream is coal ash

During combustion radionuclides are retained (fly ash and bottom ash)

Concentrations can be 10x the concentration in the natural coal

Source: www.world-nuclear.org, “Natural Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM)”, July 2015

NORM Waste Industries

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What Does NORM Look Like?

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Source: USGS Fact Sheet FS-142-99, Sept. 1999

What to expect for Wyoming

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Measured by field screening surveys and/or laboratory analysis

NORM screening surveys require the use of highly sensitive

instrumentation to detect the presence of NORM accumulation.

NORM screening survey results are used to locate possible NORM hazards and

are compared to background count rates.

Comparative results indicate if further action is required.

Instruments can vary from inexpensive hand-held detectors to

stationary vehicle screening detectors.

NORM screening involves detecting radiation emissions on the outside

of equipment from NORM accumulations found inside the equipment.

As such, the best screening survey instruments are designed to detect

small numbers of gamma emissions strong enough to penetrate steel.

How Can You Measure Norm?

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Instrument Examples

• Most sensitive

• Preferred “Early Warning”

detector

• Only detector to reliably detect

low-energy Pb210

• Preferred handheld device for

most NORM screening

Scintillation Detector

Pancake Detector

Large Entry Monitor

• Utilizes scintillation

detectors

• Hands-off approach to

screening

• Configuration good for irregular

surfaces

• Can detect alpha, beta & gamma

• Personnel monitoring

• Not preferred for screening

through metal

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Instrument Costs

• Meter = ~$700

• Detector = ~$700 (scintillation, pancake, or alpha)

• Cables = ~$150

• Check Source = ~$175

• Annual Calibration = ~$250

Hand-held Setup (~$1,800)

• Pancake detector = ~$500

• May also require check

source and annual

calibration = ~$400

Budget Monitors (~$900) Large scale waste monitors =

~$10K - $100K

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A questionnaire may be a good tool to consistently ask some

important questions. Possible questions include:

Is the waste known or suspected to contain NORM?

Has the waste been screened for NORM or sampled for radiochemistry?

If yes, what were the results?

Is the waste from the O&G industry?

Does the waste contain coal ash (bottom or fly ash)?

Was the waste generated from an industry associated with uranium

mining, mineral sands, or other industry known to be associated with

NORM?

Good Questions: A Best Management Practice

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1. Be familiar with Wyoming NORM Guidelines

2. Ask good questions

3. Consider the ability screen for NORM at your

facility

Key Take-Away’s

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Craig Carlson, P.G.

Trihydro Corporation

307-745-7474

[email protected]