Dynamic modeling of TENORM exposure risk during drilling and production

Exposure to Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Nuclear Radioactive Material (TENORM) from oil and gas drilling and production activities can have effects on both the environment and workers involved in the industry. There is a significant lack of available information regarding dynamic modeling and risk assessment of TENORM occupational exposure in the oil and gas industry, and available studies show that workers in the field are at risk of being exposed to varying levels of radiation. This paper presents a methodology to bridge this knowledge gap by modeling workforce TENORM radiation exposure at different oil and gas operation stages. This was achieved by integrating SHIPP (System Hazard Identification, Prediction and Prevention) Methodology And Rational Theory (SMART approach). The SMART approach was applied to develop an integrated framework for TENORM occupational exposure risk assessment. Application of the proposed approach is illustrated with a scenario, and outcomes from modeling this scenario explain how system degraded as a function of safety barrier performance.