NORM pipe & equipment decontamination
Surveys, decontamination and waste handling for oilfield pipe, tubulars and equipment. Done at your location, or at our licensed facility in Winona.
Oilfield pipe is where NORM shows up first
Production tubing, line pipe and the equipment around them carry produced water for years. Scale builds up on the inside walls, and in a lot of fields that scale carries naturally occurring radioactive material. When the pipe comes out of service, someone has to find out whether it's above the limit and deal with it if it is.
USFS does both. Our crews survey the equipment, decontaminate what needs it, and contain and handle the waste, under a radiation safety program run by a company Radiation Safety Officer.
What we do
- NORM surveys of pipe, equipment and facilities
- Decontamination of oilfield pipe, tubing and tubulars
- Decontamination of vessels, valves, pumps and other equipment
- Containment and handling of NORM waste
- Field decontamination at your yard or lease
- Transfer to the Winona facility when that's the better option
Who shows up
Every NORM crew includes a certified Radiation Safety Officer and a cleaning technician, trained and certified in handling NORM-contaminated equipment and waste. They arrive with:
- Berm containment and waste barrels
- Heated pressure washers
- Digital radiation meters and a Ludlum Model 3 with gamma, alpha and beta probes
- Radiation badges, Tyvek suits, full face shields, respirators and air samplers
The work meets state and DOT requirements from the first survey to the last drum.
In the field or at the facility
A large stack of pipe in one yard is often cheaper to clean where it sits. Small quantities, odd shapes and equipment that's already moving usually go faster through Winona. We'll look at the job and tell you which makes sense, not which one bills more.
Field work runs under Texas Radioactive Material License No. L06795 and Louisiana DEQ NORM license RC-670.
Who calls us
Operators retiring wells or replacing tubing. Pipe yards and scrap buyers who need material cleared before it moves. Midstream companies with equipment coming out of service. Environmental managers who need the survey before they can decide anything else.
Common questions
Do I need a survey first?
Yes. You can't tell by looking. A radiation survey with the right instrument tells you whether equipment reads above the limit and needs decontamination. Our crews do these surveys.
Field decontamination or the facility: which is better?
It depends on how much equipment there is, where it is, and what it is. A large pile of pipe in one yard can make sense to clean in place. Odd-shaped equipment or small quantities often move faster through the Winona facility. We'll recommend one after the review.
Which states can you work in?
Field work runs under Texas Radioactive Material License No. L06795 and Louisiana DEQ NORM license RC-670. Customers anywhere can send equipment to the Winona facility after it's approved.
Often part of the same job
Pipe coming out of service?
Get it surveyed before it sits another year in the yard.