Naturally occurring radioactive materials in offshore infrastructure: understanding formation and characteristics of baryte scale during decommissioning planning

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dc.contributor.authorMacIntosh, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorOldfield, DTen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCendón, DIen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLangendam, ADen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHowell, NRen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHoward, DLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCresswell, Ten_AU
dc.date.accessioned2025-02-05T22:53:08Zen_AU
dc.date.available2025-02-05T22:53:08Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2024-03-05en_AU
dc.date.statistics2025-02-06en_AU
dc.description.abstractContaminants, including naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) of the 238-uranium and 232-thorium decay series, have been recognized as a global research priority to inform offshore petroleum infrastructure decommissioning decisions. This study aimed to characterize pipeline scale retrieved from a decommissioned subsea well tubular pipe through high-resolution elemental mapping and isotopic analysis. This was achieved by utilizing transmission electron microscopy, Synchrotron x-ray fluorescence, photostimulated luminescence autoradiography and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry. The scale was identified as baryte (BaSO4) forming a dense crystalline matrix, with heterogenous texture and elongated crystals. The changing chemical and physical microenvironment within the pipe influenced the gradual growth rate of baryte over the production life of this infrastructure. A distinct compositional banding of baryte and celestine (SrSO4) bands was observed. Radioactivity attributed by the presence of radionuclides (226Ra, 228Ra) throughout the scale was strongly correlated with baryte. From the detailed scale characterization, we can infer the baryte scale gradually formed within the internals of the tubular well pipe along the duration of production (i.e., 17 years). This new knowledge and insight into the characteristics and formation of petroleum waste products will assist with decommissioning planning to mitigate potential radiological risks to marine ecosystems. © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)en_AU
dc.description.sponsorshipThe authors acknowledge the Aboriginal custodians on whose Traditional Lands this research was conducted. The authors wish to thank Masturina Kracica and Tim Palmer for their sample preparation, Sue Brown and Daniela Fierro for the radiochemical analysis of the scale samples and Thin Sections Australia for the preparation of thin sections for the XFM beamline at the Australian Synchrotron. XFM mapping was undertaken on the XFM beamline at the Australian Synchrotron, part of ANSTO (AS222/XFM/18553). We thank Dr David Paterson for technical and analytical support for the XFM analysis.en_AU
dc.format.mediumPrint-Electronicen_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumber133506en_AU
dc.identifier.citationMacIntosh, A., Oldfield, D. T., Cendón, D. I., Langendam, A. D., Howell, N., Howard, D. L., & Cresswell, T. (2024). Naturally occurring radioactive materials in offshore infrastructure: understanding formation and characteristics of baryte scale during decommissioning planning. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 465, 133506. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133506en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0304-3894en_AU
dc.identifier.issn1873-3336en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleJournal of Hazardous Materialsen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133506en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/15964en_AU
dc.identifier.volume465en_AU
dc.languageEnglishen_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherElsevieren_AU
dc.subjectOffshore platformsen_AU
dc.subjectRisk assessmenten_AU
dc.subjectBariteen_AU
dc.subjectDecommissioningen_AU
dc.subjectAquatic ecosystemsen_AU
dc.subjectSteelsen_AU
dc.subjectMercuryen_AU
dc.subjectPlasticsen_AU
dc.subjectPetroleum residuesen_AU
dc.subjectResiduesen_AU
dc.subjectPipelinesen_AU
dc.subjectTransmission electron microscopyen_AU
dc.subjectX-ray fluorescence analysisen_AU
dc.subjectANSTOen_AU
dc.subjectAustralian organizationsen_AU
dc.subjectAmbient temperatureen_AU
dc.titleNaturally occurring radioactive materials in offshore infrastructure: understanding formation and characteristics of baryte scale during decommissioning planningen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
dcterms.dateAccepted2024-01-09en_AU
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