A work crew found an ammo-box on the side of a county road 1788 in the Midland - Odessa area. It contained what are believed to be two (2) sources used for process flow measurement. One source is a
Ir-192 source and another as yet unidentified believed at this time to be a
Scandium source. The state is following up and will provide additional information on the types and quantities of the sources and licensee data when they receive it.
- * * UPDATE FROM STATE (A. TUCKER) TO M. RIPLEY 1824 EDT 05/11/06 * * *
The ammo box was found on the side of the road between 6:00 and 6:30 am CDT by a driver for Baker Atlas. The box contained ten empty pigs and two sealed pigs with one labeled Ir-192 (88 mCi) and the other labeled Sc-46 (12 mCi). Initially reported radiation survey results were 5 mrem at 3 feet. The box has Yellow II labeling (radioisotopes) and the sources were thought to be used for tracer studies. The State contacted Protechnics (Core Laboratories) to inquire if they had lost the ammo box, but were subsequently notified that it was not theirs. Later, the licensee, Tracer Tech Services of Midland, TX, was identified as the owner and at 1:10 pm CDT the licensee was on the way to the Baker Atlas facility to pick up the box. The licensee stated that their driver was on his way to New Mexico, got there and then discovered his tailgate was down and the was sources were gone. Baker Atlas and the licensee were instructed by the State not to remove the ammo box until cleared by their inspector. The inspector reached the Baker Atlas facility around 3 pm CDT. Subsequent survey results by the State were 3 mrem/hr at 1 meter and 80 mrem/hr on top. There was no apparent spread of radioactive material. The State will continue to investigate the incident.
Texas Incident # I-8335
Notified R4 DO (D. Powers) and
NMSS EO (T. Essig)