| (3) The well operator shall contact the licensee when
a decision is made to reverse the radioactive tracer material out
of a well. The licensee shall be on site and present at the well when
radioactive tracer material is reversed out of a well.
(w) Particle accelerators. No licensee or registrant
shall permit above-ground testing of particle accelerators that results
in the production of radiation except in areas or facilities controlled
or shielded to meet the requirements of §289.202(f) or (n) of
this title, or §289.231(m) or (o) of this title, as applicable.
(x) Radioactive markers. The licensee may use radioactive
markers in wells only if the individual markers contain quantities
of radioactive material not exceeding the quantities specified in §289.251(l)(2)
of this title. The use of markers is subject only to the provisions
of this subsection and subsection (k) of this section.
(y) Uranium sinker bars. The licensee may use a depleted
uranium sinker bar in well logging service operations only if it is
legibly impressed with the wording "DANGER (or CAUTION), RADIOACTIVE-DEPLETED
URANIUM, NOTIFY CIVIL AUTHORITIES (OR NAME OF COMPANY) IF FOUND."
(z) Energy compensation source.
(1) The licensee may use an energy compensation source
that is contained within a logging tool or other tool components.
(2) For well logging applications with a surface casing
for protecting fresh water aquifers, use of the ECS is only subject
to the requirements of subsections (j), (k), and (l) of this section.
(3) For well logging applications without a surface
casing for protecting fresh water aquifers, use of the ECS is only
subject to the requirements of subsections (e), (j), (k), (l), (cc)(4)
and (dd) of this section.
(aa) Tritium neutron generator target source.
(1) Use of a tritium neutron generator target source,
containing quantities not exceeding 30 curies (Ci) (1,110 gigabecquerels
(GBq)) and in a well with a surface casing to protect fresh water
aquifers, is subject to the requirements of this section, except subsections
(e), (m), and (dd) of this section.
(2) Use of a tritium neutron generator target source,
containing quantities exceeding 30 Ci (1,110 GBq) or in a well without
a surface casing to protect fresh water aquifers, is subject to the
requirements of this section, except subsection (m) of this section.
(bb) Radiation surveys.
(1) Radiation surveys (and calculations for neutron
sources) shall be made and recorded for each area where radioactive
materials are stored.
(2) Radiation surveys (and calculations for neutron
sources) of the radiation levels in occupied positions and on the
exterior of each vehicle used to transport radioactive materials shall
be made and recorded. Such surveys (and calculations for neutron sources)
shall include all sources of radiation transported in the vehicle.
(3) If the sealed source assembly is removed from the
logging tool before departing the job site, a survey of the tool to
verify that the logging tool is free of contamination shall be made
and recorded.
(4) If the encapsulation of the sealed source has been
damaged by an operation or is likely to have been damaged by an operation,
the licensee shall immediately conduct a radiation survey and make
a record of that survey, including a contamination survey, during
and after the operation.
(5) Radiation surveys shall be made and recorded at
the job site and/or well head for each tracer operation except for
those utilizing hydrogen-3, carbon-14, sulfur-35, or krypton-85. These
surveys shall include measurements of radiation levels before and
after the operation.
(6) Records required in accordance with paragraphs
(1) - (5) of this subsection shall also include the dates, the identification
of individual(s) making the survey, the unique identification of survey
instrument(s) used, radiation measurements in milliroentgen per hour
(mR/hr), calculations in millirem per hour (mrem/hr) (microsievert
per hour (µSv/hr)), and an exact description of the location
of the survey. Each licensee or registrant shall make and maintain
records of these surveys in accordance with subsection (ee)(5) of
this section.
(cc) Records/documents for inspection by the agency.
(1) Each licensee or registrant shall maintain the
records/documents specified in subsection (ee)(5) of this section
for inspection by the agency.
(2) Each licensee or registrant maintaining additional
authorized use/storage locations from which well logging service operations
are conducted shall have copies of the records/documents specified
in subsection (ee)(5)(B) - (E) and (G) - (O) of this section that
are specific to the site available at each site for inspection by
the agency.
(3) Records/documents required in accordance with paragraph
(2) of this subsection shall be maintained in accordance with subsection
(ee)(5) of this section.
(4) Each licensee or registrant conducting well logging
service operations at a temporary job site shall have copies of the
records/documents specified in subsection (ee)(5)(B), (C), (I), (K),
(L), and (N) of this section available at that site for inspection
by the agency.
(5) Records/documents required by paragraph (4) of
this subsection shall be maintained at the temporary job site for
the period of operation at that site for inspection by the agency.
(dd) Notification of incidents and lost sources; abandonment
procedures for irretrievable sources.
(1) Notification of incidents and sources lost in other
than downhole well logging operations shall be made in accordance
with appropriate provisions of §289.202 of this title, or §289.231
of this title, as applicable.
(2) Whenever a sealed source or a device containing
radioactive material has been ruptured or is likely to have been ruptured,
the licensee shall notify the agency immediately by telephone and
submit written notification within 30 days. The written notification
shall designate the following:
(A) the well or other location;
(B) a description of the magnitude and extent of the
escape of radioactive material;
(C) an assessment of the consequences of the rupture;
and
(D) an explanation of the efforts planned or being
taken to mitigate these consequences.
(3) Whenever a sealed source is separated from the
logging tool and is lost downhole, the licensee shall notify the agency
immediately by telephone prior to beginning source recovery operations.
(4) Whenever a sealed source or device containing radioactive
material is lost downhole, the licensee shall do the following:
(A) consult with the well operator, well owner, drilling
contractor, or land owner regarding methods to retrieve the source
or device that may reduce the likelihood that the source or device
will be damaged or ruptured during the logging tool recovery (fishing)
operations;
(B) monitor with a radiation survey instrument (or
logging tool adjusted to detect gamma emissions from source(s) lost
downhole), at the surface for the presence of radioactive contamination
during logging tool recovery (fishing) operations; and
(C) notify the agency immediately by telephone and
submit written notification within 30 days if radioactive contamination
is detected at the surface or if the source appears to be damaged.
(5) When efforts to recover the radioactive source
are not successful, the licensee shall do the following:
(A) notify the agency by telephone of the circumstances
that resulted in the inability to retrieve the source and obtain agency
approval to implement abandonment procedures, or that the licensee
implemented abandonment before receiving agency approval because the
licensee believed there was an immediate threat to public health and
safety; and
(B) advise the well operator of the Railroad Commission
of Texas requirements regarding abandonment and an appropriate method
of abandonment, that shall include the following:
(i) the immobilization and sealing in place of the
radioactive source with a cement plug;
(ii) a means to prevent inadvertent intrusion on the
source, such as the setting of a whipstock or other deflection device,
unless the source is not accessible to any subsequent drilling operations;
and
(iii) the mounting of a permanent identification plaque,
containing information required by paragraph (6) of this subsection,
at the surface of the well;
(C) notify the agency by telephone giving the circumstances
of the loss; and
(D) file a written report with the agency within 30
days of the abandonment, providing the following information:
(i) date of occurrence;
Cont'd... |
