Influence of technological cycles of natural gas processing on the content of radioactive radon in its composition

Full text: Radioactive gas radon is in the composition of natural gas. Radon is formed as a result of radioactive decay of natural radionuclides and it goes into the natural gas. Despite the fact that certain part of radon volatilises or decays in the processes of natural gas production, transportation and processing due to the natural gas the great quantity of radioactive substances come to the conditions of life. The investigations of regularities of the radon content changes in the composition of natural gas during its processing are great interest. The regularities of radon content changes in the composition of natural gas depending upon deposits, depth production and at different stages of its processing have been firstly studied. The absorption method is used at gas-processing plants for the extraction of heavy hydrocarbon fractions from the natural gas. Kerosene oil fractions are used as a sorbent. Relatively heavy hydrocarbons are isolated from sorbent by the desorption method and in future they are isolated in separate fractions. First, the content of radon in the composition of natural gas has been investigated. It is established that the values of volume activity for radon are changed in wide range from 20 to 1178 Bq/m3. The following conclusions have been done on the basis of obtained results: the content of radon in the composition of natural gas coming to the processing is changed in wide range. It is connected with different content of radioactive isotopes at different gas fields. Kerosene-gas oil fraction of the oil is used as a sorbent during gas processing and it has absorption activity by radon. The content of radon in consumption gas decreases up to 25 Bq/m3 as a result of absorption processes of treatment of natural gases from relatively heavy hydrocarbons