Re: Licensing Radioactive Material Offshore Africa

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

At 03:49 PM 8/13/2004, Rob Powell wrote:

>We are putting nuclear level and interface gauges (Cs-137, 100-10,000 mCi)

>in operation on a oil platform off the coast of Angola, Africa.  We are

>complying with our own (ExxonMobil) and NRC requirements for gauge safety

>(ALARA, operator training, certified RSOs, TLD badges for operators, etc.).

>However, since neither Angola nor the IAEA have radiation regulations

>specific to licensing radioactive material, we are not sure where, if

>anywhere, we can/should license the gauges.  Does anyone have an idea?



Rob:



Angola has, as you state, no requirements for licensing operations with 

Radioactive sources. Neither do they have any regulations in place 

regarding operations with radioactive materials. Schlumberger is operating 

there with (many!) radioactive logging sources. In a recent effort to 

gather electronic copies of all our licenses world-wide to Headquarters (or 

proof of non-requirement of such), we tried to get the Angolan government 

to give us a letter stating there was no licensing requirement. They 

refused to do so, even though we drafted the letter for them.



They are evidently in "denial"........



So, I would say that once you do all the necessary paperwork to get the 

gauges there (export from the manufacturer, importation into Angola), you 

are on your own regarding managing the radiological aspects of their operation.



All Schlumberger operations in Angola comply with our internal, world-wide, 

standards. I would recommend you likewise just follow your own (ExxonMobil) 

requirements. Eventually, when enough companies start operating there with 

sources, the government will come around and set up something, hopefully 

guided by reason!



Regards

Doug





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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