| (a) Purpose. This section establishes radiation safety
requirements for persons using sources of radiation for well logging
service operations, including radioactive markers, mineral exploration
and tracer studies.
(b) Scope. This section applies to all persons who
use sources of radiation for well logging service operations, radioactive
markers, mineral exploration and tracer studies. In addition to the
requirements of this section, persons are subject to the requirements
of §289.201 of this title (relating to General Provisions for
Radioactive Material), §289.202 of this title (relating to Standards
for Protection Against Radiation from Radioactive Materials), §289.203
of this title (relating to Notices, Instructions, and Reports to Workers;
Inspections), §289.204 of this title (relating to Fees for Certificates
of Registration, Radioactive Material Licenses, Emergency Planning
and Implementation, and Other Regulatory Services), §289.205
of this title (relating to Hearing and Enforcement Procedures), §289.226
of this title (relating to Registration of Radiation Machine Use and
Services), §289.229 of this title (relating to Radiation Safety
Requirements for Accelerators, Therapeutic Radiation Machines, Simulators,
and Electronic Brachytherapy Devices), §289.231 of this title
(relating to General Provisions and Standards for Protection Against
Machine-Produced Radiation), §289.252 of this title (relating
to Licensing of Radioactive Material), and §289.257 of this title
(relating to Packaging and Transportation of Radioactive Material).
(c) Definitions. The following words and terms when
used in this section shall have the following meaning unless the context
clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Energy compensation source (ECS)--A small sealed
source with an activity not exceeding 100 microcuries (µCi)
(3.7 megabecquerel (MBq)), used within a logging tool or other tool
component, to provide a reference standard to maintain the tool's
calibration when in use.
(2) Field station (additional authorized use/storage
location)--A facility where sources of radiation may be stored or
used and from which equipment is dispatched to temporary job sites.
(3) Injection tool--A device used for subsurface or
downhole controlled injection of radioactive tracer material.
(4) Logging assistant (equipment operator)--Any individual
who, under the personal supervision of a logging supervisor, handles
sealed sources or tracers that are not in logging tools or shipping
containers or who performs surveys required by subsection (bb) of
this section.
(5) Logging supervisor (field engineer)--The individual
who provides personal supervision of the use of sources of radiation
at temporary job sites.
(6) Logging tool--A device used subsurface to perform
well logging.
(7) Mineral logging--Any logging performed for the
purpose of mineral exploration other than oil or gas.
(8) Personal supervision--Guidance and instruction
by the supervisor, who is physically present at the job site and in
such proximity that visual contact can be maintained and immediate
assistance given as required.
(9) Radiation safety officer--An individual named by
the licensee or registrant and listed on the license or certificate
of registration who has a knowledge of, responsibility for, and authority
to enforce appropriate radiation protection rules, standards, and
practices on behalf of the licensee and/or registrant, and who meets
the requirements of subsection (s) of this section.
(10) Radioactive marker--Radioactive material placed
subsurface or upon a structure intended for subsurface use for the
purpose of depth determination or direction orientation.
(11) Residential location--Any area where structures
in which people lodge or live are located, and the grounds on which
these structures are located including, but not limited to, houses,
apartments, condominiums, and garages.
(12) Screenout--A situation in which radioactive tracer
material is reversed out of an oil or gas well (well returns).
(13) Service company--Any contracted or subcontracted
company that is present at the temporary job site, specifically, that
company to which the licensee's equipment is connected and that is
exposed to radioactive material.
(14) Source holder--A housing or assembly into which
a radioactive source is placed for the purpose of facilitating the
handling and use of the source.
(15) Storage container--A container designed to provide
radiation safety and security when sources of radiation are being
stored.
(16) Temporary job site--A location where well logging
or tracer studies are performed other than the specific location(s)
listed on a license or certificate of registration.
(17) Tracer study--The release of a substance tagged
with radioactive material for the purpose of tracing the movement
or position of the tagged substance in the wellbore, at the wellhead,
or adjacent formation.
(18) Transport container--A container that meets the
requirements of the United States Department of Transportation (DOT)
and is designed to provide radiation safety and security when sources
of radiation are being transported.
(19) Tritium neutron generator target source--A tritium
source used within a neutron generator tube to produce neutrons for
use in well logging applications.
(20) Uranium sinker bar--A weight containing depleted
uranium used to aid in the descent of a logging tool down toward the
bottom of a wellbore.
(21) Wellbore--A drilled hole in which wireline service
operations are performed.
(22) Well logging--All operations involving the lowering
and raising of measuring devices or logging tools (that may or may
not contain sources of radiation) into wellbores or cavities for the
purpose of obtaining information about the well and/or adjacent formations.
(23) Wireline--An armored steel cable, containing one
or more electrical conductors, used to lower and raise logging tools
in the wellbore.
(24) Wireline service operation--Any mechanical or
electronic service that is performed in the wellbore using devices
that are lowered into the well on a wireline for purposes of evaluation.
(d) Specific licenses for well logging.
(1) The applicant shall satisfy the general requirements
specified in this subsection and in §289.252(e) of this title.
(2) The applicant shall develop a program for training
logging supervisors and logging assistants and submit to the agency
a description of this program which specifies the:
(A) initial training;
(B) on-the-job training;
(C) annual safety reviews provided by the licensee;
(D) means the applicant will use to demonstrate the
logging supervisor's knowledge and understanding of and ability to
comply with the agency's regulations and licensing requirements and
the applicant's operating and emergency procedures; and
(E) means the applicant will use to demonstrate the
logging assistant's knowledge and understanding of and ability to
comply with the applicant's operating and emergency procedures.
(3) The applicant shall submit to the agency written
operating and emergency procedures as described in subsection (ee)(4)
of this section.
(4) The applicant shall establish and submit to the
agency its program for annual inspections of the job performance of
each logging supervisor to ensure that the agency's regulations, license
requirements, and the applicant's operating and emergency procedures
are followed. Inspection records must be retained for 3 years after
each annual internal inspection.
(5) The applicant shall submit a description of its
overall organizational structure as it applies to the radiation safety
responsibilities in well logging, including specified delegations
of authority and responsibility.
(6) If an applicant wants to perform leak testing of
sealed sources, the applicant shall identify the manufacturers and
the model numbers of the leak test kits to be used. If the applicant
wants to analyze its own wipe samples, the applicant shall establish
procedures to be followed and submit a description of these procedures
to the agency. The description must include the:
(A) instruments to be used;
(B) methods of performing the analysis; and
(C) pertinent experience of the person who will analyze
the wipe samples.
(e) Prohibitions.
(1) No licensee shall perform well logging service
operations with a sealed source(s) in any well or wellbore unless,
prior to commencement of the operation, the licensee has a written
agreement with the well operator, well owner, drilling contractor,
or land owner that specifies who will be responsible for ensuring
the following requirements are met:
Cont'd... |
