RE: A "dirty bomb" question

[Doug Aitken <daitken@sugar-land.oilfield.slb.com>]

At 02:53 PM 10/25/2003 -0400, Jaro wrote:

>In their DRDC ( Defense R&D Canada) Suffield First Responder Course - 2001,

>the assumed RDD is in fact the equivalent of millions of smoke detectors (

>or about the same as the current number in buildings & houses in the city of

>Montreal, which was the scene of the hypothetical RDD scenario).

>

>They assume 10 x 10Ci Am241 logging sources (I believe it might not be too

>difficult to get a hold of one or two such devices, but 10 seems rather

>far-fetched -- I doubt any oil company would have that many, of that size,

>in one spot).



FYI, the typical "neutron logging" Am241Be sources used for oil well 

logging will be in the range of 5-20Ci. these are held by specialist well 

logging companies, not the oil companies themselves. In major centers of 

oil exploration, it would not be uncommon for such a company to store 

perhaps up to 10 such sources, giving an aggregate of well over 100Ci of 

Am241, in one permanent storage facility. They would likely have a similar 

number of Cs137 sources, that typically have an activity of 1-2Ci each with 

an aggregate of perhaps 20Ci. However, the radioactive material is 

typically double- or triple-encapsulated in stainless steel and somewhat 

inaccessible to anyone wishing to access it for use in a "dirty bomb. In 

addition, the cesium (chloride) is fused in insoluble form, further making 

it less "useful" for dirty bomb applications.



In addition, the controls on these sources, both in storage and temporary 

transfer to an oil well location are pretty stringent. All are padlocked in 

Type A containers with controlled padlocks. When in storage, these type A 

containers are secured in locked (generally underground) bunkers that, in 

turn, are behind a security fence that is within the Company facility where 

access is in turn controlled.

In transport in company vehicles to oil well sites, they are chained inside 

locked containers that are secured to the truck frame.



However, when handed to a common carrier (obviously who is licensed for 

Hazmat transport!) for shipping, the Type A containers are generally (but 

not always) overpacked. It is the responsibility of the common carrier to 

ensure safety and security of the sources.



Regards

Doug Aitken





Doug Aitken		Schlumberger Drilling and Measurements QHSE 

Advisor

Phone (Sugarland):   	281 285-8009

Phone (Home office): 	713 797-0919	

Phone (Cell): 		713 562-8585

Principal E-mail: jdaitken@earthlink.net

Schlumberger E-mail: daitken@sugar-land.oilfield.slb.com

Mail: 	300 Schlumberger Drive MD2, Room 111

	Sugar Land, TX 77478









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