Natural radioactivity at Podravina gas fields

In Croatia, natural gas is an important source of energy, where its use exceeds other sources by one third. Composed primarily of the methane, natural gas from Croatian Podravina gas fields, beside other impurities, contains small amounts of radioactive elements. At Gas Treatment Plant (GTP) Molve, technological procedures for purification of natural gas and its distribution are performed. With yearly natural gas production of 3.5 109 m3 GTP Molve is major Croatian energy resource. Its safety and environment impact is matter of concern. Using different radioactivity measuring techniques the exposure of population to ionizing radiation were calculated at Central Natural Gas Station Molve and the underground wells. The measurement techniques included in-situ gamma spectrometric measurements, from which contribution to absorbed dose of the natural radionuclide in soil were calculated. Exposure dose measurements were performed using T.L.-dosimeters, and L.A.R.A. electronic dosimeters as well as field dose rate meter. Comparing used different radioactivity measuring methods, the correlations have been calculated. (authors)