Radiological Assessment of NORM Resulting From Oil and Gas Production Processing in South Rumaila Oil Field, Southern Iraq

Radiological assessment due to existing of natural occurring radioactive materials (NORM) in South Rumaila oil field was achieved in this study. Different samples including soil, sludge, scale, oil, and water were collected from different stages of oil and gas production in Markazia Degassing Station (SDS) in South Rumaila oil field. Radioactivity of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 were measured using gamma spectrometry system based on HPGe detector with efficiency of 30%. The results show that some locations within SDS are contaminated with NORM. The activity of Ra-226, Th-232 and K-40 range between 18.4 to 312.8, 9.4 to 140.8 and 66.4 to 800.8 (Bq/kg) respectively. The places to be more contaminated among the other places within the processing stages of oil and gas production within SDS are dehydrator and desaltor stages.