TRANSPORT OF RADIATION SOURCES USED FOR OIL WELL LOGGING: RADIATION SAFETY ISSUES FOR OFF-SHORE OPERATIONS

In accordance with IAEA safety standards, many radiation sources and generators for well logging operations are categorized as category 3 (10 > A/D ≥ 1). These sources, if not safely managed or securely protected, could cause permanent injury to a person who was to handle them or who was to otherwise be exposed to them for some time. The IAEA transport regulations are accordingly applied for transportation of well logging sources. In practice, the danger categories of well logging sources and generators are in the range of 3-4 (examples of such sources are discussed in the paper). The practices of well logging often include operations in remote areas including off-shore work. In such cases the transport of well logging sources is usually carried out via helicopter, where the application of transport rules is complicated due to the lack of space in the aircraft, transport of several sources in one cargo, and minimal distances between the transport containers and people. The paper presents a brief description of well logging sources and generators and typical transport conditions in the case of off-shore operations.