Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) Project

The Netherlands has a long history of dealing with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM). Over time, the procedures of working with NORM in various industries as well as increasing legislation has led to the exploration of regulatory controls, including waste disposal routes, to aid the development of a more sustainable industry. The Dutch Government idealises the reuse of NORM residues opposed to the dumping of such volatile waste.

SEM has engaged with Dutch SNN and The European Regional Development Fund to deliver a project in which our innovative technology will be further developed and commercialised for the cleaning, decontamination and reduction of ‘special’ waste from the energy sector. This in turn will make the oil and gas industry more sustainable in which employees will no longer run the associated health risks of working with NORM residues whilst also contributing to major cost savings.

During the project, a prototype system will be developed to demonstrate a working principle. A system that integrates ultrasonics with our DRAM Filtration unit. This synergy of these technologies will provide a total solution for the cleaning of, amongst other things, production pipes and tubulars. The envisaged system will eradicate the use of toxic cleaning agents, cut down energy usage and consume less water. All while utilising a 99% sustainable by-product for filtration purposes, ultimately making the energy sector more environmentally responsible.