Skip to main content
Log in

Determination of radon in natural gas pipelines

  • Published:
Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop the methodology for collection and analysis of radon from a natural gas pipeline. Activated charcoal was used as collection media. Two methods were designed for collecting radon gas samples from onshore and offshore production sites. For onshore sites a continuous gas sampling method from the pipeline was developed. In case of offshore sites, a batch sampling method was designed. Gamma spectroscopy was utilized to determine the concentration of radon by analysis of radon daughters on the charcoal.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lysebo I, Birovljev A, Strand T (1996) NORM in oil production: occupational doses and environmental aspects. In: Proceedings of the 11th Congress of the Nordic Radiation Protection Society. Reykjavik

  2. Deborah LB, David SG, Karen PS (1999) Issues Related to setting exemption levels for oil and gas NORM. In: The six annual international petroleum environmental conference. Houston

  3. Hamlat MS, Djeffal S, Kadi H (2001) Assessment of radiation exposures from naturally occurring radioactive materials in the oil and gas industry. Appl Radiat Isot 55:141–146

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kraemer TF (1986) Radon in unconventional natural gas from Gulf coast geopressured-geothermal reservoirs. Environ Sci Technol 20:939–942

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (1988) Toxicological profile for ionizing radiation and U.S. National Research Council. In: Health, risks of radon and other internally deposited alpha-emitters, BEIR IV. National Academy Press

  6. Johnson RH, Bernhardt DE, Nelson NS, Calley HW (1973) Assessment of potential radiological health effects from radon in natural gas, environmental protection agency (EPA-520-73-004)

  7. Gogolak CV (1980) Review of 222Rn in natural gas produced from unconventional sources, environmental measurements laboratory, United States Department of Energy (DOE/EML-385)

  8. Resnikoff M (2015) Radon in natural gas from Marcellus Shale: NEOGAP, network for oil & gas accountability and protection. http://www.neogap.org/neogap/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Marcellus_Radon.pdf. Accessed 8 Apr 2015

  9. Leventhal JS, Crock JG, Malcolm MJ (1981) Geochemistry of trace elements in Devonian Shales of the Appalachian basin, U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 81-778

  10. Atkins PW (1986) Physical chemise, 3rd edn. WH Freeman and Company, New York

    Google Scholar 

  11. Blue TE, Jarzemba MS, Fentiman AW (1995) Steady state response of a charcoal bed to radon in flowing air with water vapor. Health Phys 68:809–816

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Coleman RL (1999) Use of activated charcoal for 220Rn adsorption for operations associated with the uranium deposit in the auxiliary charcoal bed at the molten salt. Reactor experiment facility. ORNL/TM-13733

  13. Laoonual Y, Jugjai S, Chanchaona S, Chollacoop N (2007) An analysis of composition variation of natural gas for vehicles (NGV) in Thailand. In: Proceeding of 3rd conference on energy network of Thailand, Bangkok, pp 4–6, 23–25 May 2007

  14. HS Wah (2013) Gas for households: LPG for cooking as first step. Petroliam Nasional Berhad (Petronas)

  15. Hamlat MS, Kadi H, Djeffal S, Brahimi H (2003) Radon concentrations in algerian oil and gas industry. Appl Radiat Isot 58:125–130

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Holland (1998) Experience with operations involving NORM in the United Kingdom (UK) and some other regions. Report of the RCA expert advisory group meeting to review and develop radiation protection guidance for naturally occurring radioactive materials in the oil and gas and other mineral extraction and processing industries. Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, Sidney, 16–20 Mar 1998

  17. Jonkers G, Hartog FA, Knaepen (1998) NORM baseline studies and surveys for the E and P industry. In: Proceedings of NORM II, Krefeld, pp 22–26, 10–13 Nov 1998

  18. UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific Committee on Effects of radiation) (1977) Radon concentrations in natural gas at the well heads, UN Scientific Committee on the effects of atomic radiation; sources and effects of ionizing radiation. United Nations, New York

Download references

Acknowledgments

The researchers would like to give special thanks to petroleum companies, the Chulalongkorn University and the Thai government for providing necessary funding and other resources. The authors express their gratitude for the support. We also thank Dr. William C. Burnett from Florida State University and anonymous reviewers for making valuable suggestions of an earlier draft of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Chanyotha.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Chanyotha, S., Kranrod, C., Pengvanich, P. et al. Determination of radon in natural gas pipelines. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 307, 2095–2099 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4405-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-015-4405-x

Keywords

Navigation