Evaluation of Natural Radioactive Concentration Levels in a Selection of Buzrgan Oil Drilling Wells in Maysan Governorate, Iraq

Abstract

From the BUCN-157D well in southern Maysan city, Iraq, the concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K radionuclides are measured for soil and rock at various depths. utilizing an HPGe detector with an energy resolution of utilizing a high-resolution gamma spectrometry setup (≤1.8 keV) for the 60Co gamma transition at 133 MeV. The samples of rock and dirt came from a depth of 150–3500 m. The natural radionuclide activity concentrations were compared with equivalent values from other nations. The average activity for the isotopes of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were 10.1, 9.433, and 390.55 Bq/kg, respectively. Radium equivalent activities, gamma dose rate, internal and external hazard indices, representative level index, and internal and external yearly effective dose equivalent had average values of 53.66 Bq/kg, 26.54 nGy/h, 0.17, 0.15, 0.42, 0.13 mSv/y, and 0.03 mSv/y, respectively. All measurements were determined to be below their respective allowed limits for (226Ra, 232Th, and 40K) specific activity, radium equivalent, absorbed dose rate, indoor and outdoor yearly effective dose rates, internal and external hazard indices, and gamma index.