<<Prev Rule

Texas Administrative Code

Next Rule>>
TITLE 25HEALTH SERVICES
PART 1DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES
CHAPTER 289RADIATION CONTROL
SUBCHAPTER FLICENSE REGULATIONS
RULE §289.253Radiation Safety Requirements for Well Logging Service Operations and Tracer Studies

(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...

Next Page

Link to Texas Secretary of State Home Page | link to Texas Register home page | link to Texas Administrative Code home page | link to Open Meetings home page