Department of Physics, Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Nigeria; Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
Ononugbo, C.P., Department of Physics, Federal College of Education (Technical), Omoku, Nigeria; Avwiri, G.O., Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Chad-Umoren, Y.E., Department of Physics, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
A key component of the current national energy policy of Nigeria is to efficiently utilize her abundant natural gas reserves, especially in the energy sector. This paper reports a study of the terrestrial radioactivity in the industrial areas of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State. These industrial areas and their host communities were divided into six (6) zones, each having an oil and gas facility. An in-situ measurement was done using two well calibrated nuclear radiation meters (digilert-100 and digilert-50) and geographical positioning system (GPS). Ten readings were taken in each of the six zones and the host community at randomly selected sites, making a total of 60 sampling points. The mean site radiation level ranges from 0.014 ± 0.001mRh -1 (1.183 ± 0.060mSvy -1) to 0.018 ± 0.002mRh -1 (1.689± 0.085mSvy -1) while the mean community radiation level ranges from 0.014 ± 0.001mRh -1 (1.183± 0.06mSvy -1) to 0.017 ± 0.001mRh -1 (1.435 ± 0.072mSvyr -1). The equivalent dose has an average range of 1.056 mSvy -1 to 2.871 mSvy -1, which is far below the recommended dose limit for radiological workers (20mSvy -1) but averagely above that for the general public (1mSvyr -1). Comparison of the measured radiation level of site locations with the normal background level shows that 43 locations, representing 71.7% of the sampled area, exceed the normal background level of 0.013mRh -1. This study indicates that there is no immediate radiological health hazard for the host communities and workers, however there may be long-term health challenges.
Background level; Dose equivalent; Dose limits; Energy sector; Environmental radiation; Environmental radioactivity; Equivalent dose; Gas exploitation; General publics; In-situ measurement; Industrial area; Key component; Local government areas; National energy policy; Natural gas reserves; Nigeria; Nuclear radiations; Oil and gas; Oil and Gas Industry; Positioning system; Radiation levels; Sampling points; Site location; Energy policy; Gas industry; Health hazards; Natural gas; Radiation; Radioactivity; Radiology; Proven reserves; energy policy; gas industry; gas supply; GPS; health risk; oil industry; radioactivity; Nigeria