A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF TERRESTRIAL GAMMA DOSE RATE IN AIR MEASURED BY DIFFERENT PORTABLE SURVEY METERS AROUND THE PETROLEUM-PRODUCING AREAS OF THE-QAR PROVINCE, IRAQ

Two different survey-meters are used to measure the gamma dose rate inthe area of oil and gas production of the Thi-Qar province, southeast of Iraq. The obtained results are compared with those previously obtained by the gamma spectroscopic analysis of collected soil samples from the same study regions.The obtained dose rate by using RadEye (PRD) survey-meter was ranged (0.06-0.19)nGyh-1, while those by using Ludlum survey meter were ranged(10.23-33.48) nGyh-1. Gamma spectroscopic analysis of the collected samples showed that the calculated dose rate is ranged(14.77-38.78) nGyh-1which is higher than those obtained by RadEye (PRD) survey-meter and comparable with those obtained byLudlum survey meter. Using the gamma survey meters to determine the dose rates inside these regions cannot be trustedand the long methodology of the gamma spectroscopic analysis of the collected samples is highly required.