PDO signs major waste management agreement with key partners

PDO signs major waste management agreement with key partners

Muscat: Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with three key parties for the establishment of a central facility for the management and disposal of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM). The agreement was signed by senior representatives from the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, Environmental Authority and the Oman Environmental Services Holding Company (be'ah).The project will be among the first in the region to have a sustainable NORM waste management and disposal solution and is expected to generate significant cost savings. Currently, around $4.2 million is spent annually on exporting waste outside Oman for disposal.Waste contaminated with Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (NORM Waste) is a by-product of oil and gas production. Safety is paramount in the handling of such items and incorporates a wide range of activities. This includes rigorous HSE management supported by robust assurance processes, compliance to agreed standards and regulations, competence and skillsets in management of NORM Waste workers and the complete technical supply chain including decontamination, treatment and storage of wastes.The memorandum was signed remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic by the Minister of Energy and Minerals Mohammed bin Hamad Al Rumhy, Environmental Authority, Chief Executive Officer of be'ah Engineer Tariq bin